Cheltenham 2020 / 2021

I'm gonna be like a dog with two dicks this Saturday, with Sandown + Cotswold, Wetherby + Cleeve and day one of the DRF
 
Re routed Cotswold Chase at Sandown entries

Bristol de Mai
Lake View Lad
Native River
Santini
Saint Calvados
Yala Enki
 
Face it; Ireland has more than its share of uncompetitive gd1's. Same on the flat,too.
 
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Reads more like a total re-write than a clarification, Darren!

“Top-class horses win races with ease”. Not exactly a scoop.
 
"So while Shan Blue was having a hard race with Sporting John around Sandown last weekend, Monkfish was able to win his race in a canter at Leopardstown. Forget the fact that one is a short price for the Festival and the others bigger, who is enjoying the better prep?"

I'd be interested to see who would be favourite between Latest Exhibition and Sporting John/Paint The Dream.
 
Outsider said:
So,which willie mullins horse will be sacrificed to save the bookies millions.
Click to expand...

These short priced horses have been all the talk on here lately haven't they. Each to their own. I'm sure the majority of them will win, but I'll be sticking to my usual plan, (of trying to identify races with good each way value shots) .

The handicaps look our best chance of finding each way bets for obvious reasons.

I hope these hot favourites win as I like to see the bookies pay out, and seeing potential champions like Shishkin fulfill their potential is great to see, but I can't be betting them at their respective odds.

I don't know about you Outsider, but I feel a couple of decent each way Lucky 31s will cover me for this entire meeting, both for a sporting bet type-of-thing and to keep me entertained for the four days.
 
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RP Cheltenham Stable Tour - Paul Nicholls

Even by his own high standards it has been a standout season for Paul Nicholls, who is on course for his 12th trainers' championship and is readying a small but select team for the Cheltenham Festival.

The trainer will be hoping for a repeat of last year when Politologue led home a one-two for the yard in the Grade 1 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, a race Nicholls has landed six times.

Politologue will head a talented team next month including Bravemansgame, a leading contender for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, and Frodon, who is in great form ahead of the WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup.


"We didn't have a runner on the opening day last season and we might not have many this year due to the way the races are scheduled," Nicholls says. "We'll have a small but select team.

"I've learned over the years the festival is not the be-all and end-all, you should only send horses who have decent chances. Some of ours will swerve and go to Aintree or be left for the future. You want to have horses good enough but you can't be blinded by Cheltenham.

"We'll have some exciting novices in Bravemansgame, Barbados Buck's and Next Destination, as well as the likes of Politologue. We're lucky with our record in the big races but those horses don't come along often so it was special to win the Champion Chase last year."

Ashutor
Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase

He did really well last summer, winning three times in seven starts between June and September. He's subsequently been off all winter as he was quite busy. He travels well and will have a prep run at Fontwell. He's rated 139 and novices have a good record in the race.

Barbados Buck's
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

He keeps improving, stays forever and deserves to take his chance. It wouldn't surprise me if he won and he should run well. His win at Kempton showed he was impressive. He defied a 10lb penalty and Harry Cobden got off him and said you wouldn't know what's in the tank. He will gallop all day and that's what you need to win this. It's a step up in grade but he's rated 139 so he deserves to be there. It's great to have a nice young horse for his owner Andy Stewart.

Bob And Co
St James's Place Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase

Bob And Co is already qualified and his owner David Maxwell would ride him if he's allowed. He's the highest-rated of all our hunter chasers with a mark of 146. He won two races last season but he struggled a bit with his breathing and has had a wind op. That's improved him a lot. He could run very well and I'm hopeful that amateurs can ride – it's their Gold Cup and they ought to be there.

Bravemansgame
Ballymore Novices' Hurdle

He's one of our best chances on paper. There are some good Irish challengers in the race, but this lad has done nothing wrong and won the Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury impressively last time. He can't do any more than keep winning and this will be a stiffer task against the best of the best. He's improving all the time and we're thrilled with him. I can't wait for him to go chasing next season too.

Cyrname
WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup

He's going to run in the Betfair Ascot Chase next Saturday provided the ground is not heavy. He'd be 33-1 in the Gold Cup and he's favourite next week. I'd quite like him to go to Aintree, but if he doesn't run at Ascot then I would love to run him in the Gold Cup. He can be a bit sulky, but when it goes right he's hugely talented. He keeps winning big races. I thought his Charlie Hall win at Wetherby showed he could be on the fringe of being a Gold Cup horse at some point. He's got enough speed to handle Cheltenham's undulations and doesn't need to make the running.

Duc Des Genievres
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase

He's entered, but I wouldn't want to run him if the ground was too soft. He ran well on his first start for us behind Put The Kettle On at Cheltenham when he didn't quite get up the hill. The ground was too heavy at Ascot when we held him up on his most recent start. He has breathing issues, which doesn't help him, but if the ground is decent he could run.

Frodon
WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup

He was brilliant in the King George at Kempton. It was an extremely competitive field but he won cosily and had the run of the race. He's arguably even better going left-handed as he jumped to his left a bit around Kempton. He's shown he loves Cheltenham as a Cotswold Chase and Ryanair winner. I don't think there's an issue with him staying now as he's crying out for the trip. The thing is you wouldn't want him to get into a scrap with the likes of Native River so he'd have to be ridden sensibly. You don't need to make the running in a Gold Cup. There are a lot of positives and I think it's a very open race. I think we all have to beat last year's winner Al Boum Photo, but there are question marks surrounding several in the field. You know he'll run his race as he's tough and genuine.

Greaneteen
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase
Ryanair Chase

He'll run in the rearranged Game Spirit Chase at Newbury next Sunday and that will give us a clue as to whether to go for the Champion Chase or Ryanair. He's still a young, improving horse and I'm not sure he wants a scrap against all those older horses just yet in the Champion Chase. When Harry got off him at Sandown after the Tingle Creek he said he might want two and a half miles.

Hell Red
Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

He was very impressive on his first run at Chepstow in October, when he hosed up by 12 lengths. He then pulled up at Cheltenham the following month and has had a breathing operation since. He's been given a mark of 134, which is fair. At one point he was leading the betting for the Triumph, and he could have a prep race at Wincanton next Saturday.

Houx Gris
Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

He came over from France and hadn't been with us long before finishing third on soft ground at Chepstow last month. He travelled beautifully but just got a bit tired after the second-last. He's got a fair mark of 128, travels well and should be suited by better ground.

McFabulous
Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle

He had good form going into the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury on his second start of the season and did well to finish third behind Thyme Hill and Paisley Park. It looked like he might win jumping the last, but he got outstayed and if we rode the race again we might have done things differently. He won nicely at Kempton last month and, stepping him back up to three miles, he might be better on a flat track so the plan is to go for the National Spirit [February 28] and then Aintree. However, if the ground was very soft at Fontwell, we might be open to running in the Stayers' if it was good ground. He wasn't far off the market leaders at Newbury, but at the moment he seems suited by flat tracks. He's good enough to be at the festival.

Next Destination
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

He joined us last June and has been a revelation this season. He ran very well when second behind Roksana at Wetherby in October after a 920-day absence. Then he won well at Newbury and Warwick. The ground at Newbury was as quick as he'd like and he jumped well at Warwick but is probably better on a galloping track. He will make a high-class chaser next season and deserves to run. Monkfish is the one we've all got to beat, but he can only go and do his best. Anything can happen in the novice chases at Cheltenham.

Politologue
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase

The race cut up a bit when he won last year, but it was a brilliant performance. He ran a solid race the other day too. I was impressed with Chacun Pour Soi and if he replicates his win in the Dublin Chase then he's going to be very hard to beat. We've got to do the best we can and Politologue is genuine and tough. He runs with his heart on his sleeve and will do the same this time. He's a good Grade 1 winner who has deserved to win his races, but this will be difficult.

Real Steel
Ryanair Chase

He definitely wants better ground than he's been running on and he travelled well in the King George. It looked like he had a good chance before fading out of it and it transpired that he bled. I've always seen him as a middle-distance horse so the Ryanair on decent ground should suit. He's come along well and is getting used to our way of doing things.

Sametegal
St James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase

He has to be placed in another hunter chase before the end of the month to go. I was thinking of going to Aintree with him, but if he got in at Cheltenham then he could be another entry. We've had a lot of good times in the race. Bryony Frost launched her career in it.

Shantou Flyer
Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase

He was placed in the hunter chase last year. He joined me only a month ago with the plan of going hunter chasing, but everything changed due to the pandemic as David [Maxwell] couldn't ride him. We ran him at Wincanton last month and I thought he would run well, but he just needed it. It would have brought him on and he loves Cheltenham. He's a nice, solid chance for us in the Kim Muir.

Southfield Harvest
Pertemps Final

I'm sweet on him for this race. His half-brother Southfield Theatrewas beaten by a head in this so it would be nice to go one better. He's progressive and will love the trip. Harry will take the ride. He is scheduled to run at Exeter on Sunday.

Storm Arising
Pertemps Final

He's improved this year and won nicely at Lingfield. He pulled himself up a little while in front at Sandown on his penultimate start and probably should have won that day. He then won nicely at Chepstow last month. He will once again be ridden by Bryony.

Thyme White
Randox Health County Hurdle

I've always thought this race would suit him. He won impressively at Chepstow on his first start of the season but then unseated Harry while going well at Newbury. He hasn't been able to run since due to the ground. He's due to run in the rearranged Betfair Hurdle next Sunday, but if he can't because of the ground then he could go for the County Hurdle and then the Scottish Champion Hurdle.

Remaining runners
Plans for all the handicaps have not yet been finalised, but I expect to send a strong team of runners, which could include Betfair Hurdle winner Pic D'Orhy, Christopher Wood and Wild Max.
 
RP Cheltenham Stable Tour - Nicky Henderson

Nicky Henderson will hope for a repeat of last season when he left the Cheltenham Festival with four winners, including Epatante and Champ, who landed the Unibet Champion Hurdle and RSA Chase.

However, the trainer knows winners at the festival are always hard to come by and he has one eye on the powerful battalion of Irish runners after their exploits at the Dublin Racing Festival.

"You have to have your runners in tip-top condition every year to be competitive at the festival, but it was quite scary watching some of the Irish horses at Leopardstown as they were impressive," he said.

Henderson led the British charge 12 months ago and is readying another strong team headed by Shishkin, favourite for the Arkle following an unbeaten season over fences.


The seven-year-old will be joined by some familiar faces, including Buveur D'Air and Altior, who will bid to regain their titles in the Champion Hurdle and the Champion Chase.

Henderson, who has had 68 winners at the festival, added: "We're strong in some departments and seem to have a balanced bunch. You wouldn't be complaining with the runners we have."

Allart
Festival entries: Sporting Life Arkle Novices' Chase; Marsh Novices' Chase

He's clearly talented and I thought his performance in the Grade 2 Noel Novices' Chase at Ascot was exceptional. He travelled and jumped well. I don't normally like going to Ascot with novices first time, but we thought he might be an exception and he was good. He then unfortunately had a fall at Haydock on some very deep ground, which took him a bit of time to get over. We have got to try to get another run into him, but we might be up against the clock. He's got plenty of pace for two miles but he definitely stays two and a half miles, so we have options.

Altior
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase

Everything has gone well and his demeanour seems better to me than it was before Christmas – he's more like his old self. He just needs to sharpen up a little as his jumping wasn't as fluent as it can be at Kempton. His target is the Champion Chase, which looks as though it will be really competitive. He will head straight to the Cheltenham Festival. He is in excellent form but he does tend to take his races quite hard and we have decided to continue his preparation at home and almost certainly have an away day at some point in the next ten days.

Buveur D'Air
Unibet Champion Hurdle

He's in good form and I was genuinely happy with his performance at Haydock. Thank goodness we decided to run him there as the alternative at Sandown was abandoned and there are really no further opportunities, so we at least got a run under his belt. It was two weeks earlier than originally planned and his first run back after suffering a freak injury in 2019. He was as fit as I could get him without a race and although we'd have all liked him to have won, he simply got a bit tired from the last hurdle in what was desperately testing ground. He has thankfully returned with no ill effects and he can now hopefully enjoy a normal preparation for March.

Buzz
Unibet Champion Hurdle

His prime target is the rearranged Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on Sunday and he has to carry top weight, which will be a tough task. We're delighted Newbury and Betfair have agreed to restage this prestigious handicap and his entry in the Champion Hurdle is only there should he manage the Herculean task facing him this weekend. If he was successful it would have to rate a Champion Hurdle performance. He's had a great season and seems in excellent shape.

Champ
WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup

We have been very pleased with his preparation, which has included a couple of away days and he seems very sharp but this week of cold weather has interrupted our progress, so we have decided to change things around. He will drop back to two miles to contest the Game Spirit rather than the Denman Chase on Sunday. He hasn't run for a year so we could be in danger that three miles might be slightly too far for his first run of the season. He is a fresh horse and can be quite free in his races, so it would be harder to curtail his enthusiasm and you're never going to take as much out over two miles as you are over three. He could be keen and do too much so in the interest of the Gold Cup being his ultimate goal, it is preferable to run over a shorter distance, which could stop him having a harder race than necessary and also help eliminate the risk of the bounce factor. He was a very useful horse over two and a half miles last season and I think the Game Spirit could suit him well, both in the short and long term.

Chantry House
Marsh Novices' Chase

He was very impressive on his first start of the season when he won by 26 lengths at Ascot but then he got it rather wrong on his next start at Cheltenham. He must have tweaked something as his jumping was not as fluent as it usually is. He has come back in excellent shape and his schooling has been brilliant but we desperately need a run before the festival. He was due to run at Exeter on Sunday and it looks as though he'll go to Wetherby on Wednesday.

Dame De Compagnie
Four including the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle

She's good but unfortunately she unseated at Sandown, where she was probably struggling on the testing ground. We schooled her over fences last week and the Sandown experience has done her no harm but it's hard to go into Cheltenham on the back of that so it could be possible she reverts to hurdles. She had jumped extremely well on her chase debut at Ayr and she definitely has a future over fences.

Dickie Diver
National Hunt Chase

I was pleased with his first run over fences in a two-mile, six-and-a-half-furlong novice handicap chase at Newbury. He jumped and finished his race well. Last week's freeze has not helped our cause as he needs another run before we can decide where he is going. He has all the credentials to make a high-class chaser, especially on soft ground.

Epatante
Unibet Champion Hurdle

Sadly she comes in after a loss. Silver Streak was very good in the Christmas Hurdle and made it a test. I'm sure she can improve on her performance and I'm hopeful you'll see last year's Epatante in March. She's the defending champion and has been in great form. Now, you potentially have the not inconsiderable problem of another mare, Honeysuckle, whose jumping was so slick at Leopardstown. It will be a fascinating contest between these two very high-class mares, let alone the other protagonists, including Buveur D'Air.

Floressa
Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle

Her owners are an enthusiastic team and I'd imagine she'll go to the festival. I'm adamant she wants two and a half miles, despite the fact she's run good races all season over shorter. I tried to persuade them to run at two and a half miles but was put back in my box when she won the Gerry Feilden at Newbury before Christmas. She's a lovely mare.

Fusil Raffles
Sporting Life Arkle Novices' Chase; Marsh Novices' Chase

He's good and I think good ground on two and a half miles would be ideal for him, although he keeps winning over two miles. He had a very good first half to the season and we've given him a break. He won't run again but he'll do plenty of work before the festival.

Heross Du Seuil
JCB Triumph Hurdle

He won impressively at Kempton on his first start for us in December and I'm not sure one of his rivals falling at the last made too much difference to the result. He's a horse on the march. He has missed numerous engagements due to cancellations and he desperately needs more experience. If the Adonis is the only remaining option, he'll have to go there and see if he is up to standard.

Lecale's Article
Ballymore Novices' Hurdle

He was going to go to Huntingdon for the Sidney Banks, which we won with Shishkin last season, but the meeting was cancelled. He won at Newbury on his hurdles debut over two miles but I would be pretty sure he needs further. The plan is to run at Warwick on Monday and that will tell us where we are.

Mister Fisher
Ryanair Chase

He won nicely over course and distance in the rearranged Grade 2 Peterborough Chase in December. He beat some nice horses. The ground is quite important to him but he's in very good shape. He's a young, athletic, improving horse.

Paros
JCB Triumph Hurdle

He was fourth at Sandown on his first start after joining from France but ran far too free. This wouldn't be an easy task and we'd need to get another race into him beforehand.

Pipesmoker
Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle; Ballymore Novices' Hurdle

He was a very good novice last year and we threw him in at the deep end. He's not run since last February when he was second to Sporting John in a novice hurdle. He might have to wait for Aintree but he's potentially a top-class horse. The plan was to have run at Newbury on Saturday and I suspect we will now take up the rearranged engagement on Sunday, which is close enough to Cheltenham after such a long time off the track but he is a very talented individual.

Santini
WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup

He ran a fantastic race to finish second last year. You couldn't have asked any more of him because he battled Al Boum Photo all the way. We knew Sandown wasn't going to be ideal for him last time. Originally we weren't going to run in the Cotswold Chase on heavy ground but we had to as we didn't have an alternative. When the race moved to Sandown the ground was even worse but he needed a race. We were happy with it as a prep run, even though he didn't particularly enjoy the ground and found some of it hard work. He's not particularly amused by the day-to-day stuff – he just loves going racing. He was crazy fresh the morning after the Cotswold Chase.

Shishkin
Sporting Life Arkle

He was great last season, including when he overcame all kinds of hindrance to win the Supreme, and did nothing wrong apart from one silly fall at Newbury on his first run over hurdles in 2019. He's unblemished really and has hardly put a foot wrong in his three runs over fences. He will have to be at his best and we're lucky to have him. You couldn't believe you'd find Altior after Sprinter Sacre and its even harder to believe you might have another one in Shishkin.

Verdana Blue
Unibet Champion Hurdle; Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle

She deserves her place in the squad although her target could be up for discussion in that she might be better off in the Mares' Hurdle. Over some glorious seasons, she has appeared to be essentially a two-miler on top of the ground but with a bit of age and looking at her very creditable performances on the Flat last summer, especially when possibly an unlucky third in the Ebor on soft ground, she is now less ground and distance dependent.

Remaining runners

Following last week's freeze up and some desperately heavy ground during the last few weeks and many cancellations, we have quite a lot of unfinished preparations and decisions to make. We hope to have a strong team of handicappers but plans are not yet finalised.

There are a number of novice hurdlers who I need to get a run into this week, including Bothwell Bridge, Gallyhill and Patroclus. I'd imagine they could all be Ballymore contenders. Gran Luna and Ahorsewithnoname are well above average and under normal circumstances would head for the mares' novice hurdle.

For the two-and-a-half-mile handicap, I think Precious Cargo and Caribean Boy are likely candidates. There are several who would likely head for Dad's memorial race, the Grand Annual, such as Whatswrongwithyou and our old friend Theinval.

Champagne Platinum is being aimed at the Pertemps Final, while Craigneiche could contest the Coral Cup.

Simon Munir and Isaac Souede will have a number of candidates with a broad spectrum of engagements. They could include Monte Cristo, who won well on Boxing Day, Terrefort, Call Me Lord, Janika, Top Notch, L'Ami Serge and Gipsy De Choisel among others.
 
RP Cheltenham Stable Tour - Colin Tizzard

It has been a challenging season for Colin Tizzard, but his talented team has turned a corner at the right time just before the festival.

An old friend, Native River, gave the yard a major boost by winning the Cotswold Chase this month and the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner will bid to regain his crown in the prestigious Grade 1 next month.

The 11-year-old will be joined by several younger contenders, such as Lostintranslation, Fiddlerontheroof and The Big Breakaway, who is among the fancied contenders for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase.


"It has been a steady year for us and for whatever reason a few of ours were underperforming, but they've turned a corner," said Joe Tizzard, assistant trainer to father Colin. "It was great to have a few winners in the last couple of weeks and Native River gave us a huge boost.

"We might have a slightly smaller team than last season, but the quality is there. It's never easy to win at Cheltenham, but we'll get them there in the best condition and hopefully get a bit of luck."

Eldorado Allen
Festival entries: Sporting Life Arkle Novices' Chase; Marsh Novices' Chase

We thought he might have been an Arkle horse, but I don't think he is. He has a few options and could run in a handicap – we've got everything covered. He'd struggle to beat Shishkin, as we saw when he finished second to him at Doncaster, but he didn't lose anything in defeat and his time was good. Off a mark of 149 he'll probably be entered in a couple of handicaps, with the Grand Annual the most likely.

Fiddlerontheroof
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

We think he's a three-miler. He won the Tolworth over two miles last year and we've gradually stepped him up in trip this season. He's just come up against one a few times, but has run some crackers and ran a blinder when second to Next Destination at Warwick last time. He's got a live chance and is just the type for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase. As we step him up in trip he's getting better and better. He's been consistent this season, even while we've been a bit quiet, and he's got a massive day in him at some point. He's a seriously talented horse.

L'Air Du Vent
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

I'm not sure he'll be good enough for the Grade 1. He's rated 137 and was disappointing last time, but he wasn't quite right. We're planning to give him a run before the festival and he could earn himself an entry in one of the handicaps, but he might perhaps be more of an Aintree horse. He's well handicapped and it was a solid win at Exeter on his penultimate start.

Lostintranslation
WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup

After he finished third last season, we said to ourselves we believed he was capable of winning a Gold Cup, and we still think the same. He's been a bit disappointing this year and had a little bleed in the King George. He seems to have turned a corner and is in beautiful form at home. He has the options of the rearranged Denman Chase or the Ascot Chase this weekend. On last year's run alone he has to have a good chance, and he could be a bit of a forgotten horse. He travelled so well in the race last year and wasn't beaten too far.

Native River
WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup

He came out of winning the Cotswold Chase at Sandown well and we were chuffed they rescheduled the race. This has always been the plan for him and he can be dangerous when he gets his conditions. His ability doesn't seem to have deteriorated at all. He won twice last season and lost nothing in defeat in the Many Clouds in December. He's possibly become more ground dependant with age and he'd want a bit of soft ground. He's been to three Gold Cups and has run well in all of them. He looks as good as ever and couldn't do any more at Sandown.

Ofalltheginjoints
National Hunt Chase; Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

He'll also have an entry in the Ultima. You can scratch his last run when he was fourth at Doncaster. Before that he was a progressive young horse and I quite like him. He stays well on good ground. and is fairly handicapped and would be competitive off his mark. I'm not sure where he'll end up, but he deserves his place at the festival. The National Hunt Chase would probably be favourite for him at the moment.

Oscar Elite
Ballymore Novices' Hurdle; Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

The Albert Barlett should be ideal for him. He didn't quite see his race out at Warwick over a shorter trip last time but travelled well for much of the race. I think he will take his chance. He's won his two novices and finished third at Exeter last time. He deserves to have a crack at a big one and should be a cracking chaser next year.

Sizing At Midnight
National Hunt Chase

He needs decent ground and looked like he had every chance of winning the Badger Beers Silver Trophy at Wincanton before falling. He has an entry at Kempton at the end of the month but we might give him a spin in a three-mile novice chase this week and then the National Hunt Chase would very much be on the cards. He's been very progressive and has not done an awful lot wrong for us.

The Big Breakaway
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

He won nicely on his first start of the season before being beaten at Exeter, which was a bit of a balls-up on our part. We thought we'd give him a bit experience and run him over two and a half miles, but that backfired a little bit. His run in the Kauto Star at Kempton was brilliant. In hindsight he might have been ridden a bit closer to the pace, but we had to drop him in and teach him how to race. He still ran a blinder behind Shan Blue, who ran really well this month and franked the form. He's already won around Cheltenham and is probably our best chance at the festival. The plan next year will be the Gold Cup, and we're quite keen to give him plenty of experience.

Reserve Tank
Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle

He's coming back after jarring himself up in the Marsh at last year's festival. He's won two Grade 1 novice hurdles, so is obviously a very good horse. We're going to run him in a handicap at Ascot at the weekend as a prep run, and if he does well he could go for the Stayers'. It's a bit of a recovery mission after a setback, but he's back in full work and when he's right he's an extremely talented horse. On his novice form you'd like to think he could be really competitive.

War Lord
Coral Cup

He could possibly go for the Coral Cup. He's had a good season and has been pretty consistent. He'll make a lovely chaser next year, but he's competitive in big handicap hurdles and won one at Haydock last year. The Coral Cup takes a lot of winning, but he might just sneak in and the 2m5f trip at Cheltenham would suit.

Remaining runners
The Tizzard yard will have a small-but-select team of handicappers, which could include Copperhead, who could attempt to bounce back to form in the Ultima, and Vision Des Flos, a possible runner in the Coral Cup.
 
RP Cheltenham Stable Tour - Henry de Bromhead

It has already been a season to remember with four Grade 1s locked and loaded, but things could get a whole lot better for Henry de Bromhead at Cheltenham next month.

Honeysuckle joined exalted company when landing back-to-back Irish Champion Hurdles at Leopardstown, and she will put her unbeaten record on the line in the Unibet Champion Hurdle.

De Bromhead could also be represented in the race by lively outsiders Aspire Tower and Jason The Militant.


The Waterford trainer has similar strength in depth in the WellChild Gold Cup with A Plus Tard and Minella Indo set to do battle, while last season's Arkle winner Put The Kettle On and Notebook are set for the Betway Champion Chase.

Away from the established runners, De Bromhead has a wealth of emerging talent, including leading Ballymore contender Bob Olinger, Brown Advisory Novices' Chase fancy Eklat De Rire and Arkle challenger Captain Guinness.

A Plus Tard
WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup

I'm probably biased, but the Savills Chase looked to be one of the strongest Gold Cup trials, if not the strongest, run all season. He seemed to do it very well and the form got franked by Kemboy in the Irish Gold Cup. We are very lucky to have two horses like him and Minella Indo in the race and we have purposefully kept this fella fresh for the Gold Cup. We are very happy with him.

Aspire Tower
Unibet Champion Hurdle

He has really strengthened up since Christmas and looks amazing. He definitely has claims in the Champion Hurdle and is in mighty form, and I would be hoping that there is a lot more improvement in him. We purposely said we'd go straight from Christmas to the Champion Hurdle and we will try to have him spot-on for the day.

Bob Olinger
Ballymore Novices' Hurdle

He has always worked like a really nice horse and thankfully he has shown that on the track. We were delighted with him when he won the Grade 1 Lawlor's Of Naas Novice Hurdle and he seems to have taken that race really well. Blue Lord was second to us at Naas and he went on to chase home Appreciate It at Leopardstown so it looks like it was good form. He's in the Ballymore and I would say that is where we will go, but he's in the Supreme as well and nothing is set in stone. However, he's a Grade 1 winner over two and a half miles so I would imagine we would be leaning towards the Ballymore.

Captain Guinness
Sporting Life Arkle Novices' Chase

We are looking at the Arkle for him. It was just a silly fall at Leopardstown. He looked like he was going to run well before coming down at the second-last and I think this horse will be a lot better for better ground as well; nice spring ground will suit him. We've been very happy with him since Leopardstown. Obviously it's not ideal going to the Arkle off the back of a fall and we need to improve, but he's in good form and he usually jumps really well. Rachael [Blackmore] felt there was a huge difference between Naas and Leopardstown in him for the marginally nicer ground so you would be hoping for better again come the spring. Hopefully that would bring him into the picture in the Arkle.

Chris's Dream
Ryanair Chase

I think we are going to go for the Ryanair. We said we'd train him for that race and he seems to be in good form.

Eklat De Rire
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

He goes for the three-mile novice chase. Touch wood his jumping has been very good and he has looked good in winning both of his starts over fences for us – he was very good at Naas the last day. Monkfish obviously looks a very good horse, but we are happy with Eklat De Rire and are looking forward to him.

Honeysuckle
Unibet Champion Hurdle

She was brilliant at Leopardstown. We just feel very lucky to have her. She seems in mighty form since so touch wood it is all systems go for Cheltenham. It was a very impressive performance at Leopardstown. I'm not saying I was expecting her to go out and win the Irish Champion Hurdle by ten lengths, but nothing surprises me with her because she is just so good. She has only had two runs this season whereas this time last year she had three. It's just the way things fell. Last year there was a lovely race to start off in before the Hatton's Grace, but this year she went straight to Fairyhouse. She probably got me out of trouble there, to be fair to her, but thankfully she did. Touch wood she jumps really well and we are happy to go for the Champion Hurdle with her.

Irascible
Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle

He's in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and I'd imagine that's where he'll go. That's the plan at the moment anyway.

Jason The Militant
Unibet Champion Hurdle

He runs in the Red Mills Hurdle on Saturday and we'll see how that goes. If it works out well then he could run in the Champion Hurdle. He could be a dark horse for Cheltenham.

Minella Indo
WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup

I know A Plus Tard is shorter than Minella Indo in the betting, but we also know Minella Indo comes alive around Cheltenham. The main objective was a clear round at Leopardstown the last day after falling in the Savills Chase, and I was very happy with him bar the second-last. Kemboy got an easy lead and I think Minella Indo ran well in the circumstances given it was effectively his first race in open company. I think we will see a different horse in the Gold Cup and I'm very happy with him. If you look at his beginners chase before Cheltenham last year, he wasn't that impressive either, but he has a habit of raising his game for the festival.

Notebook
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase

We said we'd give forceful tactics a go at Leopardstown last time and, between that and the ground, it just didn't work. His best form is on better ground and I think he's entitled to go for the Champion Chase. Obviously he was disappointing in the Arkle last year, but his form has been good this season so I think we will go and take our chance.

Put The Kettle On
Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase

We are leaning towards the Champion Chase with her. Arkle winners have a fantastic record in the race and we know how much she loves Cheltenham. She has improved a huge amount since she has come back to two miles and she has a great record around Cheltenham, she is unbeaten round there, so I would say we are leaning towards that. Obviously the Mares' Chase is an option, but that race is over two and a half miles. It's something we are in discussion over, but I think we are leaning towards the Champion Chase. I would never have thought a big open track like Leopardstown would have suited her and she seems to just love it at Cheltenham so hopefully we can see the best of her next month.

Other runners

Telmesomethinggirl will probably go for the Mares' Novice Hurdle and Minella Melody will go for the Mares' Hurdle. Champagne Gold has a few options. He's in the Supreme and will also be entered in the County and the Martin Pipe.
 
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I was devastated with Minella Indo at Leop but we see Cheltenham horses come alive every year once they get back on the hallowed turf. 20/1 at Bet365 is huge. I like Henry's confidence.

Captain Guinness and Put the Kettle On are both big prices in the without markets for their respective likely targets.
 
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