More Stars on show at Cheltenham
Irish-trained horses are dominating the Cheltenham Festival so far.
BOOKMAKERS all over the land will be desperate to get Envoi Allen beaten in the opening Marsh Novices’ Chase (1.20pm) after the successes of Shishkin in the Sporting Life Arkle and Monkfish in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.
The unbeaten Irish superstar is the final leg of plenty of short-priced trebles and I expect the 4/7 on offer with Fitzdares to come under pressure.
Envoi Allen will surely make it a perfect 12 out of 12 and in the process record a third successive Cheltenham Festival victory after his Champion Bumper and Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle glories.
SHARING OPTIONS:
Skyace and Jody McGarvey after winning the Grade 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle at Down Royal. \ Healy Racing
I always put aside a few bob for Cheltenham and I’ve been studying the entries a bit closer since losing my last €5 bet on Singlefarmpayment, who trailed in fifth last week.
For my next fiver, I’ve been looking at Darver Star, part-owned by Louth farmer-breeder Pat Cluskey, his co-breeder Sean Fanning and their lotto-winning friend Simon Fagan.
Roksana, bred by John O’Leary at the foothills of the Knockmealdowns in Co Tipperary, would be roared home by the farmer punters in the Glenview Lounge, were it not for the COVID-19 cessation of such merriment. Just over the county bounds in Waterford, Henry de Bromhead’s runner Put The Kettle On has a reassuringly familiar name.
CHELTENHAM PREVIEW: Our man runs the rule over the runners and riders
Cheltenham 2021 kicks off on Tuesday, March 16
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Spectators are such a big part of Cheltenham but the famous roar as the tape drops for the Supreme Novices Hurdle on Day 1 will have to come from our own front rooms. The festival will take place behind closed doors due to Covid-19 restrictions but Irish horses will be able to travel and they will present formidable opposition for the UK charges.
Currently, Willie Mullins trains half of the ante-post favourites across the 28 races of the festival for 2021. The Carlow handler has already stood on the winners podium 72 times at Prestbury Park, including to pick up the coveted Gold Cup in the last two years with Al Boum Photo.
Festival Fever: The Key Weekend Runners with Cheltenham Festival in mind
By Sporting Life
15:48 · SAT February 06, 2021
Matt Brocklebank and Tony McFadden profile eight of the most significant runners this weekend that are likely to have the Cheltenham Festival on their agenda, including Minella Indo.
Sunday - Ones to watch
Paul Townend on Appreciate It
Appreciate It is already favourite for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham but we could be talking in terms of old-fashioned Irish banker should he come through this weekend s test unscathed.
The son of Jeremy won the Goffs Future Stars Bumper on this card last February, before finding stable companion Ferny Hollow too good in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper the following month.