It’s Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival at Prestbury Park, with 28 pulsating races set to take place across the course of the next 4 days.
Today’s featured race is the Champion Hurdle, where the Willie Mullins-trained State Man is 1/3 favourite to see off his rivals.
Local trainer Henry de Bromhead has seven runners today as he bids to add to his tally of 21 Cheltenham Festival winners to date.
Here’s a breakdown of all of today’s local runners and riders.
Supreme Novices Hurdle (1.30):
Slade Steel (5/1) - Rachael Blackmore
Slade Steel boasts a career record of four wins from six outings. He has proven versatile on various types of ground and the only horse ever to defeat him to date has been Ballyburn, the favourite for tomorrow’s Gallagher Novices Hurdle.
Slade Steel was recently second in a Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival, but was previously a Grade 2 winner at Navan, as well as having been successful at Punchestown and Naas in what has been a promising novice campaign.
Arkle Challenge Trophy (2.10):
Quilixious (13/2) - Rachael Blackmore
A former winner of the Triumph Hurdle, Quilixious hadn’t been seen for 20 months before making a return to action with victory over fences at Limerick, before another impressive showing at Naas, where his jumping was particularly fluent. He looks open to further progress and cannot be ruled out in what looks a wide open renewal of the Arkle.
Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50):
Eklat De Rire (18/1) - Rachael Blackmore
Eklat De Rire had seemed promising in his early career having landed a Grade 3 in his novice campaign. Though he has somewhat disappointed since, he did show notable improvement in a recent run at Fairyhouse which did provide a glimpse of some of his undoubted ability. He could well prove a popular each-way play for many punters. His best form comes on testing ground, and that could well be on offer come flagfall.
Mares’ Hurdle (16.10):
Lantry Lady (14/1) - Jack Kennedy
She has been the subject of market support having been backed in from 25/1. It is widely expected by many that the race will be at the mercy of the Willie Mullins-trained Lossiemouth but Lantry Lady remains somewhat of an unknown quantity. She is 2 from 2 for de Bromhead to date, and impressed when winning a Grade 3 with nine lengths in hand at Gowran last month. She could well be the best of the rest and may be the one to put it up to the favourite.
Telmesomethinggirl (14/1) - Rachael Blackmore
A former festival winner, she has been top class on multiple occasions and looks more at home over the smaller obstacles having not particularly taken to chasing. She was second in a Grade 3 at Naas recently but will need to improve on that showing to feature on this occasion.
Hispanic Moon (50/1) - Darragh O’Keeffe
She has won twice at Punchestown having arrived from France earlier this year. She did win the Grade 3 Quevega Hurdle recently ahead of Gala Marceau, and that could work out to be a nice piece of form. This is by far the toughest test of her career to date, but she could be capable of a good showing.
Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (4.50):
Nara (14/1) - Mark Walsh
Mark Walsh takes the ride for the JP McManus hopeful in a race where the famed Limerick owner has had plenty of success in recent times. She was the winner of a Listed race in France but has flattered to deceive so far in her two outings in Ireland. There are no doubts of her ability but this is a tough assignment and she will likely need to progress significantly to land this.
