HORSES FOR COURSES Inside information from the team who hope to guide you from nags to riches. Here are four less obvious selections for the Festival.
WEATHERBYS CHAMPION BUMPER MERCUREY
12-1
It would be no surprize if Facile Vega, the odd-on favourite, and son of Cheltenham favourite, Quevega wins the Festival’s only flat race. However, quite often the stable hotpot gets usurped by a wild card in this race and this year the jolly toppler could be Mercurey. One low key start at Gowran Park at the end of January resulted in an emphatic win. In the colours of Douvan, Annie Power, Faugheen….Mercurey could be another superstar waiting in the wings for the Riccis.
PADDY POWER STAYERS HURDLE FLOORING PORTER
5-2
Restaurant GL50, enabling you to enjoy the occasion in style. VIP access is £40pp (£400 table of 10) – Enjoy a luxurious cheese and charcuterie platter with a welcome drink on arrival and seating at the front of the theatre next to the stage. Please ring the hospitality team on 01242 806570 to book your space. Hosted by Oli Bell , the panel will include Ruby Walsh , Barry Geraghty , Emma Lavelle and Michael Shinners from Sporting Life. Cheltenham Annual Members can apply for their complimentary ticket by calling the Membership Team on 01242 5 37662. We hope very much that our Members will join the fundraising drive and make a donation on the night. It is madness that a horse that won this race unchallenged last year was available at 10-1 a few months ago after being beaten in a very strangely run Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown. He was always held by the enigmatic Klassical Dream, but to my eye at least he was making ground on him at the end. He lost nothing in defeat and only emphasised how brave, tough, willing and consistent he is. I see no reason to doubt he will relish being back at Cheltenham and I find it hard to see him being toppled even by some sturdy opposition. MARES NOVICE HURDLE LOVE ENVOI 12-1 Rumours say she might not make the line-up but if she does here is a horse that seems to have arrived somewhat under the radar. Toughened up by four starts this season, for four strong wins, Love Envoi is a very good-looking Harry Fry-trained daughter of Westerner and frankly put, she could be anything. It’s nothing unusual to see the betting for this race dominated by Mullins and Elliott but in Love Envoi you have some real value. If she doesn’t start, then Party Central is the one.
NATIONAL HUNT CHALLENGE CUP THREEUNDERTHRUFIVE 12-1 Make no mistake there will be some British winners over the four days and chances are one of them will come from the Paul Nicholls yard. The McNeill family-owned Threeunderthrufive was a comfortable winner in the Wigley Group Hampton Novices Chase (Grade 2) at Warwick in mid-January, a race that has thrown up many Festival winners in the past.
Official Festival Preview Night Join us in The Centaur on Sunday 13 March 2022 from 6.00pm for our Official Cheltenham Festival Preview Night.
All proceeds raised on the evening will be donated to our Festival Charity partner, WellChild.
The official Cheltenham Preview raises the curtain on the festivities of The Festival™. Hear the views and opinions of our expert panellists as they gallop through the form of the best races of Four Days of Extraordinary.
We are excited to announce a new VIP hospitality option supported by Daylesford, Ellenborough Park and
MORSE CODE
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