Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham Festival Lucky 15 Tips For Day 1

6 months ago

| BY Steve Mullington

Broadway Boy (Ultima Handicap Chase)

Staying is the name of the game in the Ultima Handicap – a race that is often regarded as a decent barometer for the Grand National.

One such horse that has Cheltenham Festival betting and Aintree inspirations is the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained BROADWAY BOY.

A three-time winner at Prestbury Park last season, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ seven-year-old returned to his beloved local track as the heavy favourite on New Year’s Day but failed to run any sort of a race.

Post-race examinations revealed that something had caused the underwhelming performance, and the gelding is expected to bounce back big time in this 3m1f marathon.

Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies spoke confidently about his chance once the weights were revealed, so he’s definitely a horse to have on your shortlist.

Jetara (Mares Hurdle)

After showing battling qualities to take the Grade Two Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle at Doncaster in January, JETARA is the logical each-way play in the 2m4f David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle.

Jessica Harrington’s seven-year-old will obviously need to be on her absolute a-game to challenge the market leaders, but at longer odds she’s definitely a mare to have on your side.

The Irish trainer says Jetara will be her biggest hope of a win at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, with her owner Gerry McGrath saying he would rather be second or third to the likes of Lossiemouth than go anywhere else, so the omens are good for a bold show.

Beyond Your Dreams (Fred Winter)

Joseph O’Brien’s daughter of Fastnet Rock – BEYOND YOUR DREAMS has been handed the dream weight of just 10st 9lb by the British handicapper, which gives her one hell of a chance of landing the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle.

The selection was only half a length behind Gavin Cromwell’s Total Look at Navan back in November, closing with every stride. Another half-a-furlong, which she gets at Cheltenham, and the result would surely have been different.

Beyond Your Dreams’ beating of Slurricane off level weights last time out also reads well. O’Brien has managed to get three runs into her early and his focus has turned straight to the Fred Winter.

Now Is The Hour (National Hunt Chase)

Winner of a Grade 2 Novice Hurdle at Haydock last February, NOW IS THE HOUR is slowly but surely coming to hand over fences this season.

Although he was beaten 48 lengths at Navan before being beaten 37 lengths over 3m at Punchestown, it was his most recent run that appears to have prompted a betting market plunge on him.

Now Is The Hour kept on well in the closing stages of a 3m contest on soft going, only beaten four lengths by the highly regarded Three Card Brag.

Many suspect Now Is The Hour is a potential plot job in this handicap and he is priced up accordingly.