| Punters need their thinking caps
for Cheltenham With just over three weeks to go until the Cheltenham
Festival the only thing on punters’ minds at present is which horses
will be running in which races at the big meeting.
The Champion Hurdle field has worn a settled look all winter with the
general consensus being that Brave Inca, Detroit City and Hardy Eustace
will do battle.
The recent emergence of top chaser Newmill however has necessitated a
rethink. He caused a major shock when beating good horses in a Champion
Hurdle trial in Ireland and is one to watch out for.
Newmill is best known as a chaser and he won the two-mile Queen Mother
Champion Chase at the Festival last year.
He had been running over hurdles to keep fit ahead of another tilt at
that race but following his excellent recent performances Tipperary train-
er John Joe Murphy is seriously considering running the ultra-consistent
Newmill in the top hurdles contest giving Ireland another major contender
for that race.
If Newmill doesn’t run in the Champion Chase then Irish hopes are
likely to be carried by Justified who has been among the top horses in
his grade for many years. Also the less-likely Nickname is one to consider
if chosen to race. He’s a horse who requires soft ground and so
despite being Ireland’s best chance of winning the race he probably
won’t be lining up. The Alan King-trained Voy Pur Eustedes will
be a very warm order favourite for that contest.
Following King John’s Castle’s recent victory he is likely
to line up in the Arkle Chase where the principal Irish contender will
be Schindler’s Hunt.
Denman will be the principal English contender in that race and is a horse
who will take a lot of beating.
Ireland will once again have a strong hand in the various novice hurdle
races. The Eoin Griffin-trained duo of Kazac and particularly Loundas
are likely to take a lot of beating.
Jessica Harrington trains Hide the Evidence another horse who will be
a major contender for whatever race he lines up in.
Hairy Molly trained in Kilkenny by Joe Crowley won the bumper at last
year’s festival and is expected to go very close in whichever of
the novice races he contests.
Noel Meade declared that Aran Concerto was the best horse he has ever
trained. From a man of his vast experience that is some compliment so
Aran Concerto might be the bet of the meeting from an Irish point of view.
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