It’s hard to pick a fault with APPRECIATE IT who has passed all 2020/21 tests with flying colours and the seven-year-old will run for a trainer in Willie Mullins who has an excellent record when it comes to the Supreme.
The horse will be favourite if it lines up on the day, having won the Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown and the horse has strong Cheltenham credentials after finishing second in last year’s Bumper.
Ballyadam finished second to Appreciate It last time out and perhaps the Gordon Elliott-trained charge will have the most opposition here, while Metier hasn’t put a foot wrong and there could be money for the Harry Fry challenger who is a backable each-way price.
PREDICTION: Appreciate It
On the basis that Envoi Allen won’t line up in this race, it appears as though Shishkin will be sent off as the short-priced favourite and we witnessed the Nicky Henderson-trained charge oblige with a victory in the 2020 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
Since then, the seven-year-old has taken well to the bigger obstacles and there has been a facile double at Kempton Park before another win at Doncaster at the end of January, although this will be a far stiffer test of his credentials.
We’re prepared to take a chance on ENERGUMENE who actually boasts an unbeaten record in his career so far, with the horse recently winning the Irish Arkle Novice Chase which was a Grade 1 encounter and trainer Willie Mullins will have high hopes of a repeat win.
Allmankind has won his past three races and will take plenty of each-way money, while Klassical Dream is set to make his seasonal debut in the Arkle and has previously been a Festival winner.
PREDICTION: Energumene
The first handicap race of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival is typically wide open, with Escaria Ten potentially going off as favourite although one wonders if he would be such a short price if Gordon Elliott wasn’t the trainer.
The horse finished well down the pecking order in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle and preference is given to DICKIE DIVER who recently came back after a two-year absence to finish second in a handicap chase at Newbury.
Previous to his injury, the horse finished fourth in the 2019 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle and there is every chance we could see a big showing on Day One of the Festival, while Jerrysback is the other horse that could run well depending on a recent showing at Kempton.
PREDICTION: Dickie Diver
The 2023 Champion Hurdle promises to be an intriguing encounter and there are two mares who head the betting, with last year’s winner Epatante bidding to score a double, although the Nicky Henderson-trained horse had her colours lowered in the Ladbrokes Christmas Hurdle.
It means that Honeysuckle is now the market leader and last year’s Mares Hurdle winner was a hugely impressive winner of the Irish Champion Hurdle, with a ten-length victory highlighting that the Henry de Bromhead horse might take all the beating.
Silver Streak is available at a much bigger price and the horse lowered the colours of Epatante in that Christmas Hurdle, having previously finished second in the Unibet International Hurdle.
However, we’re going for SONG FOR SOMEONE at a much bigger price and it’s a surprise that Tom Symonds-trained horse is available at such backable odds considering his achievements to date this season.
PREDICTION: Song For Someone
With Honeysuckle virtually certain to compete in the Champion Hurdle, it leaves a big gap in the market and CONCERTISTA is going to be sent off as the short price favourite, with Willie Mullins looking to score in this race as the Irish handler normally does.
After winning the Mares’ Novices Hurdle last year, the horse returned to the track at Fairyhouse at the end of November to secure victory in a Grade 2 Mares Hurdle, while there was another victory at the end of the year to cement her claims for this race.
Even so, Benie Des Dieux could be relatively tough to beat and we shouldn’t forget that the horse was sent off as the 4/6 favourite for this race last year when being beaten by Honeysuckle.
Roksana also has a chance and will run for trainer Dan Skelton, with the horse running to within two lengths of Paisley Park in the Long Walk Hurdle and it will be interesting to see whether she can show a turn of foot up the Cheltenham hill.
PREDICTION: Concertista
You can make a case for any number of runners in this race and that includes Saint Sam who has looked the part in all three of his outings this season, finishing second to Quilixios in a Spring Juvenile Hurdle recently.
We should expect Willie Mullins to have this horse firing on all cylinders and the same can be said of Adagio who runs for David Pipe and will be bidding to land a third consecutive win after previous triumphs at Cheltenham and Chepstow.
However, Adagio had his colours previously lowered by DUFFLE COAT in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle back in November and we’re keen on the chances of the Gordon Elliott-trained charge who could well fit the bill come the Festival.
PREDICTION: Duffle Coat
GALVIN was beaten into second at the Northern Trust Company Novices' Handicap Chase at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival, although the Gordon Elliott-trained charge has secured a string of victories this season and there was everything to like about a recent win in a Novices’ Chase over three miles.
The fact that the horse produced the goods at Cheltenham ticks another box, with Royale Pagaille potentially the biggest danger in the race and Venetia Williams has a big contender on her hands through the ownership of Rich Ricci.
In the Grade 2 Peter Marsh Handicap Chase, he made short work of the field to win by sixteen lengths and looks a genuinely good each-way bet, although slight preference is for Galvin based on overall form.
PREDICTION: Galvin