Henderson’s Jeriko Du Reponet tipped to open the Festival in style

Jeriko Du Reponet can get the 2024 Cheltenham Festival off to an impressive start. At the prices, it’s certainly worth taking a chance on the Nicky Henderson-trained runner in the curtain-raising Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

The Seven Barrows dogs were barking this five-yearold's name before he even set foot on a racecourse under rules and he lived up to most of the hype when winning his first two starts over hurdles at Newbury.

He was more solid than spectacular when completing his hat-trick in a rescheduled Rossington Main Novices'

Hurdle at Doncaster, but he was not seen to best effect in a small field that day and the runner-up Lump Sum gave the form a huge boost when bolting up in the Dovecote at Kempton next time.

On official figures, Jeriko Du Reponet has a lot to find this afternoon, but there is plenty of untapped potential in the locker and there is no better man than Henderson for priming his horses for the big occasion.

Quilixios gets the vote in what is a wide-open renewal of the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy.

The seven-year-old has previous at the Festival, as winner of the 2021 Triumph Hurdle, and he really impressed in the jumping department when winning for the second time over fences at Naas.

Henry debromheadi san other trainer whose horses tend to peak when they arrive at Prestbury Park in mid-march and Quilixios should give a good account in the hands of Rachael Blackmore.

Gordon Elliott's The Goffer ran well when fourth in last year's Ultima Handicap Chase and is tipped to go well again off a 2lb lower mark, while Lossiemouth is difficult to oppose for the Mullins camp in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle.

Last season's Triumph Hurdle heroine was so impressive on her comeback in the Unibet Hurdle at Cheltenham in January that many felt she merited a place in the Champion Hurdle field, but connections have understandably decided to take the easier option and she looks a class apart.