Blackmore can play her part in fantastic four for the Festival
THE time for talking is over and the greatest show on turf is about to begin. Here’s my best bets for each of the four days of the Cheltenham Festival...
All eyes will be on Honeysuckle’s attempt to win a second successive Champion Hurdle. The unbeaten mare is short odds-on to deliver the goods for trainer Henry de Bromhead, jockey Rachael Blackmore (right) and owner Kenny Alexander.
The same connections might be toasting a Tuesday double as TELMESOMETHINGGIRL (3-1, Paddy Power) runs 45 minutes later in the Mares’ Hurdle
(4.10). A year younger than superstar Honeysuckle, Telmesomethinggirl may not be quite as talented as her stablemate but she won last year’s Mares Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival by five-and-a-half lengths and De Bromhead has gently campaigned her to peak for this assignment.
She was third behind Royal Kahala and Heaven Help Us last time out at Leopardstown but she was conceding weight and finished the fastest.
With horses like Heaven Help Us and Stormy Ireland that like to race up with the pace, the Mares’ Hurdle could work out nicely tactically for a hold-up horse like Telmesomethinggirl.
On Wednesday, CALL ME LORD (33-1, bet365) looks overpriced in the Coral Cup (2.50). The nine-year-old is rated 142 and that handicap mark looks manageable for a horse that won a Grade Two at Cheltenham in December 2019 when he was rated 160.
Trainer Nicky Henderson targets the Coral Cup successfully and has won three of the last eight renewals. Call Me Lord caught the eye at Kempton on Boxing Day when a staying-on third in a warm handicap on a track that would be sharp enough for him.
He didn’t stay the three miles at Sandown last month and that run is forgivable for a horse that was sent off 10-1 for the 2020 Champion Hurdle.
The lucky last grabs my attention on Thursday and trainer Gordon Elliott has made no secret that the Kim Muir (5.30) Challenge Cup has been the target all season for SMOKING GUN (8-1, bet365). It looks like leading amateur
Jamie Codd will ride and that’s a big plus for a horse that won the Porterstown over three-milefive furlongs. He’s a dour stayer and a clean jumper which is ideal for the Kim Muir as it can be a very attrtitional race.
The nine-year-old shaped well when third at Fairyhouse last month and that spin should have him spot-on for the Kim Muir.
WEST CORK (8-1, Sky Bet) won one of the hottest handicaps of the season in November when landing the Greatwood
Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham and Dan Skelton’s seven-year-old is more than capable of doubling up in the County Hurdle (2.10) on Friday.
The second, Adagio, has a place chance in the Champion Hurdle and horses that finished fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, 14th and 15th have all subsequently won.
A 7lb rise for West Cork is manageable and Skelton has won three of the last six renewals of the County Hurdle.