1.30 SUPREME NOVICES' HURDLE

As the first race of the festival, this is one of the biggest betting heats of the week and many punters will be looking to get off to a flyer with the highly-regarded Melon. The Willie Mullins-Ruby Walsh combination have a fantastic record in this race so in that respect it is not a surprise to see Melon as the favourite. However, at 5/2 he looks a really poor price for a horse who has only once been seen in public over hurdles. Mullins has four runners in the race and the pick of the four on form is Bunk Off Early who has only run twice himself over hurdles but has the experience of running in a Grade 1 hurdle when he finished second to stablemate Bacardys in the Deloitte Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Ballyandy won the Betfair Hurdle and stayed on really well to win the Champion Bumper last season so he looks like the best of the British. Labaik is a fascinating longshot for this race as he has virtually refused to race on his previous three starts. That is a real pity because his trainer Gordon Elliott says he works like a machine at home. If he decides to jump off with the others, he could run a big race at a huge price.

SELECTION: BUNK OFF EARLY NEXT BEST: BALLYANDY. LONGSHOT: LABAIK

2.10 ARKLE CHASE

It’s difficult to look beyond Alitor, who already holds a rating of 170 which has him 19lb ahead of his nearest rival here. He was very impressive on this card when winning the Supreme Novices' Hurdle last season and, barring accidents, he should bolt up again. Charbel is next in the betting but he hasn’t been seen since December so Forest Bihan could be best of the rest. Brian Ellison’s gelding beat Cloudy Dream at Doncaster on his previous run and he looks to be on the upgrade.

In races like this it is also worth looking out for the horses who may be ridden to stay on late for some prize money. A Hare Breath looks a prime candidate for this and he also has some good form around Cheltenham already. At 40/1 he could represent value each way and could also be worth a shot in the ‘betting without Altior’ markets many bookmakers will be offering.

SELECTION: ALTIOR NEXT BEST: FOREST BIHAN. LONGSHOT: A HARE BREATH

2.50 ULTIMA HANDICAP CHASE

The Druids Nephew won this race two years ago and will compete off the exact same handicap mark in his bid to win the race again. Trained by Neil Mulholland, this has been his plan for a long time and he should be primed and ready for a big run. Ibis Du Rheu won the Martin Pipe at the festival last season and he is interesting now over in a handicap having had just three runs over fences. The step up in trip will suit and he could run a big race for Paul Nicholls. Theatre Guide will be having his third run in this race and, although he hasn’t gone close yet, he won around Cheltenham earlier in the season and ran well again in the BetBright Chase on his previous run.

SELECTION: THE DRUIDS NEPHEW NEXT BEST: IBIS DU RHEU. LONGSHOT: THEATRE GUIDE

3.30 CHAMPION HURDLE

It is only in the last couple of weeks that the market for the first-day feature race has taken shape and rightfully Yanworth now clearly heads the betting. Alan King’s horse ran well to be second in the Neptune Hurdle last season and that race has proved to be a significant pointer to the Champion Hurdle. He has been workmanlike in his three wins this season but is bound to be more at home around Prestbury Park. There isn’t much juice left in his price though so instead I’d suggest taking a chance on Petit Mouchoir for Henry De Bromhead. A six-year-old with just 10 runs over hurdles, there could be more to come from this horse who has already scored twice in Grade 1 company this season. His front running style should suit the race (just as it did to Hardy Eustace, Faugheen and Annie Power) and at 7/1 he could still be a little underrated.

Footpad was only beaten a length by Petit Mouchoir in the Irish Champion Hurdle and he could run a big race at a nice price with Ruby Walsh on board. He is another lightly-raced horse and he came up the hill really well last season when third in the Triumph Hurdle.

SELECTION: PETIT MOUCHOIR NEXT BEST: YANWORTH. LONGSHOT: FOOTPAD

4.10 MARES’ HURDLE

This is one of the most intriguing races of the week with the two Rich Ricci-owned horses Limini and Vroum Vroum Mag taking each other on. Throw in Apple's Jade who was one of the star names that left the Willie Mullins stable when Gigginstown House Stud decided to split with the champion trainer at the beginning of the season and you’ve got a very interesting sub-plot.

The trio dominate the betting and there isn’t much between them in the ratings. Surprisingly to many, Ruby Walsh has opted to ride Limini over last year’s winner Vroum Vroum Mag, who looks a more solid proposition to her younger stablemate. At the prices, it might be worth taking Limini on as though she looked good on her comeback run, there is an underlying suspicion that she is a mare that goes very well when fresh. She was impressive at the festival last season but then was a little disappointing on her next two starts when a beaten favourite at Aintree and Punchestown.

Apple's Jade was the opposite in that she really came into her own in the spring, scoring in impressive style at the aforementioned meetings after running second in the Triumph Hurdle. Gordon Elliott wasn’t at all disappointed when she got beat by Limini last month and at 4/1 she looks worth chancing to reverse the form. Jessica Harrington’s Rock On The Moor ran well when second in the race last season and she looks overpriced to run well again.

SELECTION: APPLES JADE NEXT BEST: VROUM VROUM MAG. LONGSHOT: ROCK ON THE MOOR

4.50 NATIONAL HUNT CHASE

Irish trainers have won three of the previous six renewals of this race and look to have a strong hand again with Joseph O’Brien’s Edwulf and Noel Meade’s A Genie In Abottle heading the betting. Preference is for the latter who Jamie Codd was booked to ride as early as three weeks ago and who looked an out-and-out stayer when running well to finish second to Anibale Fly on his previous run at Naas. Meade is sweet on the chances of the six-year-old who looks to be progressing nicely.

Paul Nicholls is represented by Arpege D’Alene and he could be best of the home team. A son of Dom Alco, the seven-year-old should be fine over this trip and has a good record at Cheltenham. One at a big price worth considering is Arbre De Vie, who has only had three starts over fences and produced his best effort on his latest run when chasing home subsequent impressive winner Acapella Bourgeois at Navan in January.

SELECTION: A GENIE IN ABOTTLE NEXT BEST: ARPEGE D’ALENE. LONGSHOT: ARBRE DE VIE

5.30 CLOSE BROTHERS NOVICE HANDICAP CHASE

This is one of the most competitive races of the meeting with 5lb covering the whole handicap in a field of 24 runners. Gold Present looks the one to be on. Nicky Henderson’s seven-year-old ran a cracker on his previous run at Kempton where he wasn’t beaten far by the 153-rated Frodon. Despite that, the son of Presenting gets to run off an unchanged mark of 137 here. He has had only three runs over fences so has loads of scope to improve and if he takes to Cheltenham, he should go very close.

All Hell Let Loose could fare best of the Irish-trained horses. Previously trained by Sandra Hughes, the eight-year-old jumped very well on his first start for Henry de Bromhead. That was back in June so this race may well have been a long-term plan and he is another with loads of scope to improve having had just the three runs over fences. Colin Tizzard’s Sizing Tennessee is another longshot to note. He disappointed on his previous run behind Poker School at Kempton but if he could run as well as he did at Cheltenham on his two runs before that, he’d have a fair chance of making the frame.

SELECTION: GOLD PRESENT NEXT BEST: ALL HELL LET LOOSE. LONGSHOT: SIZING TENNESSEE

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