THERE’s no point looking back at the week that was. It’s all full steam ahead now!

We’ve all the stats we’ll ever need. Need some more? Here’s something you might have missed – grey horses have a great record in the Supreme, compared to any of the rest of the Grade 1s, in proportion to the number of greys that run in the race!

In the last 15 years we have had five grey winners - Arcalis, Ebaziyan, Al Ferof, Champagne Fever, Labaik. That’s 70% ahead of expectations. Well, I made the last part up, but if you’ve had too many stats, you get the message, we’re off and it’s Asterion all the way.

On to the Arkle and we have one of many races where it looks like pace all the way. Notebook, Global Citizen, Cash Back and Fakir D’Oudairies. Interestingly, this race is often won by the top-rated hurdler, and that is Bapaume. With one poor run last time, he’s longer odds than when many recommended him a few months ago and has been left in by Willie. I expect Fakir D’Oudairies, even with the four-year-old allowance gone, to reverse the Christmas form with Notebook. Cheltenham will suit his slick jumping more than Notebook, a fine jumper but who looks more a stayer, and if Fakir can be held up a bit for the first half, let the pace settle and then use his jumping positively in the second half of the race, he could do it.

The Champion Hurdle is impossible to solve. There is not one horse who doesn’t have question marks. The cash went on Coeur Sublime after Down Royal but the heart cheers for a big run from Darver Star.

Highlights

The first day has so many highlights with the likely clash between Honeysuckle and Benie Des Dieux in the Mares’ Hurdle one to savour. I am firmly of the opinion that a mare on her first season out of novice company, whose best form is over two and half miles and who has never travelled before, should take the Grade 1 mares’ option. Next year it should be a different story, into the Champion it should be.

The Champion Chase is a proper thriller and, despite his highest rating, I’d take on ‘Chacun’ on his lack of track experience. It’s hard to split the other two but, if the ground is anything worse than soft, I’d take Defi Du Seuil over Altior who may lose more ground jumping out of heavier ground than he did in Newbury and it could cost him a few vital lengths. Paisley Park looks untouchable in the Stayers’ and A Plus Tard can take the Ryanair, with Min a bridesmaid again.

In a really high-class Gold Cup, I’m with Lostintranslation. After a PU last time? My first Gold Cup winning bet was Cool Dawn at 33/1 on the back of a PU where he had been injured. If there is a legitimate excuse, and hopefully the wind issue was one, there’s no reason not to support him on the rest of his form. See More Business and Looks Like Trouble were both pulled up in Kempton and came back to win the Gold Cup in March. Lostintranslation’s jumping was brilliant in last year’s Marsh Chase.

Grade 1

Santini, for all that I like him as a horse, has never won a Grade 1 chase, which is a bad stat here. Delta Work has no black marks, but is he good enough?

Al Boum Photo comes the same route as last year and with no reason to crab him, but will Gold Cups now be like buses to Willie? None for years, then two in a row?

I can’t have Clan Des Obeaux – see Wayward Lad, One Man, Florida Pearl, Silviniaco Conti – King George winners who didn’t stay the Gold Cup distance no matter how long they tried. (Djakadam was another). On the contrary, the two horses mentioned above, along with fallers Mr Mulligan, Don Cossack and Imperial Commander, shrugged off Christmas disappointment.

The dark horse is Presenting Percy, considering how he went off at 100/30 last year. There’s little chat this year as his form leaves him with a bit to do, but, given he didn’t jump well and was injured, he still travelled into the race on the final bend last year.

Here’s to a long, safe, exciting, and profitable week.