Mark Howard returns with more dark horses on his Cheltenham Festival radar, including a couple of novices who may end up in handicaps.
Unlike the Supreme and Turners, the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle has an open look to it, especially with current market leader Final Demand deemed more likely to be confirmed for the Turners forty eight hours earlier. Gordon Elliott won the three miles event for the first time last year and the betting suggests the Cullentra team will be responsible for the favourite this time around courtesy of The Yellow Clay who is unbeaten in four runs over obstacles.
The six year old finished sixth in the Festival bumper last spring and was over half a dozen lengths in arrears of SOUNDS VICTORIUS. Willie Mullins’ charge hasn’t lived up to expectations over hurdles this winter but there is a feeling he will be a different proposition over three miles in the spring. In excess of twenty lengths behind his aforementioned stablemate Final Demand in the Grade 1 staying novice hurdle at Leopardstown last Saturday, the Champs Elysees gelding is all stamina rather than speed.
Despite staying on in the home straight and being third fastest in the final furlong, according to Race Iq, he was pushed out to 50/1 (Betfred & Ladbrokes) as a result. A winner at Fairyhouse on his previous start, his jumping has come under scrutiny and there is undoubtedly room for improvement in that department but it isn’t quite as important on the new course at Cheltenham with only a couple of hurdles from the top of the hill.
Mullins has won 3 of the last 8 renewals and the winning SP’s of those eight have been 16/1, 33/1, 50/1, 5/1, 14/1, 18/1, 18/1 and 33/1.
Sounds Victorious is entered in the Turners but only has one realistic target at the meeting. Don’t be surprised if he outruns those huge odds.
