Our experts give their advice on how best to tackle the Money Back as Cash offer on the 2024 Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Matt Brocklebank: Roll the big dice
Not all money back offers are risk free, don't forget - the majority only offering refunds when a certain trigger occurs like the favourite winning, or if your pick finishes second or third - so this is always a really good one to try and maximise.
With that in mind, I'd be looking towards the mid-to-lower section of the market, knowing that a winner would tee me up nicely for the rest of the Festival.
Mistergif is an outsider that has come onto my radar and I wonder if he's still being underestimated on account of his relatively low-key route to the Supreme. On the plus side, he has plenty of experience from his time in France, copes well with soft ground and is clearly trained by a master.
Bought out of the same Auteuil race that produced Vautour a few years back, he quickened stylishly to win a maiden hurdle at Limerick at the end of January on his debut for Willie Mullins and it looks a pointer in itself that the trainer is keen to run him in the Festival opener, along with Tullyhill, Mystical Power and maybe one other.
David Ord: Elliott ace can bounce back
I always like to take a swing when there's a money back offer such as this - but not a wild one.
It's Firefox this year. For much of the autumn and early winter he looked an obvious candidate the Festival opener, winning three bumpers before proving a gear too quick for a certain Ballyburn on the pair's hurdling debuts at Fairyhouse.
But on his next start, in the Lawlor's Of Naas, there was a bump in the road as he never picked up as expected when only fourth behind Readin Tommy Wrong. Thankfully, a reason quickly came to light and a few runners for Gordon Elliott's yard at the time were below-par.
Recent reports are encouraging and, if he is back to his best, he has the ability to shake up whatever team Mullins aim at the Sky Bet Supreme.
Ben Linfoot: Outta the ballpark play
Getting your stake back if you're on a loser is the ultimate free hit so get the bat out and zone in on one of the biggest outsiders you can find in the race.
There's no point in playing a short-priced one here. If you fancy one at the top end of the market you'll likely want more than a fiver on anyway so peruse the biggest-priced horses on show and go with the one you fancy the most.
Willie Mullins has one or two outsiders who've made the trip over for the opener, including Asian Master and Mistergif, and with all eyes on his most fancied horses you could get big odds about a future Closutton superstar.
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