Stu Williams has his best bets for the opening day of Cheltenham and he fancies Asterion Forlonges to win the Sky Bet Supreme.
It's nearly time for the spine-tingling roar that will signal the start of the 2020 Cheltenham Festival and I am hopeful that ASTERION FORLONGE can get his backers off to the perfect start.
Willie Mullins' grey ran out a comfortable winner at Naas before scoring an impressive nine lengths success in the Grade 1 Chanelle Pharma Novices' Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival last month. He will look to emulate stablemate Klassical Dream who landed that a same Leopardstown contest prior to taking Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle glory last March.
Indeed, both Champagne Fever (2013) and Vautour (2014) also completed that same double for the Irish champion trainer in 2013 and 2014 respectively and the handler was quick to nominate this race as the grey's Festival target in the immediate aftermath of his Grade One romp.
Runner-up Pencilfulloflead boosted Asterion Forlonge's debut form when bolting up at Punchestown next time out and Mullins likes to aim those who possess stamina at this race. This smart son of Coastal Path could take some pegging back if Paul Townend gets the fractions right up front.
The Racing Post Arkle is equally as competitive and I can't help but feel that ESPRIT DU LARGE is being grossly overlooked given his status as a Grade One winning novice.
Indeed, the time that Evan Williams' six-year-old clocked in the Henry VIII Novice' Chase at Sandown compares favourably (just 0.70s slower) with the Tingle Creek Chase won by Champion Chase favourite Defi Du Seuil an hour later - which offers plenty of food for thought.
Esprit Du Large travelled with great enthusiasm that day and really seemed to enjoy jumping Sandown's famously tricky fences, which is something that I love to see in such a lightly raced novice.
Owned by the Ruckers, he demonstrated his stamina when registering a comfortable success over a trip just shy of two-and-a-falf miles at Exter in November and will be well suited by the rain softened ground. He could easily outperform market expectations.
DISCORAMA went agonisingly close to landing the National Hunt Chase on this card 12 months ago and the Irish raider could easily go close in the Ultima Handicap Chase this time around.
The stamina-laden seven-year-old was also runner-up at the 2018 Festival behind Blow By Blow in the Martin Pipe when finishing ahead of Early Doors and Sire Du Berlais, who both win here last year. There is plenty of substance to his previous Festival form and another bold bid seems likely.
Paul Nolan's charge clearly thrives in the Cotswolds and could easily be fairly handicapped on the pick of his form, which includes splitting subsequent Grade One runner-up Champagne Classic, who received 5lbs, and Paddy Power Chase winner Roaring Bull at Wexford in October.
Discorama was second to Delta Work at Punchestown last spring with A Plus Tard third so a mark of 148 looks potentially lenient and a recent wind procedure only further enhances his prospects - along with the application of a first time tongue-tie.
Indeed, connections are leaving nothing to chance in a bid to end their wait for a Cheltenham Festival success. Hopefully their endeavours will be rewarded.
The Unibet Champion Hurdle division has been hard to weigh up all season long and it doesn't seem much clearer on the eve of the race. Howeve I am certain that there is only one horse in this field that has the potential to be a superstar, therefore she is the one that I will be siding with on Tuesday.
EPATANTE shot to favouritism following a hugely impressive five lengths success in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton where she readily kicked clear of last season's Champion Hurdle third Silver Streak and subsequent Grade Two scorer Ballyandy.
The speedy daughter of No Risk At All made a mockery of a lowly handicap mark of 137 at Newbury in November and, but for her no-show in the mares' novices' hurdle here 12 months ago - for which he has viable excuses - would be a shorter price here.
Naturally many have concerns over her ability to handle the undulations of Prestbury Park as a result of that run but many of Nicky Henderson's inmates underperformed that week following their flu jabs and Epatante's defeat is perhaps more memorable than others given her trainer's pre-race comments (best chance of the week) and her position in the market.
Henderson and JP McManus have teamed up to land this prize three times in the last 10 years and, if fully recovered from a minor bout of coughing two weeks ago, Epatante is undoubtedly a very big player given her super slick hurdling and impressive turn of foot.
She is open to further improvement after just five starts over hurdles and her 7lbs mares allowance puts her 3lbs clear on official ratings.
Last year's first and second Roksana and Stormy Ireland return to Chetenham for the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle but it looks to be a match between Benie Des Dieux and HONEYSUCKLE. The former is the one to beat on form - the latter looks the bet at the prices.
Henry De Bromhead's high-class mare counts Easy Game, Bacardys, Apple's Jade, Petit Mouchoir, Supersundae and Sharjah amongst her victims already this seaso and would have been a single figure price for the Champion Hurdle had connections elected to go down that route.
Honeysuckle proved 15 lengths too good for the smart Annie Mc on her solitary start between the flag andpassed her biggest test to date when landing the Irish Champion Hurdle in determined fashion after stablemate Petit Mouchoir headed her briefly after the last.
Henry De Bromhead's mare is 7-7 under rules and two-and-a-half miles is her trip.
Mick Channon and Tim Radford teamed-up to land the Northern Trust Company Novices' Handicap Chase with Mister Whitaker in 2018 and they look to have another solid contender in the form of HOLD THE NOTE, who was last seen being narrowly denied in the Listed Hampton Novices' Chase at Warwick in January.
The scopey son of Jeremy proved popular in the betting ahead of his chasing debut at Ludlow in November but could only place third behind race-fit opposition. He then went to Kempton for a novice handicap chase and everything was going to plan until the leader Roll Again, fell at the tenth fence and in doing so badly hampered Hold The Note - who was immediately pulled-up by Tom Scudamore.
The promising six-year-old travelled and jumped like the best horse in the race at Warwick before being out-battled by the tenacious Two For Gold, who had won his two previous outings and has since placed second in the Grade Two Reynoldstown Novices' Chase at Ascot.
Hold The Note should be well suited by dropping back in trip and displayed his ability to handle the undulations of Prestbury Park when placing fourth behind Master Debonair andThyme Hill in a Listed bumper in November 2018.
He looks a solid contender in this tricky looking heat.
The concluding National Hunt Chase has really cut up in recent weeks and two horses stand out on official ratings. Carefully Selected is undoubtedly the one that they all have to beat if safely negotiating his way around. However, it's fair to say that Willie Mullins' eight-year-old hasn't been foot perfect over fences and LORD DU MESNIL represents better value.
Richard Hobson's up-and-coming stayer has improved 31lbs in his last four outings and proved his stamina for three-and-a-half miles in the Grand National Trial at Haydock three weeks ago.
The progressive seven-year-old jumps well and boasts a wealth of experience that will stand him in good stead. While the presence of Cheltenham Gold Cup winning jockey Sam Waley-Cohen, who landed this race on Tricky Tricker in 2009, in the saddle only further enhances his prospect..
Stu's selections:
2pt win Asterion Forlonge in 1.30 Cheltenham
1pt win Esprit Du Large in 2.10 Cheltenham
1pt win Discorama in 2.50 Cheltenham
1pt win Epatante in 3.30 Cheltenham
1pt win Honeysuckle in 4.10 Cheltenham
1pt win Hold The Note in 4.50 Cheltenham
1pt win Lord Du Mesnil in the 5.30 Cheltenham
