The Cheltenham Roar will first be heard as the field for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices Hurdle takes to the track at 1.30pm.
A quality field makes for the perfect race to get the Festival underway with 12 runners declared for the 2 mile challenge.
There is plenty for punters to think about with four top-class novices heading the betting. Willie Mullins saddles Mystical Power and Tullyhill, each offered at 3/1 at the time of writing.
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The latter wears a hood for the first time, but of the two we fancy Mystical Power who will be steered by Paul Townend.
Gordon Elliot’s Firefox and Slade Steel from the de Bromehead stable are next in line, and the latter will attract plenty of support with Rachael Blackmore on board.
At a bigger price and certainly with thinking about is Tellherthename, a noted runner from Ben Pauling. An in-form yard and solid form make the 16/1 our outsider of the race.
Realistically this opening race should provide the first of many 2024 Cheltenham Festival victories for the Mullins yard who also saddle four other horses in the field, while Nicky Henderson enters Jeriko du Reponet under Nico de Boinville, an interesting entry at 13/2.
This should be the perfect opener for what promises to be a top quality four days of racing.
Selection: Tullyhill
Day 1 Cheltenham featured races quick links:
- 13:30 Supreme Novices Hurdle Tips
- 14:10 Arkle Challenge Trophy Tips
- 14:50 Ultima Handicap Tips
- 15:30 Champion Hurdle Tips
- 16:10 Mares Hurdle Tips
- 16:50 Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Tips
- 17:30 National Hunt Chase
What happened last year Marine Nationale – 4/1
In many years of this race there has been a clear standout for the first race at the Cheltenham Festival but this year seems to have a different feel to it.
Read more about Cheltenham tips at the 2024 Festival here.
The somewhat untouchable nature of Facile Vega now feels slightly vacant after his colours were lowered last month at the DRF when a disappointing fifth.
Being a son of the four time Cheltenham festival winner Quevega he was always going to have a high reputation from race to race and he tasted his first festival success in the Champion Bumper. His jumping this season for me has been okay with the tendencies to jump out to his right.
They clearly went a ridiculous gallop the time that saw High Definition fall down the back (he reoposes here). I don’t think we saw him to best effect last time and I respect him at the head of the market but 2/1 is far too short for me.
Marine Nationale has only had two starts over hurdles for Barry Connell and one of them has resulted in a last gasp Grade One victory when winning the Royal Bond. He was coming into contention at the last when making a howler of it before rallying on the short run in to nab Irish Point.
The form also looks good with the fourth place winning a Grade One & the third winning a Grade Two. I believe this fella should be favourite after that performance however the stat that no Supreme winner who hasn’t ran before the turn of the year has gone on to tatste success in this race could be a worry.
However stats are there to be broken and the ground on the first day is more than likely going to good to soft which would do this lad perfectly and the quicker the ground the better. I think he’s got a serious chance.
At bigger prices I think Olly Murphy has two nice chances of getting his first Festival winner with Chasing Fire & Strong Leader. Very similarly to 2019 he has two runners in the Supreme who finished second and third and I’m thinking he might go one better with one this year.
Chasing Fire is a horse that has been unbeaten in both his hurdles and his bumper starts and has been impressive in the meantime.
He seems to just do enough infront and doesn’t go and demolish his rivals. I like that in a novice as he’s almost toying with rivals, I think he could run a nice race at 16’s.
His stable companion Strong Leader was beaten by Champion Bumper fancy Encanto Bruno on his first start this season at Cheltenham and has gone on to win under the double penalty since.
His jumping is good and relative to Strong Glance I think he may outrun his odds of 33/1.
Overall, I think Marine Nationale will have a leading chance to win the opening race to give Barry Connell his first victory festival victory.