Cheltenham Festival 2024 Ante Post Tips
The Cheltenham Festival is only a couple of months away and antepost punters are unleashing their hard earned money on some horses in the hope of snatching a great price. Adrian Wall is here to give you several ante post tips that should go off much shorter on the day if all goes well. Best of luck if you follow, and remember to always bet responsibly.
Supreme Novices' Hurdle
Trainer Willie Mullins usually unleashes his very best horses at the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in January. Won by the likes of Impaire Et Passe, Douvan, Min and Vautour in recent years, the master of Closutton could have another monster on his hands in the form of MYSTICAL POWER. The well-bred son of Galileo is also the son of the top class mare Annie Power, and he made it a perfect 3-3 when winning the Grade 2 by seven lengths going away. He showed a blistering turn of foot in the closing stages and I really believe he could go off 6/4 for the Supreme, so the current 9/2 still looks a bit of value.
Free Tip: Mystical Power @ 9/2
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase
Dan Skelton had a terrific Saturday with a return of six winners on the day, and one of those was GREY DAWNING who put in a devastating display when winning the Grade 2 Hampton Novices' Chase by 14 lengths at Warwick. It was a deserved success for the beautiful grey, who was a very unlucky loser at Cheltenham behind Ginny's Destiny on his penultimate start, with a terrible blunder at the penultimate fence costing him victory. The obvious route for this horse now should be the Brown Advisory, and if he can get around Cheltenham without errors, he might take some beating.
Free Tip: Grey Dawning @ 10/1
Cross Country Chase
Former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner MINELLA INDO has been given a new lease of life over the cross country fences, and he should have the class to win the race off level weights come March. He wasn't 100 percent fit on the day but he still ran a sublime race in the Cross Country Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in December when fourth carrying a huge weight, looking a massive threat to all turning for home when travelling like a dream. He should come on a lot for that outing and won't have to concede weight when they line up in March, so the current 5/1 looks like a lovely price.
Free Tip: Minella Indo @ 5/1
Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle
Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero are a formidable training partnership and their season took a bad turn when Iroko picked up an injury, but they have another hugely progressive horse this season in the shape of WHITE RHINO. The son of Doyen has won five of his seven races over hurdles since last February, rising from a mark of 74 all the way up to his current rating of 129. He looked really good when winning a tough handicap at Cheltenham in December in the manner of a horse who is still well ahead of the handicapper, and the sky is the limit for this big lazy horse who could turn out to be a Grade 1 animal in time.
Free Tip: White Rhino @ 12/1
Stayers' Hurdle
Well known owner Robcour has a big dilemma on his hands as he owns two of the leaders in the market for the Stayers' Hurdle in the form of Teahupoo and Irish Point. The former beat Impaire Et Passe on Hatton's Grade Day at Fairyhouse and is bidding to make up for his poor run at Cheltenham last season, but they are keeping him fresh this time as he goes best after a break. However, I think IRISH POINT is a better horse than Teahupoo and he should take all the beating. Narrowly beaten by Marine Nationale last season in the Royal Bond, he rounded off last season with a Grade 1 win at Aintree, and he looked like an absolute monster when demolishing the field in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown when last seen.
Free Tip: Irish Point @ 6/1
County Hurdle
Running in a huge field covered up should really suit bridle merchant KING OF KINGSFIELD, who doesn't find much once he hits the front but nonetheless should love the setup in a County Hurdle. Owned by Gigginstown House Stud, he hit the front too soon when just touched off by Farren Glory in the Royal Bond, but comfortably dispatched his rivals when winning a maiden hurdle at Leopardstown nicely on St Stephen's Day. If he gets into this handicap off a nice mark, he will be a danger to all.
Free Tip: King Of Kingsfield @ 16/1
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
Willie Mullins could have a stranglehold on the stayers' novice hurdle but LOUGHGLYNN is the one that I like at the current prices. Mullins won this race in the past with Faugheen, so he certainly isn't afraid to put a good horse into the race, and there was a lot to like about Loughglynn's win over 2m7f at Limerick on heavy ground during the Christmas period. He won by a length but he didn't jump too well and they went at a very steady pace, so he did well to win at all. Ninth in the Champion Bumper at the festival last season, we are starting to see his true potential now and he looks far too big a price at present. Ideally he would want some rain to be seen to best effect, and if it's soft he could well go off favourite.
Free Tip: Loughglynn @ 16/1