The Cheltenham Festival is almost upon us and one thing that we are seeing more this year than in others, is a lot of matches over the four days. JOHN SHERIDAN from BETDAQ looks at the big head to head battles of the week.
The Champion Hurdle, World Hurdle and Gold Cup look like mouth watering battles while Quevega will attempt to make history and Willie Mullins will look to add another group of winners to his growing tally and looks to have an exceptionally strong hand in the Bumper once again.
HURRICANE FLY v THE NEW ONE
Possibly the most anticipated battle of the week will be on the opening day as Hurricane Fly (right) will attempt to regain his Champion Hurdle crown for the third time in four years and this year looks be as tough an assignment as he would have faced thus far with The New One (pictured below) looking the most credible challenger that he has not faced as yet.
Hurricane Fly is the unprecedented Champion of the two mile hurdling division and although he hasn’t appeared to show his true colours at Cheltenham in the past, Irish racing fans have seen him at his best in two of his three runs so far this season, both at Leopardstown.
His season opened with a far from breathtaking win at Punchestown however, he faced a tough task at Leopardstown at Christmas and duly obliged beating Jezki and Our Conor.
However, his most impressive performance for quite some time was undoubtedly in the Irish Champion Hurdle in January. An interrupted preparation could not have helped Willie Mullins as he was set to face off against Our Conor and Jezki once again but The Fly showed his true battling qualities to win going away. He appeared to be the last one off the bridle and very well to see off the strong challenge from Our Conor.
Willie Mullins doesn’t believe that he has had Hurricane Fly in better shape going to Cheltenham and if he is right, he is sure to show the English fans what they have been missing.
This year though, he faces some really strong challengers headed by The New One.
We have seen him go against Our Conor a couple of times already this year but the unknown quantity is against the Nigel Twiston Davies trained runner.
The New One was last year’s winner of the Neptune Investments Hurdle and won in very impressive fashion. His season so far has been a little questionable as he beat Rock On ruby relatively easily first time out before the latter went chasing and then in the Christmas Hurdle, having gone no gallop early on, he made a bad mistake at the last and got beaten half a length by The New One.
Cheltenham should provide the gelding with a sterner test which is sure to play to his strengths. Whether or not he will be good enough to beat Hurricane Fly remains to be seen.
One thing is for certain, this is set to be the race of the week.
ANNIE POWER v BIG BUCK’S
One of the big talking points leading up to this year’s Festival was the target for Annie Power (pictured below) and in the last few days, it was confirmed by Willie Mullins that she would be taking on the mighty Big Buck’s (left) in the Thursday feature, the World Hurdle.
Annie Power is unbeaten in 10 runs to date but has not run over three miles as yet. She has been an easy winner so far this season with some impressive performances against Zarkandar at Ascot and Cheltenham. She then brushed aside a decent enough field at Doncaster and now faces her sternest task to date in the World Hurdle.
She certainly looks like a mare to follow and will be one of the big names for certain in the years to come as Willie Mullins regards her as a fascinating Chaser in the making and a potential Gold Cup candidate. Whether or not this will come a little early for her is a strong opinion of many but with a mares allowance she has a massive advantage that may not be clawed back.
Big Buck’s on the other hand is a four time winner of the race and although his comeback run in January was probably not what many had expected, there could be a call for leniency as he had been off the track for so long.
On his past performances though, Big Buck’s is the clear standard bearer. He stays well, he jumps well and travels well and deserves to be in the echelons of National Hunt as the only four time winner of the World Hurdle.
At 11 years of age though, this is by far his toughest assignment and there has to be a huge doubt about whether or not he still retains his old ability. Even if he does come back to his best, the big question is if he can give seven pounds to an improving horse like Annie Power?
BOBS WORTH v SILVINIACO CONTI
The reigning Gold Cup hero comes to Cheltenham on the back of one of his most impressive wins to date. Having won the Lexus Chase, Bobs Worth (right) now faces a battle against King George winner, Silviniaco Conti (below), who fell four out in last year’s renewal of the race.
Bobs Worth is aiming for a fourth win at the Cheltenham Festival and a second Gold Cup in a row. The battle he is about to face with the Paul Nicholls charge is currently standing at 1 all after Silviniaco Conti fell in last year’s Gold Cup. The pair met once again earlier this year in the Betfair Chase at Haydock where the Nicholls horse finished third with Bobs Worth tailing off.
As we saw at Leopardstown at Christmas, this was not a true running of the Gold Cup champion as he hammered a really good field under Barry Geraghty.
Both horses took a big prize at Christmas with Silviniaco Conti showing his stamina to win the King George at Kempton and both horses are being trained to be at their prime at Cheltenham in March.
We know that both trainers are master of their trade and this battle is as much between them as it is their horses as they battle it out for the Trainers Championship title also.
Although there is not as much strength in depth in this year’s Gold Cup field, with only Last Instalment being put forward as a viable alternative to the top two in the betting, the battle between the top two should be an epic one.
QUEVEGA v THE FIELD
The wonder mare Quevega (left) is on the brink of history as the only horse to have won at the Cheltenham Festival on six consecutive years. The only thing standing in her way is everything else that could provide trouble in running for the Willie Mullins trained superstar.
Quevega was so impressive winning last year when looking like she was beaten approaching the last however, somehow she pulled a victory out of the bag to win for the fifth year.
To win six years in a row in any race would be an unbelievable feat but to do it at Cheltenham with no run under her belt is amazing. It would be an amazing performance from the horse and from her masterful trainer, Willie Mullins.
Looking at the Exchanges, there are not many viable alternatives and provided she doesn’t get any trouble in running, we should be witnessing history being made shortly after 4.00pm on Tuesday.
WILLIE MULLINS BUMPER HORSE v THE FIELD
Since the Champion Bumper began in 1992, no trainer has had as many winners in the race as Willie Mullins (right) including when winning as both trainer and jockey on Wither Or Witch in 1996.
The Bagnallstown handler goes again with a very strong hand as he has the top three in the Exchanges on betdaq.com with Black Hercules (9.2), Shaneshill (8.2) and impressive Naas winner Killultagh Vic (9.6) and these three look to set a very strong standard.
Mullins is widely regarded in Ireland as the King of the Bumpers and this team looks to be some of the best he has had for the race in the 22 runnings of it.
Following on from last year’s winner Briar Hill and Champagne Fever the year before means that Mullins is on course for three in a row in the Champion Bumper and his unbelievable seven other winners mean that Mullins is the man with the target on his back.
Whatever beats one the Mullins trio at the head of the betting is sure to be a good horse, but he certainly holds the key to the race once more.
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