Whoever beats Faugheen will be Cheltenham king
I don’t see a massive weakness in any of them, only that the stats say they won’t all win. I honestly couldn’t put anyone off any of them, but I’m well aware of the fact it’s an unlikely four-timer.
I made the decision to ride Faugheen in the Champion Hurdle (1.30pm) because you have to ride the one you think will win the race, and for me that’s Faugheen.
I know his form is not as good as Hurricane Fly’s, but I’ve been very impressed with him every time I have ridden him, and he’s in really good shape.
I’m under no illusions, this is a good race, with the likes of Hurricane Fly, Jezki and The New One in the field. I’m not going around with my head in the clouds, thinking all he has to do is turn up, but I wouldn’t swap him for anything else in the race.
I’m not worried about tactics. He stays, he’s not slow, and whatever beats him will win. Of the rides I have in the four championship races this week, he is the best.
Hurricane Fly looks great, and Willie is very happy with him. It’ll be a bit different going down to the start on another horse when he’s in the race but I’ll have to come to terms with that. He should run a big race.
I get underway aboard Douvan in the Supreme (1.30pm), and we think he’s a very good horse. The only note of caution I would sound is that we haven’t extended him like we had our recent winners of the race, Champagne Fever and Vautour.
Both of those had won the Grade One Deloitte Novices’ Hurdle, and were extended to do so, and they kept going. With Douvan, there’s still that question to be answered. We think he will.
He’s probably short enough in the betting, and favourites have a very poor record in this race. That said, there’s nothing to dislike about him. Everything we’ve asked him to do, he’s done. His work of late has been very good, touch wood he’s a good jumper, he has speed, and is not short of stamina.
Any of Willie’s three other runners would be good alternatives. Shaneshill has come back to himself very well in the last month or six weeks, is in really good form, and looks great each-way value.
Alvisio Ville was disappointing last time out — he just didn’t bring his homework it to the track, and I don’t know why that was. But, if he does that today, he’s a very good horse and could run well. Tell Us More disappointed at Naas in January, but he seems to be in great form, too.
Everything is good with Un De Sceaux (2.05pm) ahead of the Arkle Chase. We think he’s in right good form, and I think we just need average luck today. He doesn’t need good luck and he most certainly doesn’t need bad luck. He just needs the average luck any horse requires to win a race — if he gets that, he’ll be very hard to beat.
He’s very straightforward insofar as he just jumps out and goes, and I can’t wait to put my leg across him. I’ve ridden a couple of Champion Chase winners and I’ve ridden an Arkle winner, so doing a 100 miles an hour to the first fence won’t be new to me.
Vibrato Valtat looks the best alternative. He is the best of the British runners, and probably the one I have to beat, but I think they have to beat me more so than I have to beat them.
I rode Annie Power (4pm) out yesterday morning and she seemed to be in really good form.
Her last few pieces of work have been very good, and she has a real chance. Willie has a good second string in Glens Melody, who was runner-up to Quevega in this race last year. However, the last time the two met, Annie Power came out well on top.
The trip will suit Annie Power. She was just beaten in a very good World Hurdle last year. I know she hasn’t run since May, but that never stopped Willie with Quevega, and I don’t think it’ll stop him with her.
We couldn’t be happier and, simply because she has to jump hurdles rather than fences, I think she’s the safer of the odds-on shots today. I think she’ll win, and Glens Melody will be runner-up.
I have no other rides today but Gallant Oscar (2.40pm) has a chance in the Ultima Business Handicap Chase.
I’d like to see him run very well, to frank the form of Djakadam’s victory in the Thyestes. Very Wood (4.40pm) looks to have every chance in the National Hunt chase. He’s a very good horse, and four miles will suit him down to the ground.
We have 29 horses over already, and they all rode out yesterday morning and all seemed to have settled in well, including the bumper horses, which is very important.
They can often be a bit edgy, but they’ve settled really well, so fingers crossed things will keep going as well as they are at the moment.
RUBY’S NAP: Annie Power, OLBG Mares’ Hurdle, 4pm.
FANCY A DOUBLE: Un De Sceaux, Arkle Chase, 2.05pm; Faugheen, Champion Hurdle, 3.20pm
