Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins can get Irish off to another flyer
The six-year-old, so impressive in last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at this meeting, looked to have the chasing world at his feet when making a most impressive debut over the larger obstacles at Navan back in November.
However, he clearly wasn’t himself when runner-up Clarcam reversed the form emphatically at Leopardstown next time out. He didn’t have the most difficult of assignments on his next and most recent start, in a three-horse race at the same track.
It’s reasonable to expect he will take a significant step forward and can secure back-to-back victories at this meeting.
The danger may come from stable companion Valseur Lido, who looked so impressive in winning the Grade One Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse but failed to confirm the form with Apache Stronghold when then met at Leopardstown in February.
He may have needed that run and is a strong second string for Mullins.
Johns Spirit looks good value at 10-1 in the Ryanair Chase. Jonjo O’Neill’s horse is a former winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup at this track, and while most of his form has been in handicap company, he caught the eye in defeat in this season’s King George, at Kempton.
A doubtful stayer over that three-mile trip, he made rapid progress to move into a challenging position as they turned for home but his stamina ebbed away and he faded back to finish an honourable sixth.
The return to Cheltenham and drop back in trip should be ideal, and a big run looks assured.
Don Cossack has been in super form this season and bids to give the sponsor a first victory in the race. The Gigginstown Stud horse has long been held in high regard by trainer Gordon Elliott, and is now living up to his billing. He rates an obvious danger.
Monetaire looks as though his season has been mapped out with Cheltenham in mind, and that can bear fruit in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate. The nine-year-old made his debut for David Pipe here back in November and ran the most remarkable race to finish fourth, after almost falling at the first fence.
He duly made amends when winning at Newbury a fortnight later, beating the promising Solar Impulse.
He has been kept away from the track since, and consequently gets in here off a handy-looking mark.
With improvement all but assured, he should go very close in a typically competitive Festival handicap.
The Tony Martin-trained Edeymi caught the eye in defeat in a Pertemps Qualifier at Musselburgh last time out, and can take the series final this afternoon.
Unquestionably, it’s one of the toughest races of the entire meeting, but he has course form, having finished runner-up in the 2012 Fred Winter, and sneaks in at the very bottom of the handicap.
The Tom Taaffe-trained Gold Bullet looks very interesting in the finale, the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir, for amateur riders. An easy winner on his chase debut, in November 2013, he made no show on his return from a year off, but stepped up considerably when third behind Los Amigos last time out, at Fairyhouse.
With winning hurdling form on good ground, the seven-year-old son of Generous could prove well ahead of his mark.
