2021 Cheltenham Festival Tips – An Each-Way Lucky 15 To Bash The Bookies
The runners and riders in the 2019 Marsh Novices’ Chase.
2021 Cheltenham Festival Lucky 15 Tips
Ballyadam (Supreme Novice Hurdle, 1.30pm Tuesday)
Although he has finished behind Appreciate It twice this term, it is hoped that the return to better ground will suit while he looks a solid each-way proposition in what is a poor renewal of the Supreme.
A Grade 1 winner with four starts over hurdles – trend followers would be all over Ballyadam if looking at the above in isolation and while it will be tough for him to reverse the form with Appreciate It, there was certainly more encouragement to be taken from his previous run.
He will need to brush up his jumping if he is to get his head in front but it’s hard to see him being far away given the weakness of the race.
Aye Right (Ultima Chase, 2.30pm Tuesday)
Aye Right has been one of my stronger fancies for some time; upon seeing the final field, my confidence has only increased. Some may forget that he contested last season’s RSA/Brown Advisory Novice Chase and he ran with great credit despite making three bad mistakes; which is forgivable seeing as he only had one completed start over fences before lining up at Cheltenham, and that came in a two-runner race.
It’s been all upfill since then, as Harriet Graham’s stable star has improved with each start this term. His second behind Cloth Cap in the Ladbrokes Trophy reads well, while that race has produced many a winner of recent Ultima’s. There are also plenty of reasons to mark up his run in the Skybet Chase; his preparation was not ideal, as he was forced to run in an AW bumper 10 days before the race due to the frozen ground up north. On the day of the race, he hit the front a long way from home only to be pegged back by the dour stayer, Takingrisks, while he was not helped by his jockey dropping his dropping his whip after three out.
This has been the target for some time and despite his rising mark, everything looks set for a big run with the return to better ground sure to suit while his run style is ideal for this race. Richard Johnson is an excellent jockey booking and I expect him to go close.
Riviere D’Etel (Boodles Juvenile Hurdle, 4.15pm, Tuesday)
Despite recent controversies surrounding Cullentara House, it’s hard to dispute that it contains the deepest pool of Juvenile talent either side of the Irish sea even after Quilixios’s recent move.
Having finished second in a listed race in France, she bolted up on her Irish debut before finishing third in rated novice hurdle against her elders. She was well fancied that day but she ended up setting the race up perfectly for Thedevilscoachman, who was highly regarded as a dark horse for the Supreme. Horses with form against their elders often run well in the Fred Winter, while fillies have won four of the past fourteen renewals form just fifteen runners.
2018 winner, Venner of Charm, contested the same two races as Riviere D’etel has this term and while a mark of 134 does demand improvement, it is hoped that a bigger field will help her to settle better than she has done thus far.
Silver Streak (Champion Hurdle, 3.05pm Tuesday)
It will be a tough task to beat the mares but Silver Streak has looked as good as ever this term and with the field being somewhat depleted, Tom O’Brien can give him a more positive ride.
The eight-year-old grey has looked as good as ever this term, while he was finally able to get his overdue Grade 1 success last time out in the Christmas Hurdle. While he could only finish sixth in last year’s Champion Hurdle, he was never in a rhythm that day while the better ground he’ll encounter in this year’s renewal will definitely suit.
His two defeats this term are excusable, with Not So Sleepy carrying him out early in the Fighting Fifth while he was inconvenienced by the bypassed hurdles in the International Hurdle. If the mares underperform, it may well be the admirable grey that takes advantage.