'He's 10-1 now but could go off favourite on the day' - five Cheltenham pointers from the weekend

Luccia looks the real deal and is turning into banker material in the Jack de Bromhead Mares' Novices' Hurdle, while Jonbon remains the one to beat in the Sporting Life Arkle, but there were other less obvious Cheltenham clues over the weekend and our Deputy Ireland editor David Jennings has picked out five of them.

Inothewayurthinkin

Inothewayurthinkin is now fully qualified for a handicap at the festival having had four runs over hurdles.

He was third in a Listed novice hurdle at Navan on Sunday and the way he ate up the ground on the run-in over 2m suggests the Martin Pipe trip will be right up his street.

He falls perfectly into the Martin Pipe bracket with a mark of 137 in Ireland and, while he will need to jump a lot better than he did here, the new course at Cheltenham ought to suit him.

Unsurprisingly he shortened for the Martin Pipe afterwards and he is now priced between 7-1 and 10-1 for that race. It wouldn't shock me if he were sent off favourite on the day given his profile.

He has beaten Lot Of Joy and Imagine already this season and his form is starting to stack-up. He is in excellent hands too, hailing from the in-form Gavin Cromwell yard.

Ireland have won five of the last six runnings of the Martin Pipe and won it eight times in all since it entered the festival schedule in 2009. It is also worth noting Inothewayurthinkin's half-brother Ilikedwayurthinkin actually ran in the Martin Pipe twice, most recently finishing sixth last year at 40-1.

Walking On Air

The winners of qualifiers have a wretched record in the Pertemps Final but Walking On Air could change that stat this season.

He travelled powerfully at Exeter on Sunday and looked to have loads left in the tank in the closing stages, with Nico de Boinville looking around for non-existent dangers.

Walking On Air: was a winner at Exeter on SundayCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Walk In The Park gelding has always been held in high regard and was only 9-2 to win a Grade 1 at last year's Grand National meeting which was won by Three Stripe Life.

Three miles could be the making of him and he has a touch of class. He won the Exeter qualifier off 133 and if he managed to escape with a 7lb or 8lb rise, he is going to take some stopping in the Final.

It is a hot-looking race this year with Shoot First, Maxxum and Perceval Legallois all boasting solid claims but Walking On Air looks the most likely winner to me at this stage and the general 10-1 available is worth taking.

Favour And Fortune

It is hard to know what he beat but Favour And Fortune didn't half look impressive with the manner of his Warwick bumper win on Saturday.

The imposing son of Soldier Of Fortune had a penalty for his stylish Southwell success on debut but he defied it in some style giving 7lb and a seven and a half length beating to Alright Dai.

It is early days in his development but he looks as good a bumper horse as I've seen in Britain this season and if Alan King does decide to throw him in at the deep end in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper he would be very interesting indeed. The future is very bright.

Mahler Mission

Unable to justify favouritism in the Grade 2 Ten Up Novice Chase at Navan, Mahler Mission didn't do anything to harm his National Hunt Chase prospects in defeat. He looks tailormade for that race.

He jumps and gallops, a lethal combination that will stand him in good stead in the opening day marathon.

Mahler Mission: finished second at NavanCredit: Patrick McCann

He could be vulnerable to a Grade 1 performer like Gaillard Du Mesnil, but Mahler Mission looks sure to run his race next month and the 10-1 still available with bet365 looks decent each-way value.

I would marginally prefer him to his Navan conqueror Chuchstonewarrior at Cheltenham.

Hullnback

Has entries in the Supreme and the Ballymore and could take up one of those but Hullnback would be intriguing were he to go down the County Hurdle route.

He was only rated 130 before his bloodless win at Warwick on Saturday and he can't go up too much for it given the calibre of race he won.

This is a talented six-year-old and the form of his Haydock win in an introductory hurdle back in November has worked out very well with the second going on to finish third in the Tolworth and earn a rating of 131.

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