Appreciate It and Metier among eight declared for Supreme clash

The Cheltenham Festival will begin with an unusually small field for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle after only eight runners were declared, including ante-post favourite Appreciate It.

The Willie Mullins-trained Appreciate It has been at the head of bookmakers' lists throughout the winter following an unbeaten hurdling campaign, including victory in the Grade 1 Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown last month.

Sky Bet Supreme card and betting

He is one of two declared in the race for his trainer alongside Blue Lord, who finished third behind his stablemate in that contest at the Dublin Racing Festival and takes up his engagement in this rather than in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle 24 hours later.

Royal Bond Novice Hurdle winner Ballyadam finished second between the Mullins duo in that race at Leopardstown and bids to get Henry de Bromhead's week off to the perfect start. The trainer is also represented by Irascible, who will be ridden by Rachael Blackmore with Jack Kennedy maintaining his partnership with the Cheveley Park-owned Ballyadam.

Metier is clear jumping the final flight of the Tolworth HurdleCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Like Appreciate It, the Harry Fry-trained Metier brings an unbeaten record over hurdles into the race and will bid to emulate 2018 winner Summerville Boy in completing the Tolworth-Supreme Novices' Hurdle double following his easy victory in the Sandown Grade 1 at the start of January.

Impressive Betfair Hurdle winner Soaring Glory will aim to put right the poor recent record of the winners of that race in the Supreme, with My Tent Or Yours (2013), Ballyandy (2017), Kalashnikov (2018) and Al Dancer (2019) all tasting defeat after scoring at Newbury.

Grumpy Charley and the front-running For Pleasure, who won the Grade 2 trial for the race at the November meeting in impressive fashion, complete the four-strong contingent from Britain.

Supreme Novices' Hurdle confirmed runners and riders

Appreciate It Paul Townend
Ballyadam Jack Kennedy
Blue Lord Daryl Jacob
For Pleasure Harry Bannister
Grumpy Charley Bryan Carver
Irascible Rachael Blackmore
Metier Sean Bowen
Soaring Glory Jonjo O'Neill Jr

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