Big-race tips: why this horse can win at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival

With the Cheltenham Festival now just weeks away, we asked Racing Post tipsters and editorial staff for their best bets of the week. Here is what they had to offer . . .

Kilcruit

Current odds: 10-1

Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Tuesday, March 15)

By Adrian Wall

The Mastersons are extremely shrewd owners with a phenomenal strike-rate and it would be folly to dismiss Kilcruit in the opening race of the week. Trained by Willie Mullins, the seven-year-old son of Stowaway bids to follow in the footsteps of stablemate Appreciate It, who also carried the Masterson colours to victory when winning the Supreme by 24 lengths last season.

Kilcruit has certainly been a slow burner this season, disappointing when turned over at odds of 1-14 and 4-9 in his first two hurdle starts. He got back on track with a 21-length victory in a 20-runner maiden hurdle at Punchestown and I suspect the yard were biding their time with him, ensuring he peaks when it matters the most. He is closely matched with Sir Gerhard on last season's Cheltenham Bumper form and it is difficult to see him out of the first three if Mullins has him back to anywhere near his best.

Kiltealy Briggs

Current odds: 20-1

Ultima Handicap Chase (Tuesday, March 15)

By Keith Melrose

Novices who have been laid out for the race are a strong-performing group in the Ultima, fitting recent winners such as Holywell, Un Temps Pour Tout and Coo Star Sivola. In fact, similar criteria fits for most major staying handicap chases in the spring.

Kiltealy Briggs' connections have revealed the Ultima has been the plan for him and he looks a better prospect for the race than a 25-1 chance. He jumps well, tends to race prominently and, while most of his form is in small fields, he retains promise for 3m having been fourth in last year's Masters and third in the Kauto Star on his only attempts.

Part of the reason for that promise is his pedigree, as his dam is a sister to Ballabriggs. He won the National, of course, but he also won the Kim Muir and Kiltealy Briggs has all the attributes to continue a family festival tradition.

Pats Fancy

Current odds: 16-1

National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Novices' Chase (Tuesday, March 15)

By Stuart Langley

Rebecca Curtis won this race in 2012 with the admirable Teaforthree and she looks to have a live contender for this year's contest.

The seven-year-old son of Oscar faced some tough assignments over hurdles, including when well beaten in Grade 1s at the festival and Aintree, but chasing was always going to be more to his liking and that seems to have been the case so far. He has progressed in each of his four runs over fences this season, winning two Chepstow handicaps in December before putting it up to the much-heralded Bravesmangame at Newbury last weekend.

He looks a thorough stayer and that 2m7½f trip at the Berkshire venue may have been a bit speedy for him, but nonetheless it was a fair preparation for this and, with the likelihood of improvement over this 3m6f trip, interest will be heightened further if he gets the services of one of the top amateur jockeys.

Stage Star

Current odds: 9-1

Ballymore Novices' Hurdle (Wednesday, March 17)

By Louis McKell

The Cheltenham Festival targets for four of the top five horses in the Ballymore market are undecided, with the Paul Nicholls-trained Stage Star sixth in the betting. Since going over hurdles the six-year-old is unbeaten in three starts, including a dominant display in the Challow. His mix of speed and stamina could prove a deadly combination in what looks to be a wide-open race.

Bravemansgame took a similar route to the festival last year and although Stage Star may not be of the same calibre, he ticks all the trends including age, rating and preparation. Assistant trainer Harry Derham recently suggested his jockey Harry Cobden "hadn't got to the bottom of him yet" and that "he has a huge chance at Cheltenham" on the Racing Post's In The Know show.

Gaillard Du Mesnil

Current odds: 16-1

Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Wednesday, March 16)

By Scott Burton

It has taken a while for Gaillard Du Mesnil to iron out some jumping flaws since going over fences but there was a great deal to like about his third over 2m5f behind Galopin Des Champs at the Dublin Racing Festival.

A classy novice over hurdles who managed to split Bob Olinger and Bravemansgame in last season's Ballymore, he looked much more assured last time and would be a live contender if stepped up again in trip for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase over three miles.

While he might end up facing the same stablemate again he is bred to relish the trip, especially given that among sire Saint Des Saints' seven top-rated performers on RPRs are a runner-up of both the Gold Cup (Djakadam) and this race (Lyreen Legend), as well as two more Grade 1 winners over three miles and Many Clouds Chase winner Protektorat.

Buddy Rich

Current odds: 10-1

Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Wednesday, March 16)

By Charlie Sharp

Gordon Elliott told the Racing Post in his recent stable tour that Buddy Rich was his only Grand Annual horse for next month and that was music to the ears for all ante-post backers of the John Keegan-owned contender. Buddy Rich will be going into the race with plenty of experience for a novice chaser, with six chase starts under his belt this season. He put in his best Racing Post Rating at Cheltenham earlier this season when second to Third Time Lucki in October.

His form over fences reads 222214 and he might be given a lenient mark given the formlines he is tied in with. As well as Third Time Lucki, he was second to Dunvegan, who finished runner-up to Chacun Pour Soi in the Dublin Chase. The ground at the festival should not be a problem as he seems to act on most conditions, and he is my nap of the festival handicaps.

L'Homme Presse

Current odds: 4-1

Turners Novices' Chase (Thursday, March 17)

By Tom Park

It may sound mad, but the horse I'm most keen to take at on this year's festival is the one who could be the most talented.

Bob Olinger can do no wrong according to the majority of Racing Twitter, but he has yet to do anything this season that has really impressed me and I would have serious concerns about backing him at such a short price off the back of just two runs over fences as he still looks like he has plenty to learn.

L'Homme Presse, meanwhile, has tanked through his races, jumped like a stag (albeit left on occasions but that won't matter at Cheltenham) and looks a real force to be reckoned with.

He might get Bob Olinger in a bit of trouble and there's no way there should be such a big price difference between the pair.

Elle Est Belle

Current odds: 7-1

Parnell Properties Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Thursday, March 17)

By James Hill

This is the horse I'm most excited about for the festival as I think she's got the best form in the Mares' Novice Hurdle by a country mile, so it is to my horror that I read trainer Dan Skelton is considering missing Cheltenham and running her against the boys in a Grade 1 at Aintree. Why on earth would you do that? What's so scary about the Cheltenham race?

Allegorie De Vassy also has the maximum penalty, so too does Party Central, Brandy Love could end up on the cross-country course and Dinoblue's had only one run in a maiden. Elle Est Belle has top-quality form at two miles and at the festival, and she's one of Britain's best chances of the week. Dan, please, you must run.

Pleasant Man

Current odds: 33-1

JCB Triumph Hurdle (Friday, March 18)

By Tom Turner

If Paul Nicholls has taught Pleasant Man the art of hurdling, there's every chance he could give Pied Piper something to think about in the Triumph. Looking back at his Flat form, he beat Pied Piper on debut when Pied Piper had had the benefit of a previous run, and twice achieved an RPR of 101, once over a mile in the Royal Lodge, and once over 1m6f, staying on best at the end.

This is, of course, pure conjecture – we don't know how Pleasant Man has taken to hurdles at home – but there is just a suggestion the Triumph Hurdle market might not be quite as much of a closed shop as it appeared when Pied Piper sauntered clear on Trials Day. At 33-1 NRNB I might be tempted to have a tickle each-way on him, given if he isn't up to par over hurdles at home or isn't ready for the Triumph, he won't run.

Protektorat

Current odds: 9-1

Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Friday, March 18)

By Tom Segal

Sometimes it's hard to lose a reputation and, prior to his last three runs, even his closest friends would struggle to make a case out for Protektorat being a potential Gold Cup winner.

However, those three runs have seen him win a Grade 1 easily at Aintree, run an unlucky second in the Paddy Power under a huge weight and then prove his stamina with a runaway success in the Many Clouds Chase at Aintree.

Yes, the latter race fell apart, but it was still a much better effort on the book than dual winner Al Boum Photo achieves at Tramore every year, for example, and don't forget Protektorat is still only a seven-year-old and totally unexposed as a stayer.

Mount Ida

Current odds: 10-3

Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase (Friday, March 18)

By Graeme Rodway

She produced one of the most remarkable Cheltenham performances of all time when coming from an impossible position to beat 20 rivals in last year's Kim Muir after trading at 1,000 in running on Betfair. Horses just don't win races at the festival like that so she must be special.

The problem is she has continued to jump right this season. However, it didn't stop her beating last year's runner-up in this race, Elimay, last time at Fairyhouse. Yes, that was on a right-handed track, but I suspect she has the ability to overcome that negative, at least against her own sex, anyway.

Davy Russell will probably ride and he can be trusted to get Mount Ida organised at her fences. If she jumps with any kind of fluency she will have too much ability for this field.

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