Festival favourite looks ripe for opposing - and Gordon Elliott’s rising star is worth considering

It was a cracking day for Gordon Elliott at Navan on Sunday. Not only did he win the Troytown, he was also on the mark with two promising novices – and The Yellow Clay, in particular, is worth considering for the Cheltenham Festival.

The Yellow Clay was an easy winner of the Grade 3 Monksfield Novice Hurdle and I particularly liked the speed with which he overcame a scruffy leap two out, getting back on the bridle and passing his rivals easily.

He is now a best-priced 16-1 for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle (as short as 12-1 elsewhere) and this could be a good market to play in as I'm not a big fan of the current market leader Jasmin De Vaux (anywhere between 8-1 and 12-1), who is small, lacks scope and was well beaten on his final start of last season at Punchestown.