Cheltenham Festival 2024: how did the week's action affect the ante-post markets?

Find out this week's movers and shakers in the ante-post markets for the 2024 Cheltenham Festival . . .

Banbridge

Race: Ryanair Chase

Odds: 5-1 (from 10)

Banbridge returned to action with a bang on Saturday when fending off Pic D'Orhy to become the first Irish-trained winner of the Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton. 

The eight-year-old was previously seen winning a Grade 1 at Aintree in April and showcased his talent and aptitude for good ground with another successful British raid under JJ Slevin. 

His price was halved for the Ryanair Chase after his one and three-quarter length win and he looks likely to be a major player providing conditions suit. Last year the Joseph O'Brien-trained runner failed to line up at the meeting due to ground. 

Ryanair Chase (March 14)

Betfair: 11-4 Allaho, 5 Banbridge, 6 Envoi Allen, 13-2 Stage Star, 9 Appreciate It, 11 Jonbon, 16 Classic Getaway, 25 bar

Colonel Harry

Race: Arkle Chase and Turners Novices' Chase

Odds: 40-1 (from 66)

Colonel Harry was denied a Grade 1 victory by Le Patron last month but he bounced back to winning form with a decisive success at Wetherby on Saturday in the Towton Novices' Chase. 

Trained by Jamie Snowden and ridden by the unstoppable Gavin Sheehan, Colonel Harry earned a third win from his last five five starts when capitalising on the antics of market leader Trelawne, who should benefit from headgear in future. 

Colonel Harry defied an 11lb rise for his runner-up finish in the Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown and a return to that course could be on the cards next month for the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase, before a possible first trip to Cheltenham. 

Arkle Chase (March 12)

Paddy Power: 4-5 Marine Nationale, 8 Blood Destiny, 10 Facile Vega, Found A Fifty, Gaelic Warrior, Il Etait Temps, 16 Hunters Yarn, 20 Quilixios, Le Patron, 25 My Mate Mozzie, 30 bar

Turners Novices' Chase (March 14)

William Hill: 8-11 Gaelic Warrior, 5-2 Il Est Francais, 7 Facile Vega, Fact To File, 8 Found A Fifty, 10 Corbetts Cross, 12 Hermes Allen, Blood Destiny, Il Etait Temps, 14 bar

Grey Dawning: jumps the last fence on his way to victory at WarwickCredit: Edward Whitaker

Grey Dawning

Race: Brown Advisory Novices' Chase 

Odds: 10-1 (from 16)

Dan Skelton enjoyed a spectacular Saturday with six winners but the highlight of his day was likely the imperious victory of Grey Dawning in the Hampton Novices' Chase at Warwick. 

The race looked to be fiercely competitive on paper but the seven-year-old blew away his rivals in commanding fashion, readily seeing off Grade 1 scorer Apple Away to win by 14 lengths. 

Grey Dawning was shortened for the Brown Advisory but could contest his first top-level contest as soon as next month, with Skelton's assistant trainer Tom Messenger citing the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown as a possible option for the promising novice. 

Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (March 13) 

Coral: 7-2 Grangeclare West, 4 Stay Away Fay, 5 Fact To File, 10 Grey Dawning, Il Est Francais, 12 Corbetts Cross, Gaelic Warrior, 16 Hermes Allen, Letsbeclearaboutit, 20 bar

Hunters Yarn

Race: Arkle Chase

Odds: 16-1 (from 25)

Victory was all but sealed on Hunter Yarn's chase debut last month until the last fence, when the long odds-on shot was cruising clear by five lengths before falling under Paul Townend. 

His second chase appearance went more to plan when the seven-year-old recovered from a bad mistake two out to storm to a ten-length victory in Saturday's 2m1½f beginners' chase at Fairyhouse. 

Hunters Yarn showed plenty of promise over hurdles last season, including finishing runner-up at Grade 2 level at the Punchestown festival, but could have even more to offer over fences and was shortened for the Arkle. 

Arkle Chase (March 12)

Paddy Power: 4-5 Marine Nationale, 8 Blood Destiny, 10 Facile Vega, Found A Fifty, Gaelic Warrior, Il Etait Temps, 16 Hunters Yarn, 20 Quilixios, Le Patron, 25 My Mate Mozzie, 30 bar

Kalif Du Berlais

Race: Triumph Hurdle 

Odds: 20-1 (from 33)

Paul Nicholls was full of praise for winning debutant Kalif Du Berlais after the imposing gelding ran out a wide-margin winner of the juvenile hurdle at Kempton on Saturday. 

Talk of Cheltenham was already in the air after the four-year-old's success but it was the hope of a future Gold Cup victory that made headlines as opposed to his shortened price for the Triumph Hurdle this spring. 

Whether Kalif Du Berlais lines up in the Grade 1 race on the final day of the festival remains to be seen, with Nicholls seemingly not keen on the idea, but the French recruit looks to be an exciting chasing prospect for next season. 

Triumph Hurdle (March 15) 

Betfair: 9-2 Burdett Road, 6 Sir Gino, 7 Storm Heart, 8 Bunting, 12 Kargese, 14 Cala Conti, Majborough, Salvator Mundi, Salver, 16 Nurburgring, 20 Anzadam, Kalif Du Berlais, Liari, Mighty Bandit, 25 bar

Quilixios: the impressive Naas winner was cut for the Arkle and TurnersCredit: Patrick McCann

Quilixios

Race: Arkle Chase and Turners Novices' Chase

Odds: 20-1 (from 50, Arkle) 20-1 (from 33, Turners)

Trained by Henry de Bromhead, the seven-year-old returned to winning ways when stepping back in trip to two miles at Naas on Friday and was significantly cut for the Arkle Chase.

The Cheveley Park-owned gelding managed to beat only one rival when sixth in the Grade 2 Florida Pearl Novice Chase at Punchestown in November, but he made it two wins from three starts over fences having won on his debut at Limerick in October.

Quilixios finished two and a quarter lengths clear of Sa Fureur, while the well-fancied Mister Policeman finished a further six and a half lengths behind in third.

Arkle Chase (March 12)

Paddy Power: 4-5 Marine Nationale, 8 Blood Destiny, 10 Facile Vega, Found A Fifty, Gaelic Warrior, Il Etait Temps, 16 Hunters Yarn, 20 Quilixios, Le Patron, 25 My Mate Mozzie, 30 bar

Turners Novices' Chase (March 14)

William Hill: 8-11 Gaelic Warrior, 5-2 Il Est Francais, 7 Facile Vega, Fact To File, 8 Found A Fifty, 10 Corbetts Cross, 12 Hermes Allen, Blood Destiny, Il Etait Temps, 14 bar

Readin Tommy Wrong

Race: Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle

Odds: 7-1 (from 33)

Willie Mullins dominated the Grade 1 Lawlor's Of Naas on Friday, saddling the first three home, yet it was a surprise to see 16-1 shot Readin Tommy Wrong lead the stable charge.

His fine performance under Daryl Jacob resulted in a serious shift in the Baring Bingham market as the six-year-old, who made it 4-4 under rules, was shortened to single-figure prices.

Mullins has won the Cheltenham race six times and is now targeting it with Readin Tommy Wrong. He said: "He was coming in under the radar, and Lisnagar Fortune getting so close to him the last day would have left people wondering, but he is a good, solid horse and that leaves him in line for a lot of the top prizes. He looks a Baring Bingham horse on that running."

Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle (March 13)

bet365: 4-1 Ballyburn, 8 Readin Tommy Wrong, Ile Atlantique, 12 Caldwell Potter, 14 Gidleigh Park, Slade Steel, 16-1 Predators Gold, Farren Glory, Jeriko Du Reponet, 20 bar

Romeo Coolio

Race: Champion Bumper

Odds: 8-1 (from 12) 

Romeo Coolio was well touted ahead of rules debut and was already a short price for the Cheltenham Festival after winning on his sole point-to-point start this year. 

The five-year-old joined Gordon Elliott's yard in the spring and delivered on his early promise with a taking bumper success at Fairyhouse on Saturday under Harry Swan, scoring by a length and a quarter despite idling at the finish. 

Romeo Coolio was shortened to second-favourite for the Champion Bumper behind stablemate Jalon D'Oudairies and is an exciting prospect, with Elliott intending to send Saturday's winner straight to the festival.

Champion Bumper (March 13) 

Ladbrokes: 6 Jalon D'Oudairies, 8 Romeo Coolio, 16 Jeroboam Machin, Petit Secret, 20 Goldinthemountains, Wingmen, 25 bar

Tullyhill

Race: Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle

Odds: 20-1 (from 50, Supreme), 20-1 (from 33, Baring Bingham)

A step back in trip for the Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old proved decisive as Tullyhill returned to winning ways and entered the picture for both the Supreme and Baring Bingham.

Owned by Cheveley Park, Tullyhill was winning for the first time over hurdles but landed his second win in four starts having won on his debut in a Gowran Park bumper last March.

He finished seven lengths clear of Lightkeeper in second and Mullins could have a choice between two races at the festival.

Supreme Novices' Hurdle (March 12)

Sky Bet: 5-1 Jeriko Du Reponet, Ballyburn, 9 A Dream To Share, 12 Caldwell Potter, Farren Glory, 14 Mystical Power, 16 Mirazur West, 20 Its For Me, Ile Atlantique, Readin Tommy Wrong, Firefox 25 bar

Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle (March 13)

bet365: 4-1 Ballyburn, 8 Readin Tommy Wrong, Ile Atlantique, 12 Caldwell Potter, 14 Gidleigh Park, Slade Steel, 16-1 Predators Gold, Farren Glory, Jeriko Du Reponet, 20 bar

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