PartialLogo
News

Honeysuckle cut for Champion Hurdle as bookies run scared of hot favourites

Day one at Cheltenham: everything you need to know before Tuesday's action

Your one-stop shop for Cheltenham Festival news on Tuesday morning


Market movers: Favourites all the rage

Short-price favourites could be the order of the opening day, with Ladbrokes and Coral reporting Honeysuckle, Shishkin, Appreciate It, Concertista and Happygolucky as the five most included horses in multiples today.

James Knight, Coral trader, said: "If those five win it will be a long walk home from my office tonight (well actually it will just involve opening a door, but still...)."

Unbeaten mare Honeysuckle has hardened as favourite for the highlight of day one, the Unibet Champion Hurdle, overnight, with most bookmakers cutting her into 5-4.

Last year's Mares' Hurdle had generally been available at 13-8 and 7-4 late on Monday evening.

Goshen, winner of last month's Kingwell Hurdle, is comparatively weak for the Champion Hurdle, with bookmakers edging the Gary Moore-trained five-year-old out to 11-2 from a general 9-2. Abacadabras, Silver Streak and Aspire Tower are also on the drift for the day one feature.

Honeysuckle: the €110,000 buy was one of seven six-figure purchases to win at the festival in 2020
Honeysuckle: solid favourite for the Unibet Champion HurdleCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Minella Melody, who sports the same colours of owner Kenny Alexander as Honeysuckle, has seen some support for the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (3.40) and is into 16-1 (from 28).

Alnadam and Discordantly are the two attracting money for the Ultima Handicap (2.30), while Metier is weak for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle (1.20) and has drifted out slightly to as big as 6-1 (from 5). Appreciate It remains the odds-on favourite for the festival opener.

Reynoldstown winner Remastered is unbeaten over fences and has been well backed in the National Hunt Chase. Brocade Racing's stayer is into 5-1 (from 7).

In the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (4.15), the Richard Newland-trained Sage Advice, third at Fontwell last month, has shortened noticeably into 12-1 (from 20), with Riviere D'etel and Nassalam others seeing support.

2.30 Alnadam 15-2 (from 10), Discordantly 12-1 (from 18)
3.05 Honeysuckle 5-4 (from 13-8)
3.40 Minella Melody 16-1 (from 28)
4.15 Riviere D'etel 7-1 (from 8), Sage Advice 12-1 (from 20), Nassalam 18-1 (from 22)
4.50 Remastered 11-2 (from 7), Snow Leopardess 14-1 (from 18)

Updated at 12.15pm


Going update: Minimal rain overnight

The going at Cheltenham was updated just after 6am on the opening day, with the ground described as soft, good to soft in places.

Racing takes place on the Old course with the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle kicking the festival off at 1.20pm.

The outlook for the week is mostly dry. The GoingStick reading, taken at 11.30am, is 5.9.

Clerk of the course Simon Claisse said: "The ground remains soft, good to soft in places. We had 1mm of rain overnight and any showers we were forecast for this morning appear to have passed us."

Updated at 12.10pm


Day one at Cheltenham:

Cheltenham tips: one key runner from each ITV race on day one of the festival

Worth chancing a day one acca? Our experts assess Tuesday's strong favourites

One standout quote for each of the seven races at Cheltenham on Tuesday

Who wins the first race of the 2021 Cheltenham Festival? We have our say

Best bookmaker offers: how to make the most of your Cheltenham Festival betting

Cheltenham Festival Tuesday: day one racecards and betting


What to look out for in the Supreme

Going descriptions are a subjective matter. Ask half a dozen people their opinion of the going and you will probably get three different answers. However, while race times are not everybody’s cup of tea there is no denying they can provide an impartial assessment of ground conditions, assuming that a race is truly run and there is not a gale force wind complicating matters.

Races are timed from when the first horse passes the starter and the Racing Post standard time for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, run on the Old course, is 3m 51s. As a rule of thumb, a time under 3m 54s would be indicative of good ground; a time of over four minutes would suggest soft. Times in between would imply good to soft.

Dave Edwards, Topspeed


Tuesday's free Cheltenham Festival tipping:

Paul Kealy's banker at Cheltenham on Tuesday

The Punt Daily: Tom Collins' free horse racing tips on day one at Cheltenham

Cheltenham Tuesday tips: five horses to back on day one of the festival


Non-runners: Mares' outsider Dolcita out

The Sporting Life Arkle Novices' Chase (1.55) has been reduced to five runners after outsider Numitor, trained by Heather Main, was declared a non-runner due to a bad scope. Shishkin is the short-priced favourite to give Nicky Henderson his seventh win in the race.

Dolcita is a non-runner for the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (3.40) due to lameness.

The Olly Murphy-trained Tinnahalla was pulled out of the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (4.15) on Monday, with his absence allowing Curious Bride to get a run as first reserve.

In the Sam Vestey National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Chase (4.50), Paul Nicholls has been left with just Next Destination after Soldier Of Love was pulled out of the race due to the going.

1.55 - 5 Numitor (bad scope)
3.40 - 4 Dolcita (lame)
4.15 - 18 Tinnahalla (not eaten up)
4.50 - 11 Soldier Of Love (going)

Updated at 9.40am


What is it like on course?

It is a bit surreal. Usually there's a vibrant and jubilant atmosphere on the morning of the first day of the Cheltenham Festival but it felt like an ordinary midweek day on the approach up to the famous Prestbury Park.

I stopped when passing Cheltenham Spa train station this morning, I spotted only three taxis and no passengers. On a typical week, this station will serve 135,000 passengers across the four days.

The concourse in front of the Centaur, which would usually be heaving on the first day of the festival
The concourse in front of the Centaur, which would usually be heaving on the first day of the festivalCredit: Edward Whitaker

The racecourse itself is immaculately set out for the week and the very few on course early this morning were given a small reminder of normality to see the powerful Irish strings across the breadth of the course.

I always believe the mood of Cheltenham Festival Tuesday is the best, with a nervous energy of anticipation from everyone, ranging from the leading trainers to the once-a-year racegoers. With the calibre of horses on the racecard that mood is certainly present, even if there are less people here to feel it.

James Stevens, reporter

Posted at 10.45am


Tuesday's race previews:

Supreme: will the cream rise to the top in smallest field in modern history?

Arkle: dangers await but here's why unbeaten Shishkin should have all bases covered

Ultima: Happygolucky has 'outstanding chance' to bring Bass and Bailey more glory

Champion Hurdle: pure theatre guaranteed as Goshen goes in search of redemption for the Moores

Mares' Hurdle: can Concertista take her place among the greats with victory in vintage running?

Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle: Willie Mullins hoping drop in class for Saint Sam and Youmdor pays dividends

National Hunt Chase: 'He's got endless stamina' – smart stayers clash as professional riders step in


For all our exclusive free bet offers and must-have daily promotions click the free bets button or go to racingpost.com/freebets


Deputy news editor

Published on inNews

Last updated

iconCopy