Anthony Ennis, Josh Apiafi, Mike Cattermole, Vanessa Ryle, Simon Mapletoft and Robert Cooper choose four horses each to follow at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival with Al Boum Photo, Epatante, Honeysuckle, Thyme Hill and Native River among the selections
Tuesday 16 March 2021 15:23, UK
The Sky Sports Racing presenters nominate their top four horses to follow at this week's Cheltenham Festival.
LIEUTENANT ROCCO (Ultima Handicap Chase, 2,30, Tuesday) - Non-runner
HONEYSUCKLE (Unibet Champion Hurdle, 3.05, Tuesday)
Honeysuckle's record of 10 from 10 speaks for itself, but it's taken her a while to look the complete package despite that wonderful record. However, her jumping looked outstanding in the Irish Champion Hurdle last time out and she'll take all the beating here.
BOB OLINGER (Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, 1.20, Wednesday)
Bob Olinger has a superb record so far in his short career with his only defeat coming to Champion Bumper winner Ferny Hollow on his hurdles debut. Ticks plenty of boxes for me and is a strong fancy.
MONKFISH (Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, 1.55, Wednesday)
Monkfish looks the Mullins NAP of the week and I can't see any reason to oppose him. This three-time Grade 1 winner has excelled since going chasing and looked imperious at the Dublin Racing Festival.
APPRECIATE IT (Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle, 1.20, Tuesday)
An Irish Banker in the opener of the Cheltenham Festival is almost part of the fabric of the event and the imposing Appreciate It can add to Willie Mullins' roll call of winners in the Supreme Novices' and live up to the title. He looked imperious at Leopardstown and will take the beating in what doesn't look a strong renewal.
TIME TO GET UP (Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase, 4.40, Thursday)
Time To Get Up for Jonjo O'Neill looks just the type to excel in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup. The son of Presenting should be fine on the better ground at Cheltenham and he looked smart when winning at Wincanton last time. He also had some smart form over hurdles when trained by Joseph O'Brien.
TRITONIC (JCB Triumph Hurdle, 1.20, Friday)
Tritonic looked every inch a Triumph Hurdle winner when bolting up at Kempton for Alan King who has won this race with Katchit in the past (2007) and this fella was rated a lot higher than Katchit on the level. Tritonic had to work hard to win at Ascot on hurdling bow but looked much slicker when landing the Adonis by 10 lengths at Kempton. He looks classy and is the one for me in the Triumph.
STATTLER (Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, 2.30, Friday)
Stattler looked a candidate for the stamina test that is the Albert Bartlett after winning at Leopardstown over Christmas. The son of Stowaway was far from disgraced when third at Leopardstown during the Dublin Racing Festival behind his stablemate Gaillard Du Mesnil. The step up in distance should suit Stattler and he can give Willie Mullins a third winner in the race in the last five seasons.
HONEYSUCKLE (Unibet Champion Hurdle, 3.05, Tuesday)
They crawled at Fairyhouse for Honeysuckle's first run this season but boy did she show them a clean pair of heels when asked to quicken off a stronger gallop in the Irish Champion Hurdle. This girl has pace as well as stamina! She was electric the last time we saw her and I'm confident the brilliant Rachael Blackmore will keep her perfect record intact on the biggest stage of all.
CHACUN POUR SOI (Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, 3.05, Wednesday)
Chacun Pour Soi has only been beaten once since his arrival from France and that was by A Plus Tard. He has looked superb this season taking his form to a whole new level with wins at Cork and Leopardstown (twice). Last time out, he just looked absolutely rampant! I think the bar he has set will be too high for the others.
SAINT CALVADOS (Ryanair Chase, 2.30, Thursday)
Saint Calvados looks a big price to me in the Ryanair - a little bit unlucky last year when second to Min, he travelled like a dream that day. He was probably too keen at Kempton in the King George over three miles at Christmas. For me, this is his trip, this is his track and this is his time of year.
A PLUS TARD (Wellchild Cheltenham Gold Cup, 3.05 Friday)
A Plus Tard has been saved for this since winning a red-hot Savills' Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas. He's the only horse to beat Chacan Pour Soi on these shores. He's completely unexposed over staying trips and he's this year's Blue Riband winner for me.
ROKSANA (Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle, 3.40, Tuesday)
Roksana is not favourite for the Mares' Hurdle, which she won in 2019, but maybe she should be as she has never been better. Two easy wins in Grade 2 company and a fine third behind Paisley Park and Thyme Hill in the Long Walk is a very smart level of form and will mean that Concertista will have her work cut out.
MONKFISH (Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Registered As The Broadway Novices' Chase, 1.55, Wednesday)
Monkfish looks an absolute monster and a natural over fences. I will sit back and enjoy watching him at work on Wednesday and look forward to a serious Gold Cup attempt in a year's time.
HOLD THE NOTE (Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase, 4.40, Thursday)
Hold The Note showed much more of his old self when returning to form at Newbury last time on his first start since a wind operation. Third in the novices' handicap last year behind Imperial Aura and Galvin, he will be 5lb lower in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir this time and represents a solid each-way chance for the Mick Channon team.
TRITONIC (JCB Triumph Hurdle, 1.20, Friday)
Tritonic hit the line very strongly at Kempton last time and looked as though he was just getting going! It was also a big step forward on his debut at Ascot (where he also stayed on well) and the more galloping track at Cheltenham ought to suit him nicely. Although I have plenty of respect for the leading Irish challengers here, he is a confident shout to give Alan King his third Triumph.
EPATANTE (Unibet Champion Hurdle, 3.05, Tuesday)
The four Championship races at this year's Cheltenham Festival all have their title holders returning for the second act and the first of my Festival four is one of them. For me, Epatante is the one they all have to beat in the Champion Hurdle - if it's decent ground on the first day, I think the conditions will suit her better than the other star mare in Honeysuckle. It's going to be a race of fine margins and I am banking on Nicky Henderson to get Epatante back to her best.
SIR GERHARD (Weatherbys Champion Bumper, 4.50, Wednesday)
The Champion Bumper sees two stand-out Irish raiders top the betting in the form of Kilcruit and Sir Gerhard. The former brings in one eye-popping performance and is favourite over the latter who brings in form of more substance in my opinion. Sir Gerhard was the Irish bumper banker all season until Kilcruit came along and did what he did at Leopardstown. My fear is that often when a performance is too good to be true - it actually is! As a result, I am sticking with Sir Gerhard in the bumper.
MELON (Ryanair Chase, 2.30, Thursday)
The Ryanair is another wide-open race at this stage. The top five horses in the market all have question marks and queries to overcome and that includes my selection in the race, Melon. He is the ultimate bridesmaid when it comes to the festival but we know he brings his best to this meeting. He will be stepping down in trip from what we have seen him perform over in his last two starts and I think that will suit if they let him bowl on again, like he did at Leopardstown at Christmas.
ADRIMEL (Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, 2.30, Friday)
The Albert Bartlett is wide open this year and I think it might be a race where we see some bigger-priced horses running well. One that I thought was overpriced was Adrimel for Tom Lacey. Last seen giving away 3lb to win a Grade 2 at Warwick, he looks like the step up in trip will suit and his running style suggests a tough race like this won't faze him.
METIER (Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle, 1.20, Tuesday)
Tolworth Hurdle winner Metier can gallop to glory for Harry Fry in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle on the opening day. Unbeaten in three starts over hurdles, the five-year-old pleased his trainer in an away day at Wincanton last week and is cherry ripe for his biggest test so far. His Tolworth Hurdle win came in heavy ground but he was equally at home in soft conditions at Ascot before that so better ground should not be a concern.
IMPERIAL AURA (Ryanair Chase, 2.30, Thursday)
I have a feeling everything will come together on the big day for the talented Imperial Aura in the Ryanair Chase. Gold Cup-winning trainer Kim Bailey has been schooling the eight-year-old intensively since he unshipped David Bass at Kempton Park in January and nominates last year's Festival winner as his best chance among a strong team.
ADAGIO (JCB Triumph Hurdle, 1.20 Friday)
David Pipe couldn't be more bullish about his Grade 1 winner Adagio, who arrives at the Triumph Hurdle still very much on the upgrade. This horse has Cheltenham form (he won the Trial in December), travels strongly through his races and jumps efficiently. What's more, Pipe has no serious ground concerns for this versatile gelding.
AL BOUM PHOTO (Wellchild Cheltenham Gold Cup, 3.05 Friday)
It would be sensational to see Al Boum Photo etch his name alongside the legendary Arkle and Best Mate as a three-time winner of the Gold Cup, and I can't see any reason why he can't succeed. Still relatively young at the age of nine, his preparation has pleased trainer Willie Mullins and he can again get the better of opponents who have more questions to answer.
THYME HILL (Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle, 3.05 Thursday)
I'm expecting Thyme Hill to gain revenge over the 2020 Stayers' hero Paisley Park. There's no doubt the former champion is back on song but I think he was a shade fortunate to 'mug' Thyme Hill on the line in Ascot's Long Walk Hurdle. I am expecting Richard Johnson to deliver his 'killer blow' on that climb to the winning post.
THE GLANCING QUEEN (Parnell Properties Mares' Novices' Hurdle, 4.15, Thursday)
Alan King's mare The Glancing Queen has won two of her races over hurdles this winter but perhaps her most persuasive performance was in defeat behind Bravemansgame in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury, when tapped for toe from the second last after travelling well. Bottomless ground proved her undoing at Exeter last time and I'm expecting a strong pace on better going to produce a positive result.
ADAGIO (JCB Triumph Hurdle, 1.20 Friday)
I'm looking for value here and David Pipe's progressive juvenile Adagio fits the bill. He's won three of his four hurdles and was deeply impressive at Chepstow in January brushing aside the highly regarded Nassalam in the Grade 1 Finale Hurdle. Reports from Pipe's Pond House Stables have been positive since and although there's plenty to recommend both Tritonic and Zanahiyr, Adagio looks 'nailed on' each-way value.
NATIVE RIVER (Wellchild Cheltenham Gold Cup, 3.05 Friday)
Native River is one of the most consistent and battle-hardened chasers in training and I would be stunned if the 2018 hero didn't run another massive race. Any horse that attempts to match strides with Native River will know they've been in a dour contest. Now an 11-year-old, he displayed all his best qualities to brush aside Bristol De Mai at Sandown. We know he loves Cheltenham, we also know he has stamina in abundance plus the speed to win at the highest level.
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