Foxhunters Chase 2016 - Festival Focus

Fringe Benefit - On The Fringe can repeat his win in the Foxhunters.

If there’s one race at this year’s festival that’s got everyone talking it’s the Foxhunters.

Whether you agree or not with the Victoria Pendleton media circus there’s no denying it’s created some serious interest in a race that usually kind of gets lost in the aftermath of the Gold Cup.

Whatever happens with our former Olympian, hopefully the added interest in the race will lead to some well earned plaudits for another female rider taking her chance – the phenomenal Nina Carberry, who will once again take the ride aboard last year’s winner On The Fringe.

Not only did Enda Bolger’s eleven-year-old land the Cheltenham amateur riders’ event twelve months ago, he also took down the Aintree and Punchestown equivalents, landing a rare festival treble.

Neptune Novices' Hurdle 2016 - Festival Focus

King of the Hill - Yorkhill should be Neptune bound and would be a danger if he was.

The Grade 1 races I’m yet to cover for this year’s Festival Focus have all been absent thus far as they all have short-priced favourites that I can’t really see beyond, but couldn’t put up at the price they are.

Douvan in the Arkle, Vroum Vroum Mag in the Mares, Un De Sceaux in the Champion Chase and Yanworth here in the Neptune are all the most likely winners but are currently priced as such.

However in opposition to Yanworth could potentially be a horse I like very much, though if market vibes are anything to go by he’s actually more likely to go for the Supreme a day earlier which I think is a mistake, but what do I know!?

On the off chance that sense wins out in the end though I’m going to tentatively, and likely completely pointlessly, put up Yorkhill for the Neptune as with NRNB widely available now nothing is lost, other than the time writing this, if he does in fact take in the shorter option, and in my opinion the option he’s less likely to place in, twenty four hours earlier.

National Hunt Chase 2016 - Festival Focus

Battle Royale - Southfield Royale is fancied in the 4-miler.

The National Hunt Chase or the 4-miler as it is more colloquially known was the first race I put a bet up for at this year’s Cheltenham Festival back at the start of the season when I posted my Ten To Follow for this jumps season and suggested Milsean was made for the race.

Well here we are just a week before the race and Milsean has not made an appearance this season having met with a set back and thus will not be lining up a week on Tuesday.

As a result I need to revisit the race and with the market thrown somewhat in to disarray of late with the news that long time favourite Black Hercules could be rerouted to a shorter trip and that crack, and in-demand, amateur Derek O’Connor has jumped off Colin Tizzard’s plodder extraordinaire Native River to ride new favourite and constant source of frustration Minella Rocco.

Roi Des Francs, also a mainstay a head of the market this season, is also reportedly off to pastures shorter, leaving the race looking there for the taking.

Champion Bumper 2016 - Festival Focus

High Times - High Bridge can break the Ferguson festival duck in the Bumper.

I’ve seen a few people say that this year’s Champion Bumper doesn’t look a vintage renewal, but it’s one of the races I’m looking forward to most all week at Cheltenham.

This could be because I’ve made a conscious effort this year to get more plugged in to the Bumper scene both sides of the Irish Sea, but whichever way you look at the race you can’t deny there are some exciting prospects set to line up.

Several Bumper horses have caught the eye over the course of the season and rightfully they are at the head of the market – Ballyandy in particular looks an ideal sort for the race on the back of two Listed wins and should be there or thereabouts.

While Augusta Kate, if she were to line up, could go off very short indeed given her connections and how visually impressive she’s been to date this season.

She’s by no means a certainty to line up though nor are any of the Gigginstown horses after they broke their self-imposed embargo on the race last year and then instantly wished they hadn’t.

Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle 2016 – Festival Focus

Gangster's Paradise - Gangster looks a big contender in the Albert Bartlett.

With Barters Hill the prominent figure in the Albert Bartlett market there are some big prices to be had on some talented horses if you look further down the betting.

Ben Pauling’s horse has carried all before him this season but he is never flashy and this has led some to question his merits as favourite for the novice stayers’ hurdle.

He should prove very tough to pass, but he is ample short enough in the betting and as a result I like the look of a Willie Mullins horse to finally break the all-conquering trainer’s duck in this race.

Gangster has quietly crept up the betting over the last few weeks without actually doing anything, largely due to other leading protagonists for this race fluffing their lines, but this half brother to Ascot Gold Cup winner Rite To Passage looks to have a good shout in an open race.