CHELTENHAM Preview Nights tend to be full of strong views, certainties that can’t be beaten, lays that can’t win, and that is half the fun – not many in attendance will want to hear from the spreadsheet bore that makes a 6/1 shot 5.84 on his numbers and thus a bet.

That few of these bold predictions come to pass is neither here nor there as most will have forgotten the opinions given by the time the Martin Pipe comes around and hopefully that will be the same with my bold shout for next week: that Willie Mullins will win all four of the Grade 1 novice hurdles, the Triumph included, allowing that it is not technically a novice race.

In his career Mullins has won these races 20 times – seven Supremes, six Baring Binghams (now Gallagher), four Triumphs and three Albert Bartletts – and they are clearly his strong suit at the meeting, though the closest he has come to getting the sweep was in 2022 when Sir Gerhard, Vauban and The Nice Guy were all successful, only Constitution Hill and Jonbon getting in the way in the Supreme.

His claims to winning the lot this year are obvious. Ballyburn looks the 1A of his novice hurdlers and will be hard to beat wherever he runs, and while it is unclear whether Mystical Power or Tullyhill are the 1B, both will be competitive in their respective races.

There is back up too in the shorter races via likes of Ile Atlantique, Predators Gold and Asian Master, though it should be pointed out that all his recent winners of the Supreme and Baring Bingham have been the clear first string. Since 2010, the Mullins first string in those two races are 9/28 with 18 total places while all his other runners are 0/44 with eight places.

Winning the Albert Bartlett will be tougher, but I am keen on the claims of the unbeaten Readin Tommy Wrong who did well to win the Lawlor’s of Naas last time, and he has plenty of support with the likes of Dancing City and High Class Hero.

The betting suggests Sir Gino will be hard to beat in the Triumph but the Spring Juvenile form has been the best guide to that race in recent years and while the first six were covered by just over five lengths, they are a group of expensive young horses and at least one of them may be able to improve. Majborough has more scope to progress than most as he was having just his second start last time but that is reflected in the market and perhaps the winner Kargese is more underrated in the betting.

CHELTENHAM is a meeting that short-priced punters enjoy, and they will have ample choice next week with eight favourites trading around even money or shorter to choose from.

Of those eight, I would rate El Fabiolo and Ballyburn the most solid but in truth those sort of odds is not my thing as I’ve never had much skill in discerning a 4/6 shot from a 4/9 poke. I much prefer to play away from the front end of the market, often each-way, and four horses stand out for next week.

The cases for The Yellow Clay (Champion Bumper) and Waterford Whispers (Martin Pipe) have been made here at points over the last month and to them I would add the Kenny Alexander-owned mares Telmesomethinggirl (Mares’ Hurdle) and Kargese (Triumph).

Both face odds-on favourites in their races but that can create value in the place part of the each-way bet.

Good record

Telmesomethinggirl has a good record at the meeting, winning the 2021 Dawn Run impressively from a number of 140-plus mares before being brought down at the second last in this race when travelling well the following year.

Chasing didn’t suit her last season, but she has quickly come back to form this term, building on a decent return at Leopardstown over Christmas to finish second at Naas last time, her jumping sharper than it has been in a long time.

Kargese may not have the potential of some of her rivals in the Triumph, but she won what is typically the best trial last time in quite convincing fashion and may be hiding in plain sight.

CONSIDERING last Friday’s weather, the Irish tracks did well to race last weekend with the ground testing at Navan especially, the comparative times between the Webster Cup this year and last saying plenty.

On going Timeform gave as heavy in 2023, Any Second Now took 5.45.9 to complete the course in the Grade 2 while this year’s winner Ash Three Meadow was a much slower 6.24.8, the ground on the heavy side of heavy.

The jockeys in this year’s Webster Cup seems to respect how deep the ground was and went a steady pace as a result, which suited most of the field for one reason or another. The runners got to three out an amazing 25.4 seconds behind the later handicap chase for mares over the same trip, that a much lower grade contest.

Ash Tree Meadow showed resilience to bounce back from a quick turnaround having run at Naas the previous Sunday, allowed to dictate but not always jumping fluently and inclined to go right. His rider Sam Ewing deserves credit on a few levels: he spared his horse a hard race while still winning and got the fractions spot on.

The 4/6 favourite Journey For Me was returning from a 312-day absence and that time off seemed to factor into the tactics used, connections opting to drop him for the first time in his career. He was still going well when making a mistake two out and couldn’t pick up in the relative sprint up the hill though he finished off well and should improve for the run though he has found the air getting thinner has he rises in class.

Both he and the winner could head to Fairyhouse next and it will be interesting to see how horses that missed Cheltenham will fare against those returning from Prestbury Park; the Easter meeting begins 15 days after Cheltenham which is as close as it gets and while the Cheltenham horses tend to have the edge in pure ability, the turnaround is tight.

The first and second from the Flyingbolt Novice Chase, Blood Destiny and Spillane’s Tower, could also head for Fairyhouse and Willie Mullins did win the Grade 1 WillowWarm Gold Cup with a similar type last year in Flame Bearer. Blood Destiny might be more of a two-miler than an intermediate trip horse, his fast jumping backing up that theory, though it was interesting to see Paul Townend opt to restrain him.

Spillane’s Tower would have his chance of reversing form at Fairyhouse. He was giving 7lb to the winner and didn’t jump quickly enough down in trip, but he beat his rival quite comfortably over further at Punchestown and the trip could be the deciding factor between the two.