THE Willie Mullins-trained Min heads the market for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the first race on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. Owner Rich Ricci, trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Ruby Walsh have taken the last three runnings of the two-mile contest with Champagne Fever (2013), Vautour (2014) and Douvan (2015).

Hot favourite Min is unbeaten in two starts since joining Mullins. The French-bred five-year-old was last seen out when sauntering to a nine and a half-length success in the Grade 2 Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown on January 9th.

POSSIBLES

Willie Mullins accounts for no less than 18 of the 64 entries with his other possibles including Yorkhill, successful in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown in January, Grade 1-placed Bachusson and Long Dog in the Ricci colours.

Almost half of the entries are trained in Ireland, 31 in total. In addition to Willie Mullins’ battalion, other leading hopes include Tombstone (Gordon Elliott), runner-up to Long Dog at Leopardstown over Christmas, and Supasundae (Henry de Bromhead, who got the better of 2014 Weatherbys Champion Bumper winner Silver Concorde (Dermot Weld) at the same meeting.

The home defence is led by Nicky Henderson, who has made five entries, including Altior and Buveur D’Air. Altior won over the course when winning at open meeting in November, and Buveur D’Air was an impressive scorer on both his starts over hurdles and Wait For Me from the Philip Hobbs yard.

Coral bet: 5/4 Min, 6/1 Altior, Yorkhill, 8/1 Buveur D’Air, 10/1 Tombstone, 16/1 Bellshill, 20/1 Supasundae

Yanworth tops Neptune contenders

THERE are 78 entries for the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle, with over half (41) trained in Ireland.

Last week’s impressive course winner Yanworth (Alan King) tops the ante-post lists for the two mile and five furlong contest following a flawless campaign that has yielded four victories, two of which have come at Grade 2 level. The J.P. McManus-owned six-year-old’s most recent success came easily in the Grade 2 Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Willie Mullins is again very well represented with 22 entries. Bellshill appears to be the main hope following three wins from three starts over hurdles, the latest of which was in a Grade 1 over two and a half miles at Naas on January 3rd. Lambourn trainer Warren Greatrex broke his duck at the festival last year with Cole Harden in the World Hurdle and has another smart performer in Ma Du Fou who has recorded facile successes at Ffos Las in November and Bangor this year.

Coral bet: 13/8 Yanworth, 3/1 Bellshill, 8/1 Yorkhill, 12/1 A Toi Phil 14/1 Shantou Village, 16/1 Barters Hill, Long Dog, Tombstone

Ivanovich

flies the flag for O’Brien

AIDAN O’Brien, best known at Cheltenham for his handling of three-time Champion Hurdle victor Istabraq, has the warm favourite for the JCB Triumph Hurdle with Ivanovich Gorbatov.

Owned like Istabraq by J.P. McManus, the son of Montjeu won twice on the flat before making an eye-catching hurdling debut at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting under the supervision Joseph O’Brien. He bids to cement his position in the market at Leopardstown today.

There are 54 entries for the JCB Triumph Hurdle, including 11 from Ireland, 12 from Paul Nicholls and five from race’s most successful trainer, Nicky Henderson, who had the first three last year from three runners. Alan King’s juveniles have been in good form and he has Gibralfaro, Oceane, Sceau Royal and Who Dares Wins to chose from.

Apple’s Jade, Footpad, Let’s Dance and Voix Du Reve are other Mullins-trained contenders.

Coral bet: 5/2 Ivanovich Gorbatov, 8/1 Fixe Le Kap, 12/1 Sceau Royal, Let’s Dance, 14/1 Gibralfaro, 16/1 Allblak Des Places, Apple’s Jade, Protek Des Flos

Barters Hill a Bartlett banker?

IRISH-bred Barters Hill is undefeated in all seven career starts and he is the firm favourite for the three-mile Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle. The six-year-old was a Grade 2 bumper winner from Bellshill at Aintree last season and has stepped up this campaign with his three victories over hurdles headlined by the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury.

Ben Pauling’s stable star stretched his unbeaten record to seven with a typically determined display at Doncaster last Saturday. Shantou Village looks likely to step up to three miles for the first time after chasing home Neptune favourite Yanworth at Cheltenham at the weekend and is a major contender for trainer Neil Mulholland.

Willie Mullins still has a leading contender in Up For Review, who was a big disappointment when running below form behind Barters Hill at Doncaster.

Mullins could also call upon the likes of Bellshill, Gangster and A Toi Phil, who all have alternative options at the Festival in other contests.

There are 73 entries for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, of whom 32 are trained in Ireland.

Coral bet: 5/2 Barters Hill, 7/1 Shantou Village, 8/1 Yorkhill 10/1 Bellshill, 12/1 Ballydine, 14/1 Up For Review, Yorkhill, A Toi Phil, 16/1 Gangster