Cheltenham Festival 2018: Supreme Novices' Hurdle Preview & Ante-Post Tip - Getabird A Mullins Hotpot Worth Opposing

Cheltenham Festival 2018: Supreme Novices' Hurdle Preview & Ante-Post Tip - Getabird A Mullins Hotpot Worth Opposing
12:01, 06 Mar 2018

With just one week to go until the first roar comes off the grandstand at Prestbury Park we’ve taken a look at the race that will instigate it; the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Getabird, trained by Willie Mullins’ and wearing the Ricci silks, is a short-priced favourite for the 2m affair and is sure to be hammered in shorter by jolly-backers keen to get off to a good start to the week.

This six-year-old hasn’t put a foot wrong under rules for connections, winning two bumpers before taking the move to hurdling in his stride, winning two including the Moscow Flyer Novices’ Hurdle at Punchestown last time.

That form, and the way he took off from those in behind coming into the straight marks him up as a massive chance. This owner/trainer combo has all but monopolised this race, but we’re more than willing to take him on at such a short price in a hot race.

There’s two we’re interested in as potential alternatives.

Mengli Khan of Gordon Elliott’s yard has slipped under a few radars and it’s easy to forget what a strong campaign he’s had.

He won three on the spin over hurdles at the start of the season, the last of which was the Grade 1 Royal Bond at Fairyhouse.

That was a very pleasing display; he left stablemate Hardline, who has won a Grade 2 at Naas since, 20 lengths behind in third.

His next race was the rendition of the Moscow Flyer which Getabird won. He gave the Mullins’ horse 6lbs that day and finished a respectable second.

That leaves him a lot more closely matched to the market favourite than the prices would suggest and at 12/1 he’s well worth getting onside.

With Mengli on our side, there’s another lurking around the same area of the betting that we feel has been underestimated by the layers.

Paloma Blue is a formerly smart bumper performer who goes for Henry De Bromhead.

This Stowaway gelding has put in a string of pleasing efforts over hurdles this term, the form lines of which are eye-catching. His season to this point culminated in a sterling effort in the Deloitte Hurdle at Leopardstown at Christmas.

He raced keenly that day and raced prominently but still looked in contention coming round the bend when tanking along beside Samcro with the rest toiling.

He felt the pinch of that early prominence between the second and last hurdles and was worn down for third by a stronger stayer in Duc Des Genievres.

Samcro, who is an odds-on favourite for the Ballymore over 2m 5f, is an exceptionally strong stayer at the 2m trip and being out-lasted by him is no stick to beat Paloma Blue with.

If he can settle a shade better this day next week then he’s surely in with a hearty shout on this day next week.

His case hasn’t been missed by some of the more prominent judges in the racing media and that’s seen his price come in to 12/1 from longer. That’s still a value call and this classy type can give Getabird’s wings flapping.

While the race favourite is a nice sort, we’ll be feeling more than confident at lunchtime on opening day with the two above selections sitting in our Ante-Post portfolio.

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