The Turners Novices’ Hurdle looks a straight shootout between FINAL DEMAND and The New Lion this year. The latter has impressed visually but I’d have to doubt the form of the Challow and I think that makes the Mullins runner a strong bet. He is yet to taste defeat having won impressively on debut under Rules at Limerick and then arguably he looks even better slamming Wingmen at the Dubin Racing Festival last month.

He is only going to improve from that and he is an exciting horse. I know some are concerned about the ground but I think he has such a long stride he should be able to handle it and I’m confident he’ll be the one finishing best of all up the Cheltenham hill. Bar the front pair The Yellow Clay is certainly no back number but I’m hoping he goes for the Albert Bartlett rather than comes here.

I don’t usually have a strong opinion on the Cross Country and it is usually a race I love watching but rarely punting on. That is different this year though as STUMPTOWN looks an absolute standout. He has looked really progressive of late winning twice at Punchestown and then doing it convincingly at this track back in December. He was good value for that win and is still just an 8yo so has more upside than most. He probably wants the ground a bit softer but it is still soft and heavy in places on the Cross Country course and also he did win on good ground at Sandown over fences so should handle it even if it does dry up.

Plenty of dangers in a race of this nature including the fences themselves. Mister Coffey does have a habit of finding one or two too good but with the ground more in his favour he could definitely run a big race again. We know everything there is to know about Galvin but he is an 11yo now and will start regressing at some point and does look really short in the betting at around 4/1 so I’m happy to oppose this time.

The market couldn’t give JAGWAR away on Cheltenham Trials Day but he still ran out a very stylish winner. He jumped really well and just stalked the pace before being produced in the closing stages. He has now won 3 from 4 over fences and has done very little wrong. He is open to further improvement and should relish this test with there likely to be a strong pace on. He has a high cruising speed and granted usual luck in-running looks one of the best bets in the handicaps this year.

Nurburgring is interesting but Flat breds don’t have the best record at Cheltenham so that would be a bit concerning. I can see Gordon Elliott having a good Festival so Firefox could emerge as the biggest danger. He has been running in Graded company finishing behind the likes of Majborough so back in a handicap is definitely interesting and catches the eye.

The Triumph Hurdle has been one of the talking races of this year’s Cheltenham Festival and I am very much in the LULAMBA camp. It isn’t ideal coming in here with just the 1 run over hurdles but he was impressive at Ascot and he comes with a tall reputation. He is open to any amount of improvement and I have a feeling he is a horse we could be talking about for the next few years and not just this race. I expect him to come home strongly up the hill and he is one of my stronger bets of the week.

East India Dock hasn’t done much wrong and has won at the track so will understandably have his backers. He hasn’t been taken out of his comfort zone yet though and I’m fairly confident he’ll have to find something more to come out on top here as he is bumping into a horse with potential to go right to the top in time. Not just a two-horse race though as Hello Neighbour impressed at the Dublin Racing Festival and also Palladium has come off the Flat and could improve again.