THE famous Cheltenham roar at 1.30 for the start of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle on day one of the Cheltenham Festival 2022 will be like no other as racegoers return to The Festival for the first time in two years. The advance ticket sales have reflected the anticipation for each of the four days, as most restaurants were sold out very quickly and at the time of writing on the Sunday there were only very limited tickets available for Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Unibet Champion Hurdle is the feature of day one of The Festival with favourite Honeysuckle Unibet 8/13 on looking to have a strong chance of repeating her 2021 victory, when she was so impressive under a fine tactical ride by Rachael Blackmore. On her last start at the Dublin Festival this unbeaten mare won for the fortieth time, beating another of today’s runners Zanahiyr easily.
The main challenger in the betting is Appreciate It, who is having his first start since winning the 2021 Supreme in scintillating style for Willie Mullins but will have his work cut out to step up and beat Honeysuckle, who gets her seven pounds mares’ allowance. The other mare in the Unibet Champion Hurdle is the 2020 winner Epatante, who has won her last two starts for Unibet Ambassador Nicky Henderson and would emulate Hurricane Fly if she regained her crown. Epatante is currently Unibet 11/1 and after her third last year will look an attractive each way play for many. Overall, Honeysuckle is hard to oppose.
The final race of day one is the Ukraine Appeal National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) and Run Wild Fred at Unibet 2/1 has the strongest claim here, as he only found stablemate Fury Road too good in Grade 1 company at Leopardstown last time out.
Let’s look forward to four days of top racing.
Enjoy whether at Cheltenham or #athome watching on ITV Racing and Racing TV.
Cheers
The Wine Tipster
1.30 Cheltenham – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m ½f
Constitution Hill for Unibet Ambassador Nicky Henderson can win this hotly anticipated renewal. Visually Constitution Hill has looked the most impressive, winning at Sandown on good to soft at the Tingle Creek meeting, when showing an incredible turn of foot to win by 14 lengths, with Might I in second. He then followed up at the Esher course in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle with a comfortable 12 length victory. Tactically you can see Constitution Hill tracking Dysart Dynamo and the moving clear up the hill. Constitution Hill’s temperament is solid versus key rivals stablemate Jonbon and Dysart Dynamo.
Unibet 5/2 win
Unibet’s 15 To Go Free Bet Offer will be running on all ITV races all week.
2.50 Cheltenham – Ultima Handicap Chase (Grade 3) 3m 1f
Fantastikas for the inform Nigel Twiston-Davies team has season form figures of 1231 and has strong novice chase form with his mark of 144 looking workable. Last time out he won well on the heavy at Lingfield, having on his penultimate appearance here on New Year’s Day in the Dipper finished third to comfortable winner, the very smart L’Homme Presse.
Fantastikas ran well at Cheltenham, looks thoroughly genuine and won on good to soft on his first start of the season.
Unibet 11/1 each way
Unibet are paying AN EXTRA PLACE in this race!
Gericault Roque for David Pipe might be five pounds out of the handicap with Frodon at top weight, however this still leaves this six-year-old with a strong chance. Last time out he found the trip too far in the Classic Chase at Warwick when second to Éclair Surf. He ran very well over a similar trip to the Ultima when a close runner-up to Saint Palais at Newbury, finishing well clear of the third. Gericault Roque will travel well here with conditions to suit and will be one of the last off the bridle. A good chance.
Unibet 12/1 each way
Unibet’s 15 To Go Free Bet Offer will be running on all ITV races all week.
3.30 Cheltenham – Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) 2m½f
Adagio (each way) for the David Pipe team was originally marked up in my Unibet Ante-Post piece in February ahead of his second to Goshen in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton. That was Adagio’s first start since November and he looked at one point like he was going to beat Goshen, however Jamie Moore managed to get the rail on this occasion. On refection this was a really strong return by Adagio, with Goshen having conditions to suit and David Pipe’s charge will progress considerably from that performance.
Adagio has the important course form too and he showed this on his only other appearance this season in the Unibet Greatwood Hurdle when trying to give 13lb a way to the winner West Cork, when beaten three quarters of a length.
At the 2021 Cheltenham Festival he ran a blinder to finish second in the Triumph Hurdle behind Quilixios and this course clearly suits him. Adagio has had eleven career starts to date, finishing in the first three on all appearances and with ground conditions in his favour he is the each way bet in the field.
Unibet 16/1 each way
Unibet’s 15 To Go Free Bet Offer will be running on all ITV races all week.
4.10 Cheltenham – Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 4f
Mrs Milner for trainer Paul Nolan was an easy winner of the Pertemps last year on good to soft when easily drawing clear and deserves her shot at Grade 1 glory. The question is whether the drop back in trip will inconvenience her, but she had the speed to win over 2m as a novice and her Cheltenham record alone means she deserves respect, with a second on her other start at Prestbury. Mrs Milner has made two appearances this season with a victory at Limerick and a fourth at Newbury to Thomas Darby last November.
This mare goes well fresh and her record after 100+ days off of is 511. A strong each way chance.
Unibet 10/1 each way
Martello Sky is a very likeable mare who has season for figures of 1411 and has won five of her six career starts over hurdles against her own sex. She has won twice at Cheltenham over this trip, including here in December when defeating Indefatigable, who repossess.
Last season at the Festival in the Mares’ Novice Hurdle she found the shorter trip inadequate, and she will go much better here in this Grade 1 that is much more open than the market indicates.
Unibet 16/1 each way
Unibet’s 15 To Go Free Bet Offer will be running on all ITV races all week.
4.50 Cheltenham – Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) 2m ½f
The Tide Turns (nap) was marked up in my Unibet Irish Handicappers piece as a thoroughly genuine type with a mark of 137 looking more than workable. He was useful on the Flat for Sir Mark Prescott and has taken well to hurdles, winning on debut in the sphere at Punchestown. He was then far from disgraced when fourth behind Vauban, stablemate Fil Dor and Il Etait Temps (goes for the Triumph Hurdle) in a Grade 1 at the Dublin Festival.
The Tide Turns then needed to have a third hurdles run to be able to run in the Boodles and was thrown in at the deep end against Teahupoo at Gowran last month when running well to finish third after travelling smoothly.
Unibet 6/1 each way
Unibet will be offering a SUPERBOOST on the last two races of each day
