Cheltenham Countdown*

With only four weeks to the start of the Cheltenham Festival, the countdown is on in earnest. The Irish season has been dominated by one man – Willie Mullins - and he has assembled a formidable team for the four days. Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud is giving JP McManus a fight for the champion owner’s crown this season. O’Leary has some exciting novice hurdlers and chasers to go to war with in four weeks. Unsurprisingly, these two forces dominate the Irish Cheltenham challenge. So with time ticking by here are a few of their horses to put in your notebook for the four days in March.

Boston Bob

A muddy Boston Bob jumps the last at Leopardstown image:sportinglife.com

Transferred to Mullins’ yard after the retirement of trainer Howard Johnson, he is unbeaten in three starts in Ireland. His latest run was highly impressive winning the Grade Two hurdle at Leopardstown two weeks ago on ground he hated. He is entered in both the Neptune Investments Novice Hurdle and the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle and whichever race he goes for he is sure to have a huge chance.

Odds

Albert Bartlett 5/1

Neptune Investments 6/1

Champagne Fever

Champagne Fever leads the field at Fairyhouse image:racingpost.com

Willie Mullins record in the Champion Bumper is second to none. Each year the question everyone always wants to know the answer to is What’s Willie running in the bumper. He usually has a few runners and at the moment this horse looks to be the leading contender. His victory at Fairyhouse last month was eye catching and the bookies reacted by making him favourite for Cheltenham even though he still has to be entered.

Odds

Champion Bumper 8/1 – 10/1

Sir Des Champs

Sir Des Champs and Emmet Mullins image:wpmullins.com

Gigginstown House Stud and Willie Mullins combine with this horse. Unbeaten in two starts over fences, he is already a festival winner. He looks to be improving with each run over the larger obstacles. The English believe defeat for Grands Crus in the RSA Chase is out of the question but if Sir Des Champs takes his place in the line up, they just might have to think the unthinkable.

Odds

Arkle Novices’ Chase 25/ - 40/1

Jewson Novices’ Chase 5/1 – 7/1

RSA Chase 10/1 – 12/1

First Lieutenant

First Lieutenant and Davy Russell image:irishracing.com

Another Gigginstown House Stud horse, this time trained by Mouse Morris. He too is a festival winner, having won last year’s Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle. This time around he has been overshadowed by another Gigginstown runner, Last Instalment, who has swept all before him this season. However First Lieutenant was the unconsidered Irish horse in the race last year. Form on the track and on the likely good ground are important at Cheltenham and First Lieutenant has both. He is not one to be ignored.

Odds

Jewson Novices’ Chase 12/1 – 20/1

RSA Chase 8/1

*This article first appeared in The Nationalist 14 February 2010