The Neighsayers - Cheltenham Challenge Week 1

Now the flat is pretty much done with, what better way to get into the National Hunt feels than by looking at the be all and end all, Cheltenham. With Lew and Quinny taking a back step for winter, this series will feature weekly selections from Elliot, Swanny and Blackie in the weeks and months leading up to the Cheltenham Festival.

This series will see lads give one antepost selection, every Tuesday for a bit of competition amongst us and we hope to take you along with us. All selection's will be 1pt win unless stated. Let's get into week 1...

Elliot - (@elliotwhite5)

RYANAIR CHASE

My first selection of the season is EDWARDSTONE for the Ryanair. Looked to be the best 2 mile chaser in Britain last year going into the Champion Chase where he ran no race whatsoever. Alan King has since said that nothing came to light but has come back in great order from his summer break. In the same interview he also mentioned stepping him up in trip which should be no issue given he stayed 2 and half miles over hurdles, the Ryanair doesn’t look as hot this year and at 20/1 I find him massive value in this.

Edwardstone - Ryanair Chase

20/1 Bet365

Swanny - (@swan1_oliver)

Love Envoi - Mares Hurdle

I cannot ignore the chances of Love Envoi to go one better this season in the Mares Hurdle. I’ve been a big admirer of this horse over the last couple of seasons. Although as expected the big yards will have plenty of Amo in a race of this nature, Love Envoi pulled clear with Hurdling Heroine Honeysuckle and I can see her going one better this season. Harry Fry has confirmed she will stay hurdling and make a bid for gold in the race this season. 

Love Envoi - Mares Hurdle

12/1 Bet365, 10/1 General

Blackie - (@lukeblack85)

National Hunt Chase - Klassical Dream

With his quirky head carriage and bold front running style, Klassical Dream has developed into one of the most consistent staying hurdlers of recent seasons. A Cheltenham festival winner when landing the Supreme Novice Hurdle back in 2019, a frustrating period of injuries followed before he finally delivered on his great potential with a stunning success in the Champions stayers contest at Punchestown after over a year off the track. Although not your stereotypical staying type, he has been ultra consistent at the top table over this subsequent period and now the decision to give him an opportunity over the larger obstacles seems to have been made by the Mullins team.

Now 9 years of age, he may find the fresher legs of his younger counterparts too much to handle in the Top Novice Chases despite his obvious class. Although this may turn out to be the case, I still think he could add a another festival success to his impressive CV in the shape of the National Hunt Chase. A race which has produced so many good horses but is often devoid of a Superstar, a horse with so much talent taking on this test could be an exciting proposition. Mullins is absolutely stacked in the Novice Chase division and Patrick as we see each year will be pining for a plumb ride in this Amateur contest therefore it wouldn’t surprise me if this fella develops as a prime candidate. The trip is the obvious question mark,  however the race is not the brutal slugfest we saw in the past and his capability to now race more within himself when required will give him every chance of using his considerable ability to great affect even at this extreme distance. A speculative shout at this stage I know but with odds of 20/1 currently available, I am more than willing to take my chance. 

Klassical Dream- National Hunt Chase

20/1 - Paddy Power

That concludes the first week, please let us know your thoughts on the selections and thank you as always for reading. See you on Cleeve Hill in March.

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