The best four days of jumps action is just around the corner and with that respected horse racing pundit Kevin Blake has revealed his Cheltenham Festival THREE best Novice Chase & Hurdle bets.
RELATED: Trainer Dan Skelton lifts the lid on his THREE best chances ahead of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
Kevin Blake Cheltenham Ante-Post Fancies: Three Novices To Have On Your Radar
Not long now folks till the tape goes up on another Cheltenham Festival, so it’s no surprise the leading pundits, trainers and jockeys are being asked which horses are going to be their top tips of the meeting and the ones the best UK horse racing betting sites will be wary of.
With that in mind, we take a look at Kevin Blake’s Cheltenham ante-post best bets for the Novice races as the popular ITV Racing man picks out THREE horses he’ll be backing in this division.
- IL ETAIT TEMPS (Arkle Novices’ Chase)
- MONTY’S STAR (Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase)
- BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD (Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle)
Find out more below why these three novices are Kevin Blake’s bets Cheltenham ante-post tips in this division.
IL ETAIT TEMPS (Arkle Novices’ Chase) @ 11/2 (Tuesday 12th March 2024)
All eyes will be on Marine Nationale here to see if last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner can bounce back after flopping at the Dublin Racing Festival last time out.
However, Kevin Blake feels the Barry Connell horse is worth taking on, despite the best betting sites still having him as their Arkle favourite.
Saying: “His head carriage wasn’t particularly attractive and it hinted at the breathing issues that led to him having a wind operation at the end of last season and wearing a tongue tie in both his starts this season might just be catching up with him.”
“A sounder surface will help him in this regard should that prevail at Cheltenham, but these concerns are enough to make him an unattractive proposition at his current price.”
However, the winner of that Irish Arkle – IL ETAIT TEMPS – is a horse that Blake feels is a more solid Arkle Novices’ Chase option.
Saying this Willie Mullins horse has caught his eye with a smooth transition to chasing and after not quite staying against Gaelic Warrior at Limerick, the move back in trip in the Irish Arkle was a good move by connections.
This grey, therefore, rates Blake’s best Arkle Novices’ Chase tip at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.
“His connections made a clear conclusion based on that run and reacted by dropping back in trip for the Irish Arkle. That led to him producing a career-best effort to prevail by a neck from Found A Fifty and it can be marked up as he raced off what was a steady pace.”
“The level that Il Etait Temps showed at Leopardstown suggests he will be very competitive in the Arkle Challenge Trophy and is likely to be Paul Townend’s choice.”
MONTY’S STAR (Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase) @ 9/1 (Wednesday 13th March 2024)
Next up for Kevin Blake is a look at the Turners and Brown Advisory Novices’ Chases as several horses are entered in both.
A lot will depend on which of the two races Fact To File runs in as he’s favourite for both at the moment.
Blake, however, feels Fact To File should go for the Turners, which then opens the door for many in the Brown Advisory – including his main tip – MONTY’S STAR.
This big chasing type has been on Blake’s radar since his novice hurdles days last season and despite flopping in the Albert Barlett last season, his trainer Henry De Bromhead has gone on record as saying he thinks the race came too soon after his Clonmel run on very testing ground.
The 7 year-old, who is also owned by Barry Maloney of Minella Indo fame, made a pleasing chase debut (Fairyhouse) when third and built on that to win on his second run over fences at Punchestown.
Blake went onto say:
“His jumping was particularly good, with him showcasing an assured style that made jumping look easy for him.”
“Considering that De Bromhead felt Monty’s Star left his Cheltenham chance in the mud at Clonmel last year, he has set out to keep Monty’s Star fresh and has stated the plan is to go straight to the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.”
“While some might be concerned that lack of chasing experience might be a negative, it isn’t a great concern for such an assured jumper. Indeed, De Bromhead gave a very similar preparation to Minella Indo before he went so close to winning the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase in 2020. With a bit of luck, Monty’s Star might well be able to go one better this year.”
BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD (Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle) @ 9/4 (Friday 14th March 2024)
It’s no secret that trainer Gordon Elliott loves BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD – saying recently “I think the world of her”.
And Kevin Blake is in full agreement too.
This 5 year-old mare rates his Cheltenham best bet in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle on the final day, where she’s expected to take on the likes of Jade De Grugy, from the Willie Mullins yard, and the exciting Fergal O’Brien runner Dysart Enos.
The Elliott horse has a top pedigree – being a half-sister to Caldwell Potter, French Dynamite and Mighty Potter – and despite costing €310k is looking like money well-spent with Elliott saying he thinks she could be one the best mares he’s trained.
We’ll find out at Cheltenham if this statement is true, but she heads to the race unbeaten from five and was super-impressive last time at Navan (watch below).
Blake added “She has been showing herself to be well bought so far, going unbeaten in two starts in bumpers and three starts over hurdles. She returned from a mid-season freshen up to win a Listed mares’ novice hurdle at Navan in February, putting on her best display of jumping so far.”
“Dropping back in trip is unlikely to hold any great fears for her and she looks set to be tough to beat in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.”
If Brighterdaysahead can win, she’ll provide Gordon Elliott with his first win in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
Note: All odds on this page subject to change
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
