Paddy Brennan's Cheltenham Day 1 Tips
It's day one of the Cheltenham Festival and Paddy has had his say on who he thinks will be in the winner's enclosure on day one as he spoke to Free Bets, the home of the best Cheltenham Betting Offers.
Kicking off with the 1.20 which is obviously the Supreme, what are your thoughts?
I think Old Park Star is a NAP, I really do. It's a red Hot Supreme, it really is, it’s as good a Supreme as I've seen for maybe 10 years. There are the likes of El Cairos and Mighty Park in there too but the last horse that won the Supreme on only his second start over hurldes was trained by Nicky Henderson and ridden by Jamie Osborne so that’ll tell you how long ago that was so Mighty Park for me faces an impossible task.
I’ve been all over Old Park Star for the last few months and with his drift to about 3/1 I think he’s serious value and will be very hard to beat. He’s the one for me.
What are you thinking for the Arkle?
This is another red hot race and looking like two horses can only win in Lulamba and Kopek Des Bordes and I’m just going to go for Kopek.
I think he's just If you look back at the Supreme last year, you got to ask yourself if Lulamba would have won it and I don't think he would. So I think he's the best horse. Obviously, he might lack a little bit of experience but I think he can overcome that and the ground just about right for him too. I thought Steel Ally was a big price at about 12/1, if there was an outsider that could, could produce a massive run it would be him.
And for the Fred Winter, what are you thinking there?
I love Winston Junior. I but I've been really impressed with him all season, even when he was 2nd in Cheltenham. It was a good run and he finished well. He's got track experience and a good jockey booking in Jack Kennedy. I really fancy him.
What do you fancy in the Ultima?
In the Ultima I love a horse in this called Konfusion. I’ve heard positive reports about him and I spoke to the trainer at Sandown on Saturday and he told me to ignore his last run and he’s in really good form. I think he’s a big price and I think he’ll be ridden to go forward and I think he’ll go very well.
The other horse I liked and that was Johnnywho. He’s had a wind-op and will have a first time tongue tie and cheekpieces, and he has good solid form and I wouldn’t put anyone having a few quid on him too.
Who wins the Champion Hurdle?
This has changed a lot in the last week with Lossiemouth being declared after it looked like she might go for the Mares Hurdle and you can see why she’s taking her chance here.   Â
It’s probably a weak enough renewal of the race even though you have The New Lion and Brighterdaysahead but I want to stick with Golden Ace. She was a lucky winner last year and the Fighting Fifth but another effort like those races and she’ll be bang there.
In The Plate, what do you think about that race?
I like Madara in that. He’s nearly favourite at 9/2 but I do like him and I think he’s had a good preparation for this. He is at the right end of the weights and he's coming here very fresh and well.
If you're looking through it, looking for another in that race I’d throw in Will The Wise for Gavin Cromwell. He's a horse at 8/1 that will have a chance in that as well.
And then last one of the day, The National Hunt Chase, what are you thinking for that?
Guard The Moon is a nice big price at around 20/1 for Nigel Twiston-Davies, I give him a chance and he won well at Windsor at a track I didn’t think would suit him, and of the others I like Backmersackme but I think Guard The Moon will stay well in this over the three mile five distance.
