Cheltenham Festival Day One Tips: Jamie Codd’s 50/1 Boodles selection and Champion Hurdle decide! | Racing News

Multiple Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey Jamie Codd returns together with his Cheltenham Festival Day One picks together with a 50/1 selection on the cardboard!

1.30pm – Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

The Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle seems to be a tough puzzle to crack, however I’m tentatively sticking with FIREFOX to ship the products for Jack Kennedy and Gordon Elliott. He has to bounce again from a below-par effort over additional at Naas in January however he is been freshened up since, and he has the shape within the e-book.

Wind the clock again to December, and he beat none apart from Ballyburn. I suppose he did have a health edge over Willie Mullins’ teenager that day, however he nonetheless beat him properly, and it isn’t the one piece of sturdy type to his title. I gained two bumpers on him, which included a victory over Ile Atlantique on gentle floor. We know he handles dig within the floor, and I feel he’ll be a powerful stayer on the journey. I’ve at all times been keen on him and I’m hopeful of an enormous run within the opener.

Tullyhill is the decide of Paul Townend and has loads going for him, however I worry Mystical Power most. This has at all times been his goal, his pedigree is top-notch and I’ve heard he is been burning up the gallops, which could have been an element within the resolution to ship Ballyburn to the Gallagher on Wednesday.

At an enormous value, I additionally suppose Asian Master may hit the body. He’s been a shock package deal this yr, however has been successful impressively, is clearly enhancing and will deal with the bottom.

2.10pm – My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase

I’m with GAELIC WARRIOR within the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase. I used to be blown away by his first two begins over fences and am keen to place a line by his run at Leopardstown on the Dublin Racing Festival.

He obtained very upset within the preliminaries and was a handful going to the beginning, and it is attention-grabbing that Willie Mullins has opted for a primary time hood, as this would possibly assist hold a lid on him earlier than and in the course of the race.

There guarantees to be loads of tempo on within the race, and whereas he is been ridden aggressively thus far over fences, that wasn’t his type over hurdles.

I’ve a sense Paul Townend will sit simply behind this tempo and attempt and take a lead. I’d say that is the fitting race for him, he is the perfect horse within the race, and supplied he places all of it collectively and jumps straight, I feel he’ll win.

2.50pm – Ultima Handicap Chase

CHIANTI CLASSICO has a progressive profile and seems to be to have a really stable likelihood within the Ultima Handicap Chase. I’ve at all times been a fan of this horse whilst a hurdler and he comes right here having executed nothing improper in his three begins over fences this time period.

He gained the primary two of these at Chepstow and Ascot, and was an excellent second in a aggressive race at Kempton final time, the place he raced wider than best. He’s had a pleasant break since then and seems to be pretty nicely weighted.

It’d be nice to see Kim Bailey land one other Cheltenham Festival winner and I do suppose it is attention-grabbing he additionally runs Trelawne right here, who could possibly be the extra fancied of the 2 within the yard. I’ll additionally give a shout to Twig at a value.

Ben Pauling’s horses are in magical type, and this lad has completed second on all three begins at Cheltenham, together with on good to gentle floor again in October. He’s on the proper finish of the handicap, and continues to be open to enchancment.

3.30pm – Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy

Good luck should you’re having a flyer on one to hit the body within the Champion Hurdle at an enormous value! I’m very to see how Irish Point finishes again over two miles on this kind of floor. He was glorious within the Grade 1 Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle at Christmas, however he does have some very stable type over this kind of journey too.

He beat Magical Zoe giving her loads of weight at Down Royal, and was simply denied by Marine Nationale within the Royal Bond final yr on gentle floor. However, whereas he is an excellent horse in his personal proper, it is onerous to see him beating State Man, who deserves to be topped champion after one other stellar season.

4.10pm – Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle

LOSSIEMOUTH seems to be a certainty within the Mares’ Hurdle. She was so good within the Triumph and within the International Hurdle final time and she’s fairly merely the perfect mare within the race.

She has baggage of tempo, and Paul Townend will possible maintain on to her for so long as attainable, though I actually have no considerations in regards to the journey together with her. Of the others, I can undoubtedly see Telmesomethinggirl operating nicely at an enormous value.

She’s a earlier Festival winner again in 2021, and was going nicely the next yr on this race when she was introduced down. Her chasing profession did not actually take off, however I assumed she formed nicely behind Zarak The Brave over hurdles final time. She’s an excellent mare who would possibly simply be coming to the boil for Henry de Bromhead, whose horses are in terrific order.

4.50pm – Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

This is a little bit of a minefield, however I’ll take an opportunity on HARSH each-way at an enormous value for Joseph O’Brien and Gigginstown. He made a vibrant sufficient begin over hurdles, together with when successful very simply Cork and he was deemed ok to run within the Grade 2 Finale Juvenile at Chepstow over the Christmas interval.

He was despatched off 5/2 for that, and whereas he did not run notably nicely in fact, he is absolutely able to higher. Joseph is aware of what he is doing, and he now pitches up within the Boodles off 10-13 with the wonderful Conor Stone-Walsh taking an additional 5lbs off his again. Soft floor holds no fears, and I feel he may run an enormous race.

5.30pm – Maureen Mullins National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Novices’ Chase

CORBETTS CROSS is a really elegant horse and I count on him to win the National Hunt Chase for Emmet Mullins and JP McManus. It hasn’t precisely been plain crusing over fences for him this time period, however he nonetheless has an excellent victory and a Grade 1 second to his title and he has the fitting man on board within the form of Derek O’Connor.

I simply suppose he is a greater horse than Embassy Gardens and stamina should not be a problem in any respect for him. It can be attention-grabbing to see how the race is run although.

While it is solely a small area, we have seen Mr Vango and Apple Away each ridden aggressively, and they might make it fairly a take a look at.