Hollywodbets Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for day one of the Cheltenham Festival today.
The combined odds of an Irish winner in a fascinating Race 2 are very short. NOTEBOOK and FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES and CASH BACK are closely matched, while The mare PUT THE KETTLE ON has solid course form.
But Henry De Bromhead has every right to think Notebook can make this a nap hand of successes under Rachael Blackmore.
The 7yo was too good for Fakir D’Oudairies at Leopardstown in December and then dealt a similar blow to Cash Back over the same course and distance last month. He’s a keen goer and his jockey will be mindful of keeping him calm, but being in contention early is not necessarily a handicap in this race where there is never any quarter taken or given.
He will serve it up from on the pace and what gets past him will probably win. Connections of Fakir D’Oudairies might point to the fact that their 5yo didn’t get the best passage last time, and that his rider lost an iron, while those of Cash Back are fully entitled to believe he’ll improve.
