Fergal O’Brien: “She will have improved a lot from it and I’m looking forward to running her”

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL– TUESDAY

Unibet Champion Hurdle

I think this looks a great race and I should imagine Unibet are delighted with the field that has been declared. Nicky Henderson has a fantastic record in it and will have last year’s winner Epatante absolutely primed to the moment but I do think she faces very tough opposition from Honeysuckle and I’ve been asked at plenty of previews this week which horse from another yard would I like to train and there’s no doubt it would be her. Henry De Bromhead and Rachel Blackmore have done a fantastic job with her because she just keeps improving and improving and looks a gorgeous mare. She probably wants two and a half miles but a fast run two miles around a stiff track like Cheltenham will be spot on for her and I think she will be the one to win.

Unibet's 15 To Go Offer is running on all Cheltenham Festival races.

 

3:40 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle

Dolcita (Paddy Brennan)

She’s a lovely horse to have in the yard having come from Willie Mullins and more recently Paul Nicholls where she had one run from him after which he got her wind done. She ran very well for us at Warwick first time up so we’re hopeful she can turn up here and do herself justice. We didn’t have her that long before Warwick so she will have improved a lot from it and I’m looking forward to running her. I spoke to Noel Fehily and he said unless we think she can finish in the frame I wasn’t under any obligation to run her but I genuinely think there is masses of improvement in her and she’s a decent each way price at 40/1 with Unibet.

Unibet's 15 To Go Offer is running on all Cheltenham Festival races.

 

4:15 Boodles Juvenile Hurdle

Elham Valley (Paddy Brennan)

I don’t think we were ever going to get close to the winner at Haydock last time but, again, he might not have been at his 100% best that day and he seems to have improved quite a lot at home since them. Jumping wise he has also been much better and he’s got rock solid form behind Adagio who is a leading contender for the Triumph Hurde and on that Chepstow form alone he certainly deserves to take his chance. In an ideal world he’d probably want it a little bit softer, but he handled good ground in the flat so I won’t be blaming the conditions and we’ll just go there and take our chance.

Unibet's 15 To Go Offer is running on all Cheltenham Festival races.

 

Cheltenham Festival Betting (Non Runner, Money Back)

To view Unibet’s current odds and to bet on the Cheltenham Festival, click here.

 

15 To Go – £20 Free Bet Offer When You Back A Winner

We're running our 15 To Go winner on all races at Cheltenham next week, giving you the chance to net your stake as a free bet up to £20 when backing a winner. For more details and T&Cs, click here.