Glancing back over the racing results from the last few days, we can see there's been a number of Cheltenham Festival clues on both sides of the Irish Sea. This all started on Saturday at Cheltenham when some major British challengers staked their claim as leading contenders for the March showpiece. Willie Mullins then unleashed some ammunition of his own in Ireland. Let's get stuck into it.
East India Dock backed up his previous Course win at Cheltenham and hosed up by 10 lengths in the JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle after being supported in from 6/5 to 1/2. The James Owen charge jumped with great fluency, he's small in stature but there's no doubting his engine, and he's now as short as 11/4 for the Triumph Hurdle.
All eyes were on Constitution Hill in The Unibet International Hurdle as he went to strut his stuff at odds of 1/12 in a really weak renewal of the race. Nico de Boinville had the unbeaten superstar in a great rhythm all the way around until a shocking error at the last hurdle. Luckily for Nico, Constitution Hill found a leg and cruised home for victory amidst the long-lasting gasps from the Cheltenham crowd. He remains a shade of odds on for the Champion Hurdle. Roll on March.
The Cheltenham Racecard culminated in a shock defeat for the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained Potters Charm. Previously unbeaten and twice registering Course wins at Cheltenham, Potters Charm was sent off at 8/15 for the Ais Novices' Hurdle. He was, however, no match for Sixmilebridge despite being rated 18lbs his superior. There's no obvious reason to assume there was any fluke about the result, bookmakers seem in agreement also, pricing both horses up at 16/1 for the Turners Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival.
Over at Naas, Willie Mullins unleashed two of his festival hopefuls and they both duly obliged. No surprise there. Anzadam romped to victory in the Limestone Lad Hurdle, he appears to be the stable dark horse for the Champion Hurdle, for which he is currently best priced at 9/1 to deny both State Man and Constitution Hill from regaining their crown. Later on the card, Dancing City made it 2 from 2 over fences, making light work of the opposition. He looks primed for a crack at the Brown Advisory Novice's Chase, for which he's around the 5/1 mark.
A final Cheltenham festival clue was offered up yesterday by the Willie Mullins and Paul Townend combination when Maughreen cruised to victory in a Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown. Bookmakers instantly ran scared of the full sister to Faugheen, slashing her into favouritism for the Mares Novices Hurdle at the festival. Only 6 weeks to wait now!