Cheltenham Festival: Willie Mullins’ Getabird to have conditions to suit in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
There is no going concern for Willie Mullins' Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Getabird ahead of an open-looking renewal of the Cheltenham Festival curtain raiser.
TESTING conditions are expected to suit Willie Mullins' Getabird in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
The six-year-old will put his unbeaten record on the line against 19 rivals as he looks to give trainer Mullins a sixth victory in the Festival curtain-raiser.
Sharjah also runs for Mullins and his son and assistant trainer, Patrick, said: "I think the rain is definitely in his favour as he handles the soft ground and he stays further than two miles.
"He has travelled over fine and has had a good preparation. Obviously he has got to improve from his current performances, but he is more than capable of doing it.
"It looks an open renewal but Kalashnikov sets a fair standard and Mengli Khan is a Grade One winner. He is a different type to a lot of our previous runners in the race."
Of Sharjah, he added: "I think he would prefer drier ground, and that would be the concern.
"It was just drier ground when he ran very well over Christmas."
Amy Murphy is hoping Betfair Hurdle hero Kalashnikov can make his mark on the biggest stage of them all, but the recent rain isn't ideal.
The Newmarket handler said: "He was impressive at Newbury. Under 11st 5lb, as a novice, it was an extremely good performance.
"He was a big baby going into the race. He'd never seen anything like that before but we were delighted with him.
"He seems in great order at home. We'd rather it wasn't raining the way it is, but there's nothing we can do about that and at least with it being the first race we'll be running on fresh ground.
"We're excited to be there. For a yard the size of ours to have two horses with live chances going to Cheltenham is fantastic and we're very much looking forward to it."
Templegate's Cheltenham tips
- 1.30 Cheltenham - Paloma Blue: 'Chased home Samcro last time and looks on the up'
- 2.10 Cheltenham - Footpad: 'Been so impressive over fences and can go right to the top'
- 2.50 Cheltenham - Ramses De Teillee: 'Sound jumper who travels strongly'
- 3.30 Cheltenham - Buveur D'Air: 'Conditions in his favour and hard to see past the reigning champ!'
- 4.10 Cheltenham - Apple's Jade: 'Looks to have taken her form to another level this season'
- 4.50 Cheltenham - Mossback: 'He's been crying out for this marathon trip'
- 5.30 Cheltenham - De Plotting Shed: 'Has graded form and that makes him look well weighted here'
Tom George believes Summerville Boy, who beat Kalashnikov in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown, will have plenty of things in his favour.
George said: "His form is rock-solid. You can put a line through his first three runs as they all went at a canter and he needs to come off a strong gallop.
"The first time he got that was in the Tolworth, which he won fair and square. It didn't surprise me what happened.
"He needs settling in behind a good gallop and he will get that here. He coped with the ground well at Sandown, but I'm not saying he needs heavy ground as he will go on good ground as well."
Kim Bailey feels First Flow is capable of featuring at the finish after his prayers for rain at the track were answered.
He said: "He deserves to have a chance to go there and soft ground will certainly be a huge benefit for him.
"He's stepping up into a different league but he's done nothing wrong so far.
"I've always looked upon him as a horse that wants further. We started him off at two miles because he was always quite free at home."