David Jennings' Cheltenham Festival tips on Tuesday: 'He's my nap of the week'

Deputy Irish editor and Upping The Ante star David Jennings takes you through the Cheltenham Festival card on Tuesday, headlined by the Unibet Champion Hurdle (3.30).

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Cheltenham Festival tips: Tuesday's card

1.30 Cheltenham
Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m½f

DJ's tip: Jeriko Du Reponet

After weeks of whinging about all the odds-on shots and how the modern-day festival is a pale shadow of its former fabulous self, what a gloriously open and intriguing start to the week. Jeriko Du Reponet is unbeaten and I became a believer when he showed Secret Squirrel what a tough nut he is to crack on his penultimate start at Newbury. He could be anything and there is just something about him I really like. I thought 8-1 over the weekend was overly generous.

Jeriko Du Reponet13:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Nico de Boinville Tnr: Nicky Henderson

2.10 Cheltenham
My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase (Grade 1), 2m

DJ's tip: Gaelic Warrior

He couldn't, could he? Really? Left-handed? After that deplorable effort at the Dublin Racing Festival when he couldn't even finish second in a two-runner race? Don’t be silly, of course he could. This, ladies and gentleman, is Gaelic Warrior and despite the fact he was drunk and disorderly at Leopardstown last time, he can still beat this lot. The ground is right, the trip might be right and, while the track is wrong, he could just have more natural ability than these. Bless me father for I have sinned, but Gaelic Warrior is the selection in the Arkle.

Gaelic Warrior14:10 Cheltenham

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Jky: Paul Townend Tnr: W P Mullins

2.50 Cheltenham
Ultima Handicap Chase, 3m1f

DJ's tip: Trelawne

David Bass had to pick between Chianti Classico and Trelawne. He knows them both a lot better than I do and I can fully understand why he went with the former. He's a gentleman, a terrific jumper and lives life the way it should be lived. He was the safe option. Trelawne is a rock star who keeps us on the edge of your seat in fear of his next move. He threw away the Towton, but that is still strong form, and if he is reasonably well behaved here, he looks nicely treated off 144 with the step up to 3m1f a huge positive.

Trelawne14:50 Cheltenham

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Jky: Harry Cobden Tnr: Kim Bailey

3.30 Cheltenham
Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1), 2m½f

DJ's tip: State Man

State Man will probably win. Irish Point will probably finish second. Iberico Lord will probably finish third. 

State Man15:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Paul Townend Tnr: W P Mullins

4.10 Cheltenham
Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Grade 1), 2m4f

DJ's tip: Ashroe Diamond

I would much rather back Ashroe Diamond each-way at 5-1 than Lossiemouth straight at around 8-13. Patrick Mullins' mount has some proper Grade 1 form in open company against geldings and she has no stamina questions hanging over her whatsoever. She might not have the class and speed of her esteemed stablemate, but she is going to make her work. Of that I am convinced.

Ashroe Diamond16:10 Cheltenham

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Jky: Mr P W Mullins Tnr: W P Mullins

4.50 Cheltenham
Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, 2m½f

DJ's tip: Ndaawi

Lark In The Mornin scares the living daylights out of me and could be absolutely chucked in off 122. However, I've been a big Ndaawi fan for ages. He was good enough to go off a single-figure price for the Criterium de Saint-Cloud as a two-year-old and I loved the way he jumped and travelled at Naas last time. He could have won by about five times the margin he did. He's smart, but giving 12lb to Lark In The Mornin is not going to be easy.

Ndaawi16:50 Cheltenham

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Jky: Jack Kennedy Tnr: Gordon Elliott

5.30 Cheltenham
Maureen Mullins National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Novices' Chase, 3m6f

DJ's tip: Corbetts Cross

Corbetts Cross is my nap of the week. I just think he's better than these and better than this race. I could easily see him lining up in a Gold Cup this time next year if he tightens up his jumping and I'm not sure any of the rest of them would have aspirations like that. The small field is a bonus here and 2-1 seems perfectly fine to me. Wish me luck.

Corbetts Cross17:30 Cheltenham

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Jky: Mr Derek O'Connor Tnr: Emmet Mullins

Day one highlights

The big race

The Champion Hurdle (3.30) is the day one highlight and with the absence of Constitution Hill, this looks a gilt-edged opportunity for State Man to secure a second Cheltenham Festival success. Irish Point dropping back in trip and the supplemented Iberico Lord, who landed the Greatwood Hurdle over this track and trip in November, are the main opposition while Not So Sleepy goes for back-to-back Grade 1 wins at the age of 12.

The big horse

Lossiemouth has been superb in both of her previous two starts at Cheltenham and last year's Triumph Hurdle winner needs to be similarly impressive in the Mares' Hurdle (4.10) in order for next year's Champion Hurdle to be a realistic target. Lossiemouth scored by nine and a half lengths in the Grade 2 International Hurdle on Trials day and how she handles the step up in trip to 2m4f is especially interesting given that the French Champion Hurdle, run over 3m1½f at Auteuil in May, has been touted as a potential target.

The big story

Willie Mullins is responsible for the favourites in the first five races and if Meetingofthewaters was to buck the trend by becoming the first Irish-trained winner of the Ultima (2.50) since Dun Doire in 2006, then that would represent an ominous sign to his competitors. Mullins has multiple chances in the Supreme, Arkle, Champion Hurdle and Mares' Hurdle so if he were to land his first winner in a handicap chase at the festival, then surpassing his record ten winners he achieved last year becomes a strong possibility.

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Read these next:

Cheltenham Festival naps: best betting tips from our experts  

Tullyhill 'the finished article' says Willie Mullins as he prepares assault on wide-open Supreme 

State Man a certainty for many - but Nicky Henderson 'quite optimistic' his super-sub can lay down a challenge 

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