Tuesday runners: Limini and Vroum Vroum give us a great chance

We rate Melon very highly and, bar a mistake at the last, he was very impressive when winning his maiden hurdle at Leopardstown by ten lengths. He's been doing all the right things at home and has done a lot of schooling and done it very well. He's come to Cheltenham in really good form and we think we've done everything right to have him spot-on for today. I thought Bunk Off Early's run in the Deloitte Hurdle, in which he finished second to Bacardys at Leopardstown, was very good. The two-and-a-quarter-mile trip probably found him out a bit and we think today's shorter distance on ground that is drying out will suit. He jumps well and a strong pace would be a big help. I can see him running a big race. Cilaos Emery was impressive at Navan on his hurdling debut before being a bit disappointing at Punchestown. He'll need to improve on that form. We're hoping that he will and that he might get a share of the prize-money. Crack Mome will appreciate a good pace and, while he needs to improve, he's a smart horse who jumps well.

I give our Royal Caviar a good chance of being in the money. It looked as if he was going to make it two from two over fences when he fell at the last in the Arkle at Leopardstown last time.

Footpad is a dual Grade 1 winner who was third in the Triumph last year and the way he finished to get within a length of Petit Mouchoir in the Irish Champion Hurdle persuaded us to let him take his chance. Wicklow Brave has an unusual profile for a Champion Hurdle contender having won the Irish St Leger last year before running in the Melbourne Cup. He won the County Hurdle at the festival two years ago but hasn't run over hurdles since finishing third in the Fighting Fifth in November 2015. He's very well and I certainly wouldn't put anyone off backing him each-way.

Limini won the mares' novice race at the festival a year ago and I thought she put up a fantastic performance when winning the Quevega Hurdle at Punchestown last month on her first start of the season. That run puts her in with a really good chance today, although it's going to be her toughest task to date. Vroum Vroum Mag had plenty of entries this week and we decided to give her a shot at repeating her win in the race 12 months ago. While she's won two of her three starts this season and was only touched off in a Grade 1, she hasn't shown quite the same sort of form she displayed last year. She struggled to win at Doncaster last time but she's had a break and has been pleasing us at home. To have two mares with such credentials has to give us a major chance of continuing the yard's excellent record in the race.

Both are good jumpers and there's nothing between them on ratings, so it's hard to split them. The ground should be fine for them.