Racing Post experts with their tips for next year's festival

Melon
Champion Hurdle
25-1 Betfair
On just his second start over hurdles it was a mighty performance from Melon to finish second in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and he can surely only get better. Annie Power and Faugheen will be on the comeback trail next year and the five-year-old could well evolve into Willie Mullins' leading Champion Hurdle contender. Supreme winner Labaik has had much more racing than Melon, so there can be plenty of optimism the runner-up is the one who has the most improvement to come. Also, Labaik has frequently refused to start, so will always be a risky proposition.
Ben Hutton

Disko
Cheltenham Gold Cup
40-1 Betfred, Ladbrokes, Sky Bet
Disko ran in the 2m4f JLT Novices’ Chase last week, but this six-year-old will be a stronger horse next season when we can expect him to be aimed at top staying chases and best odds of 40-1 for the 2018 Gold Cup seem generous. Noel Meade’s grey was a staying-on third over 3m at Leopardstown in a Grade 1 in December and the impression he gave at Cheltenham was that, going forward, he is likely to be most effective in stamina races.

In the JLT, he narrowly led the field turning for home but lacked the finishing speed in the closing stages to stay with Yorkhill, who is as short as 10-1 for the 2018 Champion Hurdle, and Top Notch, who was beaten a neck over 2m1f in the 2015 Triumph Hurdle. Disko’s chasing career is on an upward curve and he has run in just five chases so there is plenty of scope for further improvement.
James Pyman