Previews and tips for all 28 races at the Cheltenham Festival

Tuesday

1.30: Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (2m½f)

The bubble has burst but can it be swiftly reinflated? Facile Vega was beaten 20 lengths on his latest start, the last of five finishers, and yet the Supreme betting still has him 2-1 favourite.

He went too fast up front in that Leopardstown loss, which is a partial excuse, and will be ridden differently this time. He was also reportedly “quite sore” afterwards. That display cannot sweep aside all the previous stardust but it was the most recent evidence and it’s cautionary.

That debate risks obscuring the merit of stablemate Il Etait Temps, who won that race and now arrives as the highest-rated novice hurdler at the entire festival. There is a lingering disquiet about his jumping but all of the leading contenders have displayed degrees of immaturity.