How did Saturday's top-class action shake up the markets for the Cheltenham Festival?

Day one of the Dublin Racing Festival was always going to have ramifications for the Cheltenham Festival and it was the novice hurdling division in which the most ripples were caused in the markets for March's four-day spectacular.

Final Demand came into the Nathaniel Lacy as a horse who could be anything and a dominant performance saw him emerge as Ireland's leading contender in the Turners and Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdles.

Paddy Power were initially most impressed, cutting him to 7-4 (from 5) for the Turners before settling at 5-2, while he is 3-1 (from 6) for the race with Coral and Ladbrokes. Both firms are also that price for the Albert Bartlett, for which Final Demand heads the betting.

At Musselburgh's trials meeting, an Albert Bartlett dark horse emerged in Intense Approach in the Scottish Stayers' Novices' Hurdle. The John McConnell-trained six-year-old is already a winner at Cheltenham this season and he was cut to 25-1 (from 50) by Betfair.

Back at Leopardstown, there was little shake-up to the JCB Triumph Hurdle betting after Hello Neighbour's win in the Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle.

Most bookmakers did no more than shave his odds slightly for that, with Betfair a best-priced 11-2 (from 8) in a market headed by 7-4 favourite Lulamba.

Galopin Des Champs cemented his position as a chasing great with an Irish Gold Cup hat-trick and firms tightened him up further to create more history with a third successive Cheltenham Gold Cup victory.

He was already the odds-on favourite across the majority of operators to emulate the likes of Best Mate in March before his four-and-three-quarter length triumph, but Betfair trimmed him to 4-6 (from 4-5), which is the same price Coral and Ladbrokes are offering. 

Paddy Power also cut Galopin Des Champs to 8-13 (from 8-11) and with Fact To File and Banbridge – the only other horses at single-figure odds – having other Cheltenham options, his price could contract further.

Read more. . .

'I couldn't believe the roar' - crowd goes wild as chasing great Galopin Des Champs impresses with third Irish Gold Cup win 

'Natural talent' Majborough cements position as Ireland's leading Arkle hope with dominant success under Mark Walsh 

'He's a proper one' - Hello Neighbour cut to 9-2 for Triumph Hurdle after maintaining unbeaten record 

Mullins 'specimen' Final Demand cut for Turners and Albert Bartlett after demolition in Grade 1 Nathaniel Lacy 

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