'How there is still some 7-1 available is a mystery' - clues from the weekend

A massive 11 winners at last year's Cheltenham Festival ran at the Dublin Racing Festival six weeks earlier so it is unquestionably a key trial for the big dance in March.

The likes of Honeysuckle, Galopin Des Champs, Sir Gerhard, Vauban, Blue Lord and Facile Vega all enhanced their reputations but are priced accordingly and the value has long gone with those six.

There were, however, some less obvious Cheltenham clues and I have picked out a quartet of horses who were beaten at the weekend but could still makes a big splash in the Cotswolds next month.

Minella Crooner

How there is still some 7-1 available for the Albert Bartlett is a mystery to me. He should be favourite and he ought to take all the beating in a race that is tailormade for him.

For Minella Crooner to have got within two and three-quarter lengths of the similarly named Minella Cocooner, over 2m6f at a track like Leopardstown, having made a mess of the second-last, was a serious effort.

He is all about stamina and the long run from the second-last to the last on the new course at Cheltenham will see him come into his own. He has absolutely everything I want in an Albert Bartlett horse.

Autumn Evening

This is a fast-improving five-year-old and I would imagine the talented Sean O'Keeffe would love another go at the Liffey Handicap Hurdle.

Autumn Evening burst a couple of lengths early in the home straight, at which point he hit a low of 1.54 in-running on the exchanges, but hit the top of the final flight and lost momentum, having to settle for third in the end.

The ease with which he got away from the pack approaching the last suggests to me he is well-handicapped horse off 138 and, if he gets into the County Hurdle off a mark in the low 140s, he must have a massive chance.

He has only had nine starts over hurdles and has just turned five, so there ought to be more improvement to come. The 20-1 still available with Betfair and Paddy Power looks big.

The Tide Turns and Jack Kennedy winning the 2m maiden hurdle at PunchestownCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The Tide Turns

Gordon Elliott has any number of juveniles who could pitch up in the Boodles Juvenile Hurdle, a race he has won with Flaxen Flare (2013), Veneer of Charm (2018) and Aramax (2020), but The Tide Turns might be his number one now.

He is not good enough to win the Triumph Hurdle but there was plenty to like about the way he travelled through the Spring Juvenile Hurdle. He looks set to get a mark in the low 130s in Ireland anyway on a line through Fil Dor.

The track at Cheltenham should really suit him, as will the generous early gallop, and he is likely to be a single-figure price on the day if he shows up.

Gaillard Du Mesnil

That was much more like it from Gaillard Du Mesnil on Sunday and I have to say I was very surprised to see some 40-1 still on offer for the Turners' Novices' Chase.

Willie Mullins has never been a lover of handicap chases at the festival and his record in them is poor, so expect him to go down the Grade 1 route with last year's Ballymore runner-up.

Galopin Des Champs is surely more likely to go for the Brown Advisory, given he won't have to take on Bob Olinger, so Gaillard Du Mesnil could end up being one of Mullins' main contenders for the opening race on day three.

We know from his novice hurdle days that he is a talented performer on his day and while he made mistakes on Sunday, his jumping was much better than it has been on his previous efforts over fences. He is getting the hang of things.

Results, replays and analysis

Read more from the Dublin Racing Festival:

Bookies spared 'significant' seven-figure payout as 40-1 shot wins bumper

'I've never experienced that before' – Blackmore and Honeysuckle send crowd wild

'Up there with the best novices I've ridden' – Galopin Des Champs wows Townend

Disaster for bookies as Sir Gerhard completes memorable six-timer for favourites

New Sky Bet customers can get £20 in free bets. New customers only. First single & e/w bet only. Odds of 1/1 or greater. 2 x £10 bet tokens. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets exclude virtuals. Free bets are non-withdrawable. No free bet expiry. Eligibility restrictions. Further T&Cs apply. 18+. begambleaware.org.