'I can't believe they're still offering 8-1' - Cheltenham clues from the weekend

Fakir D'Oudairies won the feature Ascot Chase this weekend, his class shining through at the end of a gruelling test and it will be interesting to see whether he takes up his sole Cheltenham Festival engagement in the Ryanair Chase where he would once again have solid each-way claims.

There were other Cheltenham clues on offer this weekend, including at Gowran Park on Saturday and here were five horses who caught David Jennings' eye with regard to next month's big banquet in the Cotswolds.

Corach Rambler

Does He Know won the Reynoldstown by a wide margin, but you wonder whether that 14-length victory will spoil his Ultima mark and he might not be good enough to beat Stattler and Run Wild Fred in the National Hunt Chase either.

Corach Rambler, sent off favourite, was creeping into contention when he got rid of Derek Fox five fences from home and his departure means he will end up in the Ultima off a mark of 140 at the worst. That is very attractive indeed and Does He Know might have to give him a stone if they meet.

It is obviously not ideal going to the festival on the back of an exit, but he has won around Cheltenham before, albeit on the New course, and would be an ideal type for the Ultima. He is 25-1 with a few firms and that's a price worth taking.

Hillcrest

The gigantic seven-year-old looked like he would gallop all the way into the Kop to see the second half of Liverpool's win over Norwich on Saturday, such was his relentlessness at the end of the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices' Hurdle at Haydock.

Hillcrest: easy winner at HaydockCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

They went far too quick given the underfoot conditions and Green Book took him on the whole way, but he just kept on galloping and could have gone around again. It is not very often you say that about horses who run on heavy ground at Haydock.

I fancy Minella Crooner for the Albert Bartlett, but I cannot believe there is still some 8-1 being offered about Hillcrest. He has already won at the New course, over an inadequate 2m4½f, and he stays forever so what's not to like? Very little. He's a massive player.

Grand Paradis

It may be that Grand Paradis is just a weak finisher and I'm not convinced he wants 3m2f but bet365 pushed him out to 16-1 for the Kim Muir following his second-place effort in the 2m4f beginners chase at Gowran Park on Saturday, and that seems like a bit of an overreaction to me.

He travels through his races with a touch of class and I can't help thinking back to his chasing debut at Down Royal where he hit a low of 1.35 on the exchanges in-running before coming down at the second-last. He would surely have finished close to subsequent Drinmore winner Beacon Edge there and he is rated 152.

It could be worth taking a chance that Grand Paradis will stay and also having a saver on the 20-1 bet365 and Unibet are offering for the Paddy Power Plate.

The Tide Turns

You need three runs over hurdles to qualify for the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle so Gordon Elliott decided to pitch The Tide Turns in against the big boys in the Red Mills Hurdle at Gowran Park on Saturday to complete the qualification process. We learnt plenty about him there too.

The gelded son of Sea The Moon moved through the race stylishly and the way he rounded the field on the home turn suggested he is more talented than his current mark of 135.

Watch The Tide Turns' encouraging effort

He, unsurprisingly, was no match for Teahupoo, but you couldn't help but be impressed with the way he performed.

Elliott also has the likes of Britzka and Ebasari for the Boodles, but The Tide Turns might be better than both and this display certainly cemented his claims for it. He is generally a 6-1 shot now and Gaelic Warrior will have to be as well-handicapped as everyone seems to think he is to beat him.

Melon

It would be foolish to think he could beat stablemate Allaho in the Ryanair, but 16-1 looks a big price about Melon when you sift through some of the horses who are shorter than him in the market.

The likes of Energumene, Tornado Flyer, A Plus Tard, Chacun Pour Soi and even Fakir D'Oudairies are not certain to run in the Ryanair, while Conflated and Envoi Allen also have other options at the festival.

Melon: back in form at Gowran Park on SaturdayCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

You would imagine Melon only has one option, despite being in almost everything, so another crack at the Ryanair looks in store. I think he is a more talented individual than Janidil when he's on song and he could be a single-figure price on the day.

As the betting and official ratings suggested, he was far too classy for his three rivals in the Red Mills Chase but he was back attacking his fences with relish and gaining lengths on his rivals. He looked to be in a very good place.

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