Forget Envoi Allen, Benie Des Dieux is the real Irish banker at Cheltenham

There are a few horses who could wear the questionable tag of being an Irish banker for the Cheltenham Festival. Envoi Allen is certainly one but the outstanding candidate has to be Benie Des Dieux in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle on Tuesday.

Her final-hurdle fall in the same race a year ago robbed her of back-to-back wins. Unbeaten since, not even the Gowran Park fog could hide the talent she displayed when trouncing her Galmoy Hurdle rivals by 21 lengths in January.

She still has the option of the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle on Thursday and her connections have been known to make late changes to their plans. But all the indications are Tuesday’s race remains her target. She is the "good thing" of the week and even if there was a late switch I’d expect her to take care of Paisley Park and company.