'He looks nicely treated' - Paul Townend puts up Gaelic Warrior as best chance

Tuesday: 4.50 CheltenhamBoodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) | 2m½f | 4yo | RTV

When this race was first run in 2005 it changed the juvenile landscape. The Triumph Hurdle went from being a wide-open race, in which anything could happen, to the classy Grade 1 that it is now and this race took its place as the rough-and-ready contest for the youngsters.

You only need to look at the SPs of the winners to see how much of a lottery it can be. Horses have won it at huge prices like 80-1, 40-1 (twice), 33-1 (three times), 25-1 (twice) and 20-1.

Irish trainers have won the last four runnings and Willie Mullins is set to saddle the favourite in Gaelic Warrior. However, only three market leaders have won and Mullins has a rotten record. He is 0-16 including last year's favourite Saint Sam, who was second to Jeff Kidder.

Gordon Elliott and Paul Nicholls are tied for most wins with three each, but Elliott's three have come from 21 runners (Nicholls has saddled 27), for a £1 level-stake profit of £47.50.

Elliott saddles five runners this year and the last time he did that was in 2020, when he won it with Aramax, who was the most fancied of his five runners. Could the market be the best guide again? The Tide Turns is the most prominent in the betting of the quintet and is the choice of Jack Kennedy.

Aramax's owner JP McManus has three runners this year and Mark Walsh rode Brazil and Champion Green on their latest starts. Walsh has opted for Brazil, who looks the McManus first string ahead of the Rachael Blackmore-ridden Champion Green and the Jonjo O'Neill-partnered Petit Tonnerre.

Paul Nolan won the inaugural running in 2005 with Dabiroun and 17 years later he saddles his first runner in the race since. HMS Seahorse was third to Triumph Hurdle favourites Pied Piper and Vauban on his hurdles debut at Punchestown and has a 9lb turnaround in weight with The Tide Turns, who beat him by two and three-quarter lengths at that track next time.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

Will 'talking horse' Warrior live up to hype?

He has Dysart Dynamo in the Supreme, Blue Lord in the Arkle, Appreciate It in the Champion Hurdle and Stormy Ireland in the Mares' Hurdle but Irish Champion jockey Paul Townend has nominated Gaelic Warrior as his best chance of bagging a winner on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

That is saying something. Gaelic Warrior ran three times in his native France before being snapped up by Willie Mullins on behalf of Rich Ricci.

The camp at Closutton had to do a double take when the British handicapper handed Gaelic Warrior a mark of 129 and, with Townend nominating the juvenile as his best chance of the day, connections clearly feel he has a huge amount up his sleeve.

That may be the case but Gaelic Warrior will not only need to be ahead of his mark, but he will also need luck in running, something that can't be guaranteed in a 24-runner juvenile handicap hurdle run at a helter-skelter pace.

Mullins, who also runs Feigh, said: "Gaelic Warrior seems to have a very nice handicap mark. He jumps well – his French jumping was fantastic and we've schooled him over Irish hurdles at home and he's done that nicely. I'm hoping he'll have no problem with the hurdles here.

"He's a good, strong type and I'm hoping he'll stay well. He looks to be well in at the weights and he's a horse we have a lot of time for. Feigh has a lot of experience, is improving all the time and she might have a nice handicap mark."

Speaking in his Ladbrokes blog, Townend said: "He has been a talking horse for a while. He looks nicely treated on what he’s shown us at home. With protecting his mark, we have sacrificed experience running over Irish or English style hurdles and that style of racing."

Townend said: "It is a rough and ready race but I think he has enough racing experience from running around Auteuil. If he can overcome his lack of experience, I would put him down as my strongest chance of the day."

What they say

Jonjo O'Neill, trainer of Petit Tonnerre
He won well on his first start for us at Market Rasen the other day and goes there with a decent shout despite having to carry top weight.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of The Tide Turns, Doctor Churchill, Ebasari, Britzka and Iberique Du Seuil
I thought that was a cracking run by The Tide Turns in open company at Gowran and he's got a big chance. Things haven't quite worked out for Ebasari but he looked nice at Cork and if he came back to that sort of form he would have to have a squeak. Britzka is better than his last run. He would have a shout if able to reproduce his run at Christmas. Iberique Du Seuil is very consistent and a big-field handicap like this is right up his street.

The Tide Turns: potentially the biggest danger to The Tide TurnsCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Paudie Roche, trainer of Brazil
He's in good form and has travelled over well. It's great to have a runner at Cheltenham and we're looking forward to him.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Bell Ex One
He's having his first run for us but has been away for a couple of racecourse gallops recently and seems in good shape. I don't know if he's well in off 130 or not but I expect him to run a tidy race.

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of White Pepper
She has plenty of experience. I don't think she has a huge amount in hand off her mark and, as a result, could be vulnerable to a lesser exposed rival. I expect her to run a solid race.

Paul Nolan, trainer of HMS Seahorse
He's in good form and, being a Galileo, he should stay and handle the nicer ground. His mark seems okay but all the chat is about Willie's [Gaelic Warrior]. If they are right about him, he could be impossible to beat. Hopefully our lad jumps well enough. If he does, he has a solid each-way chance.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Prairie Dancer and Champion Green
I'm hoping they both run well. They are holding their form well and we're looking forward to the race.

Chester Williams, rider of Saint Segal
He's been trained for the race, which we've had success in before, and we expect him to be suited by the hustle and bustle of the contest. He looks the best of the British on paper so hopefully he can give the Irish something to think about.

Ross O'Sullivan, trainer of Sea Sessions
She's ultra-consistent. She doesn't mind travelling, as she showed at Aintree and Doncaster, and she has arrived here in good form. For a filly who was no world-beater on the Flat, she has done really well over hurdles and she loves jumping. Willie's will be hard to beat but hopefully we are in with a fighting chance.

Jamie Snowden, trainer of Milldam
He comes into it with a very similar profile to Gaelic Warrior having had three runs in France. He's got a handicap mark of 125, which we think is workable for sure. It will be a tough ask but we've had this race in mind since we bought him at the sales last autumn.

Alan King, trainer of Forever William
Forever William will race in a visor for the first time and could run well. He's been placed in Graded company the last twice – if the headgear helps him travel a bit better, he could be competitive.
Reporting by David Milnes

Tuesday's Cheltenham Festival previews:

1.30 Cheltenham: 'Jonbon has been flawless' – Nicky Henderson on his scintillating Supreme duo

2.10 Cheltenham: 'We'll see if he's good enough' – big British hope Edwardstone takes on Irish

2.50 Cheltenham: 'I expect him to run a massive race' – who fancies their chances in the Ultima?

3.30 Cheltenham: 'She's actually in mighty form' – De Bromhead delighted with champ Honeysuckle

4.10 Cheltenham: Telmesomethinggirl bids for another festival triumph in wide-open Mares' Hurdle

5.30 Cheltenham: 'He looks tailor-made for this' – key quotes and insight for National Hunt Chase

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