Richard Birch assesses the challengers to red-hot Bumper favourite Appreciate It

5.30 Cheltenham
Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1) | 2m½f | Old course | 4-6yo | RTV

Not a race which is universally acclaimed by trainers or punters, but there are striking trends to note over the last decade, principally that of Irish dominance.

Horses trained in Ireland have landed six of the last eight runnings, with Willie Mullins responsible for three of them. Gordon Elliott has landed two of the last three.

It's no surprise that Mullins trains the short-priced favourite, Appreciate It, who bids for a third straight success following two impressive Leopardstown victories.

On the second occasion he travelled strongly and quickly put a Grade 2 bumper to bed, beating the progressive Risk Factor by seven and a half lengths.

The most pleasing aspect of that performance was the way in which he quickened on request. That stamped him as a potentially very smart horse, tailor-made for the demands of this contest.

His notably high cruising speed could set him apart from many of these rivals and, while his odds look skinny, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that he represents by far the likeliest winner and also rates an exciting longer-term prospect. Any drying of the ground is expected to be firmly in his favour.

The Elliott-trained mare Queens Brook sluiced through the heavy ground at Gowran to defeat Nelly’s Money by 21 lengths.

Queens Brook and Jamie Codd winning the mares' Listed bumper at Gowran Park by 21 lengthsCredit: Patrick McCann

Her handler suggested afterwards that Aintree and Fairyhouse were far more likely destinations so it’s reasonable to assume she has pleased him immensely since.

Panic Attack makes strong appeal as the best of the British contingent. The daughter of Canford Cliffs was trained by Mullins when romping a mares’ Listed bumper at Market Rasen in January, and it’s no shock to see her in the Cheltenham line-up.

She has changed ownership since and runs for David Pipe this time. The Market Rasen form hasn’t been tested, but the visual impression she left was that of a high-class performer going places.

Roger Teal’s Ocean Wind also merits more than just a cursory glance. Winner of two of his three starts, he took a Newbury Listed field apart last month when slamming Brief Ambition by eight lengths.

He is Flat-bred and clearly possesses plenty of speed. While some of the others may be open to greater improvement in the medium and long term, Ocean Wind goes into this race at the peak of his powers and seems sure to run a bold race under Aidan Coleman.

What they say

Tom Lacey, trainer of Adrimel
He beat what they say is a very nice horse in The Edgar Wallace at Doncaster last time when the pair were well clear of the third. He's a big each way price and we are only an hour down the road whereas the Irish horses have to cope with the travelling.

Patrick Mullins, rider of Appreciate It
He’s settled in well since travelling over. The ground should suit and I’m expecting a big run.

Appreciate It (right) winning at Leopardstown under Patrick MullinsCredit: Caroline Norris

Fergal O'Brien, trainer of Ask A Honey Bee and Brief Ambition
Ask A Honey Bee has done nothing wrong all season. He's won his three races and Paddy [Brennan] has chosen to ride him. We've got Adam Wedge on Brief Ambition and I think he'll suit the horse. We're hopeful for two nice runs.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Eskylane, Darling Daughter and Queens Brook
Eskylane has already finished ahead of Appreciate It, who’s a strong favourite. He won well at Navan and is progressing nicely. Darling Daughter showed a nice turn of foot to beat some good mares at Leopardstown and the form of that race has already worked out well. Queen Brook is a lovely mare with a big future. She was impressive at Gowran.

Paul Townend, rider of Ferny Hollow
Appreciate It is the standout horse. I ride Ferny Hollow who put it all together the last day and was impressive doing it. He can be very keen so will need plenty of luck. The faster they go the better. We can’t ride in bumpers in Ireland, so I don’t know how strong the form is, but he has been working well at home.

Tony Martin, trainer of Good Time Jonny
He ran well at Leopardstown before winning well at Musselburgh. He deserves a shot at the race and we're hopeful.

David Pipe, trainer of Israel Champ and Panic Attack
Israel Champ will love the ground and has the best English form in the race. Panic Attack arrived here in great shape from Mr Mullins and has settled in nicely. This will be different ground to that which she encountered on her debut but the 15lb weight allowance she receives will come in very handy.

Mags Mullins, trainer of Julies Stowaway
It's a strong race but he's improved with every run and you'd have to love the attitude he showed when winning at Navan. They say you need to have won around places like Leopardstown and Navan coming to Cheltenham so hopefully he's in there with a chance. There should be plenty of pace in the race, which will suit, and he's a six-year-old as well so that experience should help him. We're hoping for a place and he’s in great form.

Nigel Twiston Davies, trainer of One True King
He won his bumper really well, winning by seven and a half lengths at Ludlow. He couldn't have done much more. There's no real form on offer in a bumper and we're going to find out how good he is.

Alan King, trainer of The Glancing Queen
She's working as well as ever and shaped encouragingly when we took her away to Lambourn last week.This will be a tough task on her first run since that impressive win in the mares' race at the Grand National meeting last April and there's nothing like match practice.

Michael Scudamore, trainer of Let Me Entertain U
He did nothing wrong in winning at Exeter and will improve for that run. It's a tough ask but he won't be disgraced.

Roger Teal, trainer of Ocean Wind
He did it nicely at Newbury last time but this may well be slower ground which may be a concern. He's gone on it before and hopefully he can handle it but it may well blunt his turn of foot.

Spotlight verdict

Ireland has won 20 of the 27 runnings of this. The last time Willie Mullins struck with a favourite was through Missed That in 2005 but Appreciate It won Ireland's best bumper at Leopardstown with a swagger and last year Envoi Allen was no more impressive in taking that same Grade 2 en route to victory here. Held in the highest regard by a stable that's won this nine times, he will take some beating. However, for a trainer/jockey combination that has won two of the last three renewals, Queens Brook could make a race of it. This £160,000 recruit from the pointing field waltzed home without a care in the world at Gowran and she was the one for money earlier this week. The Glancing Queen is interesting at lengthy odds, despite her lack of recent match practice.
Alistair Jones

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