Cheltenham Tips: 5 best bets for the Festival

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12 March 2023

Timeform’s 5 best Cheltenham bets:

Facile Vega and Il Etait Temps, both Grade 1-winning novices, are the clear form picks from the Willie Mullins yard for the Supreme, but it could prove dangerous to underestimate their stable companion Diverge, who created a big impression when winning a maiden hurdle at Punchestown in January.

Well held on his hurdling debut at Leopardstown on Boxing Day, Diverge left that form behind with an emphatic success at Punchestown a few weeks later, drawing clear from three out to win by 23 lengths with any amount in hand.

Admittedly, that was probably just an ordinary race, but the timefigure highlights that Diverge was full value for a useful performance. With the promise of more to come, it’s not out of the question that he could upset a few better-fancied rivals with a big run for Mullins, who is seeking a record-extending eighth win in the Supreme.

Impaire Et Passe

Impaire Et Passe maintained his unbeaten record with an impressive win in the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown last time, travelling strongly throughout and quickly asserting on the run-in to land the spoils by six and a half lengths with plenty in hand.

Admittedly, the bare form of that effort leaves him with a bit to find with the likes of Gaelic Warrior and Hermes Allen on Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings for the Ballymore, but the feeling remains that we’ve only scratched the surface of his potential and the large ‘P’ attached to his rating underlines that he is still open to significant improvement.

The step up to two miles and five furlongs shouldn’t be an issue for Impaire Et Passe and he is a hugely exciting prospect.

Gerri Colombe

Gerri Colombe made it seven from seven under Rules with a game success in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown last time, still looking far from the finished article but overcoming that to continue his winning sequence in the style of a high-class staying prospect.

Gerri Colombe was briefly caught flat-footed when Balco Coastal quickened from three out, but there was plenty to like about the way he rallied to lead again on the run-in, keeping going well from there to win by a length and a quarter.

A sound jumper, Gerri Colombe has easily the best form of those likely to run in the Brown Advisory and it’s to his credit that he’s already shown so much ability over trips which look short of his optimum. Indeed, the step up to three miles at Cheltenham promises to unlock more improvement and the rain that has arrived in recent days will be in his favour, too.

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So Scottish

So Scottish won his first two races over fences and then showed even better form in defeat when last seen filling the runner-up spot in a valuable handicap at Ascot in November, shaping well to boot in a race which wouldn’t have played to his strengths.

Sent off the 2/1 joint favourite at Ascot, So Scottish was beaten just a length and a quarter at the line and arguably deserved extra credit having left the impression the drop back to two miles was against him. He didn’t jump as well as the winner, either, but should improve as he gains in experience in these deeper waters.

Trained by Emmet Mullins, who won the Plate with The Shunter in 2021, So Scottish will be suited by the return to further at Cheltenham and he’s seemingly been kept for this since Ascot. That tells its own story and his astute connections have clearly taken the view that the unexposed So Scottish could still be one step ahead of the handicapper from a BHA mark of 143.

Galopin Des Champs

Gold Cup favourite Galopin des Champs is unbeaten in five completed starts as a chaser and his only blemish over fences came at this meeting last year as he crumpled on landing at the last when well clear of his rivals in the Turners Novices’ Chase.

He’s won both starts in open Grade 1 company this season without necessarily needing to improve on his top-class novice form, but his performance in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown did at least go some way to alleviating fears about the suitability of this longer trip, settling well again and proving very strong at the finish as he powered clear to beat stablemate Stattler by eight lengths.

Galopin des Champs remains an outstanding prospect – potentially the best chaser in training – and he is fully entitled to be a short price for this race given that his main form rival, defending champion A Plus Tard, hasn’t been seen since disappointing at Haydock in November.