Cheltenham Festival Preview

Having spent most of last year behind and needs must playing a cagey game until the month mirabilis that turned it round, I'm back in the doghouse again having given them back the resulting plus from 2018.
So it's going to be a careful, considered Cheltenham, concentrating on what one hopes are the good thing or two.
There was nothing to be concerned about when Santini finished third at Kempton on Boxing Day. All perfectly understandable, doing his best work at the finish and if you can get 3/1 for shopping around in the RSA Chase on Weds, that's the best bet of the week. This will have been where Mr. Henderson intended him to be all season and we can trust him to have him right on the day.
We will know our fate without having to wait long. The double, which will put us back in the traditional black we like to be seen in, is completed by Champ in the Ballymore Novices Hurdle which is the race before.

It is unfortunate that Apple's Jade has been demolishing her races in Ireland so convincingly because she's now really got to go for the Champion Hurdle rather than the pushover win she was intended for in the Mares race where she formed an essential part of my long-term four-timer with the two above and Altior, which is still due to pay over 70/1 if she goes for the mares race but she isn't going to.
Champ won't have it quite as easy as he did, a  different species to the others when he strolled around in two summer hurdles last year but he's still not found anything good enough to worry him and I'm hopeful he won't here either. It's not always that owners save up the best names and give them to the right horses but J.P. and Mr. Henderson might have got it right this time, naming this one after A.P.
So although Tuesday is usually an exciting day, full of good races and expectation, I'm likely to be sitting it out and waiting for the second day. If we are back in business by Thursday then we could get involved with Min in the Ryanair and Epatante in the Mares Novices, and although Sir Erec ought to be opposed at the prices in the Triumph Hurdle on Friday, I doubt if I would because the form makes him look the best juvenile in the British Isles.
So all I can do is apologize for having nominated nothing that isn't favourite. It's the races you avoid that save you from losing.
And I'll see if the Prof's ready to declare his hand.

Hello, Prof, what have you got.

I will go Buveur D'air (nap) - champion hurdle. Let's keep it simple really. We have Verdana Blue defeating Buveur D'air in the Christmas Hurdle and Apple's Jade being rerouted to the champion hurdle to thank for the incredible price we are going to collect on. Buveur D'air is the best hurdler around and three champion hurdles will put him in the hall of fame.

Ok corral (next best)-  NH chase.
Derek O'Connor came over to Warwick to ride this the other Saturday. The planning here is clear to see and this strong traveller should collect.