Key video form for day one of 2018 Cheltenham Festival including Getabird in the Sky Bet Supreme
With free video replays available from all UK and Irish tracks on sportinglife.com, David Ord takes a look at the key ones to watch for day one of the Cheltenham Festival.
Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle
Getabird - 13th January Sky Bet Moscow Flyer Novices' Hurdle
It was this performance which propelled Willie Mullins' rising star to the head of the ante-post market - as a horse finally emerged to put their stamp on the race. He wasn't exactly leaping out from nowhere - don't forget he was thought to be the stable's leading Weatherbys Champion Bumper hope last season until a late setback - but it underlined his potential star status. Watch it again - will he be able to dominate like this at Cheltenham - potentially with very different underfoot conditions?
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Kalashnikov - 10th February Betfair Hurdle
Amy Murphy's stable star defied his relative inexperience and horrendous conditions to land the richest handicap hurdle of the season. In doing so he posted figures that would make him a leading contender in any renewal of this race. People ask will he have the gears for a Sky Bet Supreme on better ground? Before Newbury, connections thought he wasn't at home on a testing surface.
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Summerville Boy - 6th January 32Red Tolworth Hurdle
The Tolworth is always one of the strongest domestic two mile novice hurdles prior to Cheltenham. Summerville Boy was something of a surprise winner but is held in high regard by the Tom George team. On this evidence, will he again have the legs of Kalashnikov?
Racing Post Arkle
Footpad - 3rd February Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase
He's looked a complete natural over fences since day one and this performance lit up the Dublin Racing Festival. It left you wondering what can beat him at Cheltenham. Well, plenty of good judges think the runner-up here, Petit Mouchoir, might on better ground. Make up your own mind.
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Sceau Royal - 9th December Randox Health Henry VIII Novices' Chase
Simon Munir and Isaac Souede have a second significant string to their bow in this race with Sceau Royal. Not far behind Footpad in last year's Stan James Champion Hurdle, this rout of the Randox Health Henry VIII Novices' Chase field at Sandown looked really good at the time. The form has taken a couple of knocks since but couldn't the Arkle be set up like this for him?
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Saint Calvados - 10th February Betway Kingmaker Novices' Chase
Impressive in his previous two starts at Newbury - this was the moment Saint Calvados truly staked his Arkle claim, destroying his field from the front. Compare his bold, attacking, style to Footpad and it's no wonder people think this might be the race of the Festival. How important is testing ground for this fellow though?
Unibet Champion Hurdle
Buveur D'Air - 14th March 2017 Stan James Champion Hurdle
Such is the lack of domestic opposition faced by the reigning champion in three starts to date this term that we have to go back to last year's race for a sense of his true ability. This was the moment he confirmed he was a Grade One two mile hurdler. He'll go to post a red-hot favourite this time around. Can you see any chinks in the armour?
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Faugheen - 3rd February BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle
Here's the case against the 2015 winner - his surrender at the hooves of Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle-bound Supasundae in the Irish Champion. Surely proof that the legs which carried him up the Cheltenham hill in this race three years ago - beyond the clutches of the chasing pack - lack the power of his younger days?
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Faugheen - 10th March 2015 Stan James Champion Hurdle
But what if the genius of Willie Mullins and his team can coax him back? He didn't look a back-number when landing the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle on his reappearance and if you want a reminder of what a peak-form Faugheen can do - here he is skipping clear of Arctic Fire, Hurricane Fly, Jezki, The New One et al.
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