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Cheltenham Festival tips: Who are the real 'bankers', and who can be taken on?
Andrew Asquith looks over all the supposed 'bankers' running at the Cheltenham Festival and gives his verdict on whether they are watertight.
Facile Vega - Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Tuesday
Facile Vega was odds-on for the Supreme before tasting defeat for the first time in his career in the Brave Inca Novices' Hurdle at Leopardstown last month which was won by stablemate Il Etait Temps. However, Facile Vega clearly didn't give his running on that occasion, going off at a blistering pace with High Definition, and looking beaten some way from home. Reports have been very positive since, and it would be folly to write him off after one bad run considering he looked one out of the top drawer in his previous starts, but at his current price he isn't for me, especially given the talent up against him. BUST
Jonbon - Arkle Novices' Chase, Tuesday
Jonbon's sole defeat so far has come at the expense of his outstanding stablemate Constitution Hill who hammered him and everyone else in the Supreme last season. Jonbon's future was always going to lie over fences, though, and it hasn't taken him long to develop into a much better chaser, winning all three of his starts, notably the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase with plenty in hand from a smart rival. He wasn't at his best when scrambling home in a two-runner Kingmaker at Warwick last time but he was found to have a small nick on his hind leg afterwards and he is best not judged on that effort alone. Still, this looks another deep renewal of the Sporting Life Arkle, and I would be in no rush to back Jonbon at around 6/4. BUST
Constitution Hill - Champion Hurdle, Tuesday
When it comes to rating bankers it really doesn't come much easier than this as Constitution Hill epitomises the meaning of banker. He put up a scintillating performance when winning the Supreme last year, producing the best effort by a novice hurdler in Timeform's long history, and his two victories this season have done nothing to alter the view he's potentially the best hurdler ever seen. Constitution Hill is no betting proposition at long odds-on but he is impossible to oppose. BANKER
Gaillard du Mesnil - National Hunt Chase, Tuesday
Gaillard du Mesnil is a second-season novice but he finished third to L'Homme Presse in the Broadway Novices' Chase at last season's Festival before finishing an excellent third in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on his next start. He shaped well behind Mighty Potter on his reappearance and had his day in the sun when opening his account over fences in the Grade 1 Neville Hotel Novices' Chase (Fort Leney) at Leopardstown over Christmas. He is best not judged too harshly on his latest run against Mighty Potter under unsuitable conditions and he sets a high standard on form here over a trip he will relish. Gaillard du Mesnil is one of the bankers of the week for me. BANKER
Gerri Colombe - Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, Wednesday
Gerri Colombe was lightly raced in bumpers and over hurdles but he is all over a chaser on looks and he has looked an exciting prospect in winning all three of his starts in this sphere. One of his biggest attributes is his assured jumping and it is testament to his ability he has done all of his winning over fences at around two and a half miles as he is crying out for a step up in trip and this race looks tailormade for him. Gerri Colombe has shortened in the betting after his Scilly Isles win but he looks a very solid proposition. BANKER
Edwardstone - Champion Chase, Wednesday
Edwardstone was a good winner of the Arkle last season but he took his form to a new level when making a winning reappearance in the Tingle Creek at Sandown at the beginning of December and that form has worked out well. He made an uncharacteristic mistake when unseating his rider in the Desert Orchid next time and was arguably unlucky not to win the Clarence House last time when he was ridden to beat Energumene only to find that more was required after beating that rival. Edwardstone's tactics will likely be different in the Champion Chase and if they all run to form he is the likeliest winner for me. BANKER.
Delta Work - Cross Country Chase, Wednesday
Delta Work was very strong in the betting and denied stablemate Tiger Roll a sixth Cheltenham Festival success in the Cross Country last year, taking to the course in brilliant fashion considering it was his first start between the banks. He made a winning reappearance in a similar event at Punchestown in November and shaped particularly well when giving lumps of weight away in a handicap over course and distance in January. Delta Work has since had a run out over hurdles to make sure all of the cobwebs are blown away and he will be difficult to be beat in this discipline off level weights. BANKER
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Mighty Potter - Turners Novices' Chase, Thursday
Mighty Potter managed to land a Grade 1 on his final start over hurdles when beating the likes of Sir Gerhard and Dysart Dynamo and he has progressed with each start over fences this season. He won the Drinmore Novices' Chase with striking authority on just his second start over fences and looked a top prospect when completing a hat-trick in the Ladbrokes Novices' Chase at Leopardstown last time. Mighty Potter's price has contracted as a result but it is hard to pick one against him when you look down the list and he looks another solid contender for Gordon Elliott. BANKER
Shishkin - Ryanair Chase, Thursday
Shishkin had serious questions to answer following another below-par display in the Tingle Creek on his return in December, but a breathing operation, fitting of a tongue tie and step up in trip helped bring about a return to form and he looked back to his brilliant best when easily landing the Ascot Chase last month. It was one of his very best performances over fences and it is no surprise he is a warm order for the Ryanair now, especially as Allaho misses the race. Shishkin is odds-on but will be incredibly hard to beat if turning up in the same form as at Ascot. BANKER
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Luccia - Mares' Novices Hurdle, Thursday
Luccia looked an excellent prospect when winning both of her starts in bumpers, running to a high level when scoring by 17 lengths in a mares' listed event at Sandown, and she has won both of her starts over hurdles in effortless fashion. She was always travelling powerfully for her latest success at Exeter and it would have been a clear round but for a mistake at the last. There should be plenty more to come from her, but taking a price as short as she is up against a host of other improving mares isn't for me, especially given the Irish contingent look strong, too. BUST
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Blood Destiny - Triumph Hurdle, Friday
Blood Destiny finished runner-up on his sole start over hurdles when trained in France but he has landed the odds in style on both of his starts since switching to Willie Mullins. He was still novicey last time - he ducked left at the start and wasn't that fluent over several flights - but there is no doubt he has got an engine, making all of the running and crossing the line 17 lengths clear. It is a surprise he hasn't had another run to give him more experience and it is for that reason I am against him in what looks another up-to-scratch renewal of the Triumph. BUST
Galopin des Champs - Cheltenham Gold Cup, Friday
Galopin des Champs would be unbeaten over fences but for coming down at the final obstacle when well clear in the Turners Novices' Chase last season and he has proved himself one of the best staying chasers around in a couple of starts this term. He proved his stamina for three miles over fences with an authoritative success in the Irish Gold Cup last month and given how strong he was at the finish that day you would back him over this even longer trip. Galopin des Champs has plenty of class, remains unexposed at staying trips over fences, and I wouldn't want to be laying him. BANKER
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Allegorie de Vassy - Mares' Chase, Friday
Allegorie de Vassy won her first two starts over hurdles upon joining these connections last season but it is no surprise she has quickly proved much better over fences given her physique - she is very much a chaser on looks. She gave odds-on backers a big scare last time when almost unseating her rider at the first fence after moving markedly to her right and she continued to jump in that direction thereafter, albeit not markedly so. Allegorie de Vassy still won with any amount in hand, leaving the impression she has untapped potential, and given she wouldn't be out of place up against the boys she is hard to oppose kept to her own sex. BANKER
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