If you back a loser in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle with the sponsors you get your money back (up to a tenner) - our experts reveal their selections.
SKY BET SUPREME - OFFER DETAILS
Sky Bet offer 'Money Back as Cash if you lose' in the opening race of the Cheltenham Festival, the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle.
The risk-free concession is to a maximum of £/€10 for the Festival's curtain-raiser at 1.20 on Tuesday March 16.
Appreciate It heads the current market at 13/8, Tolworth Hurdle winner Metier is 6/1, Ballyadam is 7/1 and Betfair Hurdle winner Soaring Glory 8/1.
You can see the full market and place your bets here, while our team reveal their 'shot to nothing' selections below. Good luck!
Ben Linfoot - KESKONRISK 25/1
For a shot to nothing in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle you’ve got to go for one at a big price so it’s the perfect scenario for taking a chance on KESKONRISK for Joseph O’Brien who is available at 25s.
I’m not surprised to see a few of my colleagues go for horses beaten by Appreciate It already this season, with both Irascible and Thedevilscoachman nominated on this very page, and I’m going down the same route with this son of No Risk At All.
He split Irascible and Ballyadam in third behind Appreciate It in the Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas, with Thedevilscoachman further behind, but I was most taken with Joseph O’Brien’s horse as a viable alternative to the hot favourite with Cheltenham in mind.
Outpaced on the home turn before staying on again, this was a highly encouraging second run over hurdles and crucially I can see him taking another leap forward if he encounters better ground at the Festival, which he surely will.
No Risk At All progeny – which include Epatante and Allaho – have a 20 per cent strike-rate on Good to Soft ground (from 65 runners, a significant enough pool) and Keskonrisk is a half-brother to Grand Sancy, who loves better ground.
Yes, he has over 12 lengths to make up on Appreciate It in the Festival opener, but he’s a lovely prospect with plenty of potential himself and I do think he could burst onto the scene granted more spring-like conditions on March 16.
Matt Brocklebank - IRASCIBLE 25/1
If you’re on the lookout for a Supreme horse who might just sprout wings and leave their winter form well behind, look no further than Henry De Bromhead’s IRASCIBLE.
He stayed on powerfully and jumped exceptionally well when making a winning start to life over hurdles at Clonmel in October, and I feel he hasn’t been suited by Leopardstown on his last couple of starts, both in Grade One company. He’s finished nine lengths adrift of short-priced Supreme favourite Appreciate It on each occasion, taking a slight backward step when only fifth at the Dublin Racing Festival last time.
However, the stiff Cheltenham track looks tailor made for him compared to the speed test of Leopardstown, and it’s not hard to see him powering up the final hill at Prestbury Park.
Whether that’s in the Festival opener, or the County Hurdle for which he is also entered, is another matter, but he’s 25/1 and looks the ideal bet with this concession in mind.
David Ord - THIRD TIME LUCKI 22/1
Like most of those outside the principals THIRD TIME LUCKI has an alternative engagement at the Festival, in his case the County Hurdle, but Dan Skelton’s charge is capable of making his presence felt in this if allowed to take his chance in the opening race of the meeting.
He’s a strong-travelling horse who will be suited by a good gallop and spring ground and we haven’t seen the best of him yet. He lost all chance at the last at Musselburgh on his latest start and is better judged on an earlier win at Kempton.
He’s already smart and while he has nine pounds to find with Appreciate It on Timeform ratings, this race will be ideal for him. He’s the sort to outrun current odds of 22/1.
Michael Shinners - THEDEVILSCOACHMAN 14/1
THEDEVILSCOACHMAN looks very much a horse on the up.
After winning on his hurdling debut, he bumped into Appreciate It over Christmas where he was well beaten. However, since that defeat the Noel Meade-trained horse has looked very impressive in winning his last two starts, particularly his most recent when winning a listed novice event whilst giving away a penalty.
Clearly, the son of Elusive Pimpernel will need to improve once again if he is to beat Willie Mullins' hotpot. However, this is not an impossible task and with more progress likely, he is certainly a lively outsider for the first race of the Festival.
