TUESDAY 

The first race is going to be so intriguing. Everyone would have had Facile Vega home and hosed before Leopardstown. The [Willie] Mullins camp are insisting you should put a line through that, but I’m not convinced he’s properly learned to race yet – he’s gone from the front and it’s been easy for him. I’d like to oppose him with his stablemate IL ETAIT TEMPS  , who has done everything right and has improved a lot this season. His jumping is getting better and he won’t mind any cut in the ground.

The Arkle looks brilliant. JONBON   is rock-solid, I feel. I like what he’s done and how he’s done it this season. He’s been very good and is a natural chaser. He was second in the Supreme to the freak that is Constitution Hill last year, but he should get his Festival success this time around.

The Champion Hurdle is also really exciting. We could be seeing a superstar in CONSTITUTION HILL  , who has looked outstanding. His main rival is State Man, who looks good, but is going to be up against it. It’s going to be really interesting as to where the pace will come from. There are no confirmed frontrunners, so it wouldn’t surprise me if Nico [De Boinville] and Paul [Townend] lead the pack and make it a test for each other.

WEDNESDAY

IMPAIRE ET PASSE   hasn’t been seen much this season. He’s only run twice, so we don’t know much about him, but we do know he will love the ground. He’s got an unblotted copybook, whereas the others all have chinks in their armour. He’s the pick of Willie's, and the fact that there’s so much chat about how good he could be might be telling.

The Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase is really open. Energumene is going to love the soft ground, but he was well beaten at Cheltenham last time in the Clarence House Chase, and that leaves a little question mark around him. He was very good in this race last year, but it cut up massively for him.

I’m going to side with EDWARDSTONE , who I think should have won the Clarence House last time. He was probably too busy minding Energumene and actually let eventual winner Editeur Du Gite slip away. He did some good work from the back of the second last to the line and, to me, he’s the most likely winner.

THURSDAY

The Ryanair Chase looked like it was going to be lacking this year when Allaho was pulled out, but then SHISHKIN   bolted up at Ascot and has been an odds-on favourite ever since. He hasn't had the best of luck since pulling up in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase last year, but has had a second wind op and seems to have found his stride again. He obviously needs this trip now and is the horse they’ve all got to beat.

I also think that Envoi Allen  might sneak into the places. His run in the King George last time wasn’t his true form. A lot of Henry De Bromhead's horses weren’t flying then, but they’re coming right now and we know how dangerous he is at the Festival.  

It’s not ideal that Flooring Porter has had an interrupted campaign ahead of the Stayers' Hurdle, so you'd have to be mindful of that. He’s won the race for the past two years, so he’ll no doubt run well, but you’d have preferred a better run up for him.

The ground looks like it’s coming for Gordon Elliott's TEAHUPOO  . He’d love it if the rain kept falling and you can’t argue with his form this season. He’s improving and seems to relish this trip. It’s going to be a good race to watch – it’s as open a renewal as I can remember.

I liked the way Ashdale Bob  ran in a handicap here last year. It wouldn’t be a huge shock if he was ridden forward and kept on to pick up some prize money, too.

I really like ANGELS DAWN   in the Kim Muir. Sam Curling’s yard is in great form and this horse looked like he was going to win the Grand National Trial at Punchestown last time, but she unseated her rider three out. She was hacking at the time, and I thought she was the winner from a way out. She’s a very progressive horse and has the assistance of Derek O’Connor on her back, which is about 10lb value in my eye.

FRIDAY

The Triumph Hurdle on Friday could be another whitewash for the Mullins camp. He’s simply got the best juveniles and I think he’ll have a 1-2-3, but I just can’t decide in which order. Lossiemouth is clearly very good and gets the fillies’ allowance. Blood Destiny has been a talking horse of late – lots of people at the yard think he’s very, very good. You can’t rule out Gala Marceau or Gust Of Wind, either.

The Gold Cup is a race everyone loves to watch. We’ve got a really good running this year and it could be a cracker. Galopin Des Champs looks the most likely winner by class, but he’s not sure to stay and, for all of his talent, this race is often won by a horse who is a dour stayer. He may well be that, but we don’t know for sure. He was very good in the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival, but they went at no pace and that didn’t prove much.

At a huge price, ROYALE PAGAILLE   could run really well. He’s been trained for this race and was a very good second in the King George behind Bravemansgame. He travelled really well in this race 12 months ago and, if he’s improved again, he could have a squeak.  

IMPERVIOUS   looks very good in the Mares' Chase. She’s been a winning machine. Colm Murphy doesn’t send them over for fresh air, he’s got a really good record with his runners and I think she’s going to be tough to beat.

It’s going to be a great week with plenty of highs and lows and I hope you enjoy it as much as I will.

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