2m½f (2m87y) (Old) Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)
The solution to a fiendishly difficult puzzle is often the obvious, and looking for reasons to take on OLD PARK STAR is not easy. He jumps brilliantly, strides like a class horse and has looked a class apart in his last two novice hurdles, whilst he’s trained by one of the two men who dominate this race. There’s even collateral form in there suggesting he’s well above average as Hurricane Pat looked no slouch when easily taking the scalp of Sober Glory earlier in the season (who seemingly had no excuse). Mighty Park has been the talking horse from the Mullins yard but the market is now telling us he won’t win, and you can set your watch on JP and Mullins horses getting well supported when connections think they’re the real deal so it’s dangerous signal to ignore. Talk The Talk may have the Grade 1 form but bunch finishes in such races are not good omens and his jumping is iffy – Willie Mullins seemed pretty confident the third would reverse form should they ever meet match fit. Mullins’ second string Leader d’Allier is a sluggish jumper to my eye and has to improve a lot to be a player in this, which isn’t ruled out. You could copy/paste those comments for EL CAIROS who only has a maiden win to his name, but they’re completely different propositions. El Cairos looks a rare jumps horse as he’s so fast and he simply hasn’t had any opportunity to run a big rating yet – partly because he’s been ridden very patiently slipping on landing on hurdles debut, but primarily because he’s only run in maidens. The yard have made favourable comparisons to their 2017 winner Labaik, and I can see a running of this race where he’s too hot for the future stayers.
2pts win Old Park Star @5/2, 1pt win El Cairos @9/1, 1:20 Cheltenham, Tuesday
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