To the delight of punters, for the past three years the Cheltenham Festival’s curtain raiser, the two-mile Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, has gone to Rich Ricci, Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh.
For the same connections and long before he’d even raced outside France, Min has headed the market for the 2016 renewal.
His price has tightened right up to 6/4 after two facile victories for this half-brother to last year’s winner Douvan – who has been excellent since and trades favourite for the following race on the card, the Arkle Chase.
Ruby Walsh has come out today insisting he’s no value at that price and you’d be mad to argue with him; it’s clearly down to hype and the bookmakers running scared.
If the favourite is too short then there’s likely to be value in behind, and the Gigginstown Stud-owned Tombstone jumps out at 20/1.
The powerful owners have stated him to be their Supreme horse today, and his half-length defeat by Long Dog – another for Ricci, Mullins and Walsh – when a well-backed favourite in Grade 1 company at Leopardstown over Christmas should not be taken too literally.
Watch it back and you’ll see he took a keen hold before his chance was gone when squeezed out turning for home, and he stuck on gamely on the heavy ground to take second.
He’s by the same sire as 2014 winner Vautour and 2014 Gold Cup-second Sir Des Champs, both Cheltenham Festival winners on good ground, so there’s every reason to believe he’ll be seen to his best at the track in the spring.
He’s well worth a bet at 20/1 and I’d not expect that price to last long, so get on board now.
1pt win Tombstone @20/1 with WillHill, Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Cheltenham 15th March
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