Cheltenham Open meeting: day one

The first big fixture of the N.H. season, Cheltenham´s Open meeting, begins today with an excellent card. Main feature is the Grade Two novice hurdle at 14.50 CET, which looks booked for Ireland, with either Some Present (Tom Mullins/ Davy Russell) or Loosen my Load (Henry de Bromhead/ Andrew Lynch) looking the likeliest winners. Paul Nicholls´ Tito Bustillo (Ruby Walsh), a very easy winner at Chepstow of his only start, is the best of the Brits but meets much tougher opposition now.

Some Present, runner-up here in the Champion Bumper lst March., is the selection. There are also likely to be some future stars on view on the novice chase at 17.05. Ashkazar (David Pipe/ Timmy Murphy) was not far off the top rank over hurdles and has already made a winning start over fences; he can defeat Nicky Henderson´s Aigle d´Or (Barry Geraghty) and top-weight Knockara Beau (George Charlton/ Jan Feltjesek). The cross-country race over 3 miles 7 furlongs at 16.00 is a great spectacle and Enda Bolger is the specialist here. His Garde Champetre (Nina Carberry) has won 3 times from 4 starts over this CD, and Nina is unbeaten on the horse in 6 starts. However, if weight means anything in contests of this sort, and not everyone agrees, he cannot give 20 lb to 2007 Grand National winner Silver Birch (Gordon Elliott/ Robbie Power). The field of 12 also includes 3 who ran last time in the Grand Pardubitzer, 2 of them Czech-trained, but it will be a big surprise if anything can b eat the two mentioned.

The 3 handicaps look very trappy, but our very tentative each-way suggestions are Mister Apples in the amateur riders chase at 14.15, Safari Adventures in the 2 mile chase at 15.25 and French Saulaie in the conditional jockeys hurdle at 16.35.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: My Lord Oscar - Never So Blue - Mister Apple`S
2. Race: Some Present - Tito Bustillo - Loosen My Load
3. Race: French Opera - Tramantano - Safari Journey
4. Race: Garde Champetre - Silver Birch - Sizing Australia
5. Race: Lord Ragnar - Colombard - Crazy Eyes
6. Race: Ashkazar - Knockara Beau - Aigle D`Or