In what will be no surprise to racing fans, Willie Mullins finds himself as the top of the betting but his price of 1/5 with Sky Bet is the shortest in years due to the unforeseen circumstances surrounding Gordon Elliott.
Mullins has gained some animation from Elliott, such as the highly regarded Sir Gerhard, who has enhanced Mullins’ chance in the Cheltenham bumper, with him already housing the race favourite, Kilcruit.
Mullins has already won the race a record 10 times and looks a shoo-in for an 11th. And to add to that, the Closutton trainer has arguably the banker of the week in Monkfish in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and an odds - on shot in Chacun Pour Soi for the Champion Chase, who Mullins will be hoping can give him first victory in that race and it’s not difficult to see why he’s as short as 1/5.
The 68-year-old could get off to the perfect start with Appreciate It, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle favourite and has Gold Cup favourite Al Boum Photo, looking it to make it three successive wins. It is hard to see past the Irish master this year.