Cheltenham Festival Market Movers - 23/01/23

The first big market mover from the weekend came at Thurles on Sunday where the Willie Mullins trained Embassy Gardens made a big statement in the Albert Bartlett market.

A winner on rules debut last season over 2m4f, he was then seen being well beaten by stablemate Facile Vega back in fifth at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Put away for the rest of the season, he returned over hurdles this season at Leopardstown over Christmas and he finished fourth of 12 behind the talented Good Land.

Upped to 2m7f at Thurles he went on to bolt up by 35 lengths, with the step up in trip bringing big improvement and although the opposition was not the best, he won the race like a very good horse.

This saw him moved from 33/1 into a general 7/1 second favourite for the Grade One Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, with Mullins looking to land back to back renewals of the race.

Willie Mullins saw another one of his horses move to the top of the betting for one of the races at the Cheltenham festival off the back of their performance at the weekend and that was It's For Me.

Winning a point to point by eight lengths at Loughanmore in April 2022, he was bought by Simon Munir & Isaac Souede for €40,000 and sent to Mullins.

Making his rules debut at Navan on Saturday he looked a top talent, going on to bolt up by 10 lengths, never getting asked to come off the bridle.

He has now gone to the top of the betting for the Grade One Champion Bumper, being a 20/1 shot before the race and now the 4/1 favourite.