Mid-Week Cheltenham Market Movers

On Wednesday Naas showed off the Grade One Lawlor Of Naas Novice Hurdle and Bob Olinger for Henry De Bromhead firmly put his name into the hat for the Ballymore after a dominating performance.

Having been an electric bumper horse, this season he was sent back to Gowran Park for his hurdles debut when him and Champion Bumper winner Ferny Hollow breezed away from the rest of the pack and he narrowly finished runner up behind the Cheveley Park horse.

He was then stepped up in trip at Navan in a maiden hurdle over 2m4f and he was an emphatic winner of the race beating a minor field by 14 lengths.

He took on his toughest test on Wednesday when running in his first black type event and he stayed ever inch of the trip to win easily.

This has seen him go from 12/1 into 5/1 with some firms and he looks the most likely challenger to current favourite Bravemansgame.

The second and final big market mover for Cheltenham from the week comes in the way of Willie Mullins and Energumene in the Arkle.

The seven year old gelding has been very lightly raced for his age, being seen twice in bumpers when looking like a nice prospect and only one over hurdles, when again looking like a very likeable type after bolting up by 19 lengths at Gowran.

Mullins decided to send him chasing this season again at Gowran Park and he went on to hose up in a Beginners Chase over 2m4f by 18 lengths.

When analysing the sectional time of that race the numbers look really smart and he proved this to be right on Wednesday when taking a high class novice chase with ease.

He saw off the likes of Captain Guinness and stablemate Blackbow without having to really hit top gear and it saw him smashed into 6/1 from 16/1 for the Arkle on the Tuesday at the festival.