Who To Follow On Day One Of The Cheltenham Festival

The Grade Three Ultima Handicap Chase has been a race over the last few seasons that has been a kind event for the British and we again feel that it will stay in the UK with these two selections.

Happygolucky for superstar trainer Kim Bailey has undergone some serious market support of late for the Grade Three event on the Tuesday of the meeting.

Having not ran since December, he looks to have been saved for this event with Bailey looking to keep him on a decent mark.

Last season the gelding was seen finishing a good fourth in the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival, with him being hampered in the final stages and arguably could have finished much closer.

He has been sent over fences this term and has performed to a very high standard in all three of his events, showing a progressive nature and not finishing outside the top two on any run.

He made his first start over the bigger obstacles at Stratford when seeing off the likeable Paint The Dream for Fergal O'Brien.

He then went to Fakenham and was a close second behind Getaway Trump who has since franked the form and last time out he got back to winning ways at Cheltenham over the Utima course and distance.

He has plenty in his favour heading into the event and punters have latched onto this which has seen his odds slashed from 25/1 into 7/2 and he looks the one to beat.

Henry De Bromhead has his best chance at the 2021 Cheltenham festival to gain more winners than he has in previous years with his best team heading into the week.

On the first day he has some huge chances and we believe it could set him up perfectly for a big week, especially being gifted Ballyadam in the first from Gordon Elliott.

Others that could make it a special day of the Irishman are his star mare Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle, with Aspire Tower also set to run a cracker in the Grade One.

De Bromhead has his yard finely tuned for the first day of the four day meeting and after landing some nice winners on the first day last year he will be looking to do the same again.

It may look an obvious shout but getting winners at Cheltenham is what the four days is all about and by following Paul Townend on day one could see you in the money.

In the first race of the day he sits on the strong favourite Appreciate It, who is looking to extend his unbeaten run over fences to four races and also looking to land a hat-trick of Grade One wins.

Townend has another live chance on Concertista in the Mares Hurdle, having landed the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the festival last season and now looking to land the Grade One this term.

The Irishman is in fine form heading into the meeting, managing to land five winners from his last 16 rides over the last two weeks which sees him running at a 31.25% strike rate.