I was blown away by this 16-1 tip in a race that produces Cheltenham winners
THE Cheltenham Festival is now less than four weeks away and despite the wet weather we learned a bit more this weekend.
The one to take out of Newbury with a Festival win in mind is clearly IBERICO LORD, who was very impressive taking the Betfair Hurdle.
Nicky Henderson's hopes are easy enough for a County Hurdle, but you'll have to be brave to back him.
That's because it needs soft ground to show its best.
I'm holding my horses until we see what the weather does in mid-March.
It was borderline unraceable when he won the Greatwood Hurdle in November, and mild is a generous description of Saturday's conditions.
He went all out at Ascot at Christmas and that is the concern.
So if it's soft or tough on the last day of the festival he's a great candidate for the County Hurdle, but not if it's faster. It's a sightseeing note.
SHISHKIN promoted his prospects by winning the Denman Chase, but we've already marked him for consideration for the Gold Cup.
EDWARDSTONE is another past festival winner who did his prospects no harm by winning the Game Spirit Chase.
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Dropping back to two miles after a bad run over last time was enough, as was going from the front for the first time in his long career.
His jumping has always been excellent so it was no shock to see him pinging around Newbury and he is certainly in the picture for the Champion Chase.
But he didn't beat much here as Boothill did his best for the right-handed Ascot, Amarillo Sky was crippled and Funambule Sivola fell well behind in the Festival Championship class.
He will need to take a huge step up to get close to hotpot El Fabiolo, but this is better form than the likes of Jonbon have produced, so he could fill the predicted spot next month.
One race that may have gone under the radar was EAGLE FANG's win at Naas on Saturday.
This modest-looking competition has produced no fewer than four of the past five Fred Winter winners at the festival.
William Durkan's four-year-old traveled very well and stayed well clear of his rivals in the closing stages, suggesting the Cheltenham hill will be ideal.
It could use a cut in the ground, but it has been treated well to gently.
This puts him right in Fred Winter's reckoning with the 16-1 on offer at Betfair Sportsbook or the 12s everywhere else.
BET: EAGLE FANG both ways in the Fred Winter Hurdle at 16-1
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