Cheltenham 2025: Did we just see the Arkle winner?

The National Hunt season is in full swing, so even a 'quieter' week provides plenty of Cheltenham clues. Here's my review of the past seven days on the road to Cheltenham 2025.

Last week started on a sour note, at least for backers of Diva Luna for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle, as Ben Pauling's five-year-old was beaten at 4/11f on hurdling debut at Lingfield on Monday. Having been right near the top of the market beforehand, she's drifted out to 25/1 for the aforementioned Cheltenham Festival event. Even at that price, it's hard to get excited about her chances now.

One who did enhance his Cheltenham claims was Willie Mullins' Dancing City at Punchestown on Tuesday. The three-time Grade 1-winning novice hurdler got off the mark over the bigger obstacles at the first attempt, beating a decent field by just over a length. A decent field is all it was, though, and he'll need to improve - as he did all last season in fairness - if he's to justify his odds for the Brown Advisory come March.

Mullins had another three winners on the card - namely You Oughta Know, Hey Sunshine and Kitzbuhel. The former two could feature in the Supreme and Mares' Novices' Hurdle respectively, but they wouldn't be on my radar at this moment in time.

The latter, who beat the 146-rated Colonel Mustard, certainly is, with a handicap like the Coral Cup very much in mind. Hopefully he isn't crippled by the handicapper when the time comes.

I must also mention Nicky Henderson's Jingko Blue, whose success on chasing debut at Uttoxeter on Tuesday seems to have gone a little under the radar. The five-year-old son of Great Pretender bolted up in a handicap off a mark of 140, beating a decent field including the highly-progressive Jagwar.

This was a very good performance, earning a Racing Post Rating of 150, and if he continues improving as he's entitled to, he could be a live one for the Brown Advisory - though it must be noted his owner also has Jango Baie, another Seven Barrows inmate, in that division. More on him later...

Just one race to mention on Thursday - the Listed mares' novices' chase won by Dan Skelton's Cherie d'Am. She was allowed to dictate in front for the whole race, however, so the form shouldn't be taken too literally. You Wear It Well, the 2023 Mares' Novices' Hurdle heroine, was given far too much to do and at this moment in time just isn't cutting it over fences. Neither appeal as spring festival winners to me.

On Friday, Cheltenham's Christmas Meeting got underway with a novices' hurdle I'm still struggling to get to grips with. Sam Thomas' Palacio set a frantic pace in front, and in my view the race subsequently fell apart.

Nicky Henderson's well-backed That's Nice was bitterly disappointing, as was Gordon Elliott's raider Wingmen to a lesser extent. Country Mile for Dan Skelton picked up the pieces in impressive fashion and has earned a quote of 20/1 for the Supreme, though again I'd be wary of taking that form at face value.

The aforementioned Jango Baie put in one of the best performances from a novice chaser this season, on both sides of the Irish Sea that is, when taking a novices' chase later in the day by six and a half widening lengths. He was getting eight pounds from the runner-up Springwell Bay and five from Caldwell Potter, whose €740k price tag is starting to look extremely inflated, but he won with some swagger. He's exciting and is 14/1 for the Brown Advisory.

There was a lot of hype about four-year-old Masked Marvel gelding Kel Histoire ahead of his hurdling debut at Cork, and he made an adequate start. His jumping was a bit shoddy early doors, but it warmed up the further they went and in the end, he ran out a comfortable winner.

He was only three and a half lengths ahead of a horse beaten 18 lengths in a maiden last time out, however, so I'm not sure we learned too much. His new price for the Supreme is therefore skinny enough, for as much as it's already looking a bit of a desperate renewal.

Spindleberry, runner-up in the G1 Honeysuckle Mares' Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse in March, made a winning debut over fences on the same card. Willie Mullins' six-year-old was perhaps fortunate that Majestic Force made a significant error at the last, but she stayed on very strongly at the same time and looks a promising type. I couldn't put anyone off 20/1 for the Mares' Chase.

Performance of the week by some distance was Majborough in a beginners' chase over an extended two miles. I've tipped the Triumph Hurdle hero for the Brown Advisory but that looks in doubt and then some, for he was seriously impressive in County Meath.

He was entitled to beat Tullyhill getting six pounds, and although he went off pretty short I'd have been disappointed if Asian Master was able to beat him, for last season's Supreme form is looking very modest. However, he got the job done in some style and is open to significant improvement. My gut tells me we've just seen the Arkle winner... until Nicky Henderson does the right thing and sends Sir Gino goes chasing.

Over at Prestbury Park, French raider Jet Blue put his name into the Albert Bartlett (20/1) picture, winning one of the key trials on these shores. It was a poor renewal, though, so I'd like to see more.

Finally, on Sunday, Kalypso'chance strengthened his position at the top of the betting for the Champion Bumper by winning the Listed Future Champions bumper. He's a clear standout in the division at present, but I suspect there's something waiting in the wings at Closutton...