Nap of the Day: Star to shine in super Supreme

I wanted to warm up for the Cheltenham Festival in style and did, courtesy of 3/1 shot Primoz who bolted up at Ayr on Saturday. Hopefully that's a good omen for the Nap of the Day this week.

So, to HQ of course for Tuesday's selection, who goes in the curtain-raiser.

Our in-house Horse Racing tipster Owen McMahon has gone through the card for Tuesday's Races and made a selection for every race. Read who he's backing and why with our Cheltenham Day 1 Tips. Add to that former Jockey Katie Walsh has passed on her Cheltenham Tuesday Tips to us here at Betfred.

Since the moment he crossed the finish line in the Supreme Trial at Haydock in the middle of January, I've been sold on OLD PARK STAR's chances in the Cheltenham Festival's curtain-raiser.

Nicky Henderson's six-year-old burst onto the scene, Micah Richards-esque, at HQ a month prior, winning an ordinary novices' hurdle by 12 lengths.

That was a surprise not only to punters, who let him go off 5/2, but connections too. The master of Seven Barrows has always said the son of Well Chosen has exceeded his expectations, particularly over the minimum trip.

After Cheltenham, I was impressed like everyone else. How could you not be? But I needed him to prove it wasn't a one-off.

He did exactly that, and then some, on Merseyside, beating the 136-rated Hurricane Pat, a Listed winner at Sandown previously, by 18 widening lengths.

I loved everything about it. He travelled with menace, jumped impeccably and showed plenty of gears at the business end. If you're buying into the narrative he lacks speed, just rewatch his Haydock win and keep an eye on the clock. He was electric.

I'm not comparing their abilities, but he's got a touch of Constitution Hill about him. A powerful beast without compromising athleticism and speed. Relentless.

For my money, he's versatile in terms of running style too. I'm sure Nico de Boinville would be happy to make it, but he could sit in too. I suspect it'll be the latter.

There's lots to like about his profile, his attributes and ultimately his chances, for all it is a highly-competitive Supreme with a couple of unknown quantities.

I think we know what we're getting from Talk The Talk and while I do rate him, I expect Old Park Star to have his number. Same goes for Sober Glory, Mydaddypaddy, Baron Noir and Co.

Leader D'allier warrants respect on account of the fact he's long been seen as one of, if not Willie Mullins' best novice hurdler on the Closutton gallops. That doesn't mean he'll be the best on the track, though, and he lacks experience in Graded company on these shores.

El Cairos is an obvious danger. Gordon Elliott's six-year-old is frighteningly quick and if you knew it was going to turn into a sprint, he'd be the bet of the week at current prices. However, the Supreme is always an end-to-end gallop and that might blunt his prized asset. He's also fragile in the jumping department and there'll be no hiding place on Tuesday afternoon.

Mighty Park is as difficult to weigh up as any horse I can remember going into the Cheltenham Festival. He's got the reputation of Pegasus and won his only start under rules by 38 lengths. That was a complete non-event against a stablemate with handicaps on the brain, though.

You'd be mad not to fear those two even a little, but I much prefer the tried and tested Old Park Star, who just screams Supreme winner to me.

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