Hot to Trot: Cheltenham Festival special

Jessica Harrington

Unsurprisingly, Willie Mullins comes out as the most in-form jumps trainer in Ireland at the moment, but plenty has been written about him and his many live Cheltenham chances already, and on our figures he is not all that far clear of Jessica Harrington in terms of how well his horses have been performing recently. Since landing a double on Irish Gold Cup day at Leopardstown in mid-February, Harrington has only saddled one winner, but she has had plenty run well, and five of her last ten runners have made the frame. Her most high-profile chances next week will come courtesy of Jezki in the Stayers’ Hurdle and Sizing John in the Gold Cup, but she could also have a good chance in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle in the form of Forge Meadow, who was an eight-length winner of a Grade 2 at Naas last month. Forge Meadow is sure to face a very strong challenge from a band of Willie Mullins-trained mares, but she remains open to further improvement herself.

Neil Mulholland

From 16 winners in 2008/09 to 96 (and counting) in 2016/17, Neil Mulholland has continued his ascent up the training ranks this season in devastating fashion, and will nearly double his 2015/16 total (60) before the end of April if he continues his recent run of form until the end of the season. Mulholland’s first Festival winner came in 2015 when The Druids Nephew won the Ultima Handicap Chase. He has been a little up and down since then but hasn’t been over-raced and, now back on the same mark as when winning the race two years ago, he is of obvious interest. Another interesting runner for Mulholland next week is Southfield Royale who was a good fourth in last year’s National Hunt Chase (would have finished closer but for hitting the second last flight). He looks set to run in the Kim Muir (his only entry) and is well worth another chance to build on his form from last season after looking rusty on his return in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster last time.

Tom George

Tom George is already enjoying his best ever season in terms of winners, having saddled 58 so far (eight better than his previous highest total, which came in 2003/04), and his flow of winners doesn’t show any sign of stopping as we head into the Cheltenham Festival, with three winners and three seconds from his last 10 runners. God’s Own has a big chance of chasing home Douvan if running in the Champion Chase, but George’s best chance of a winner may come in the form of Singlefarmpayment if he takes up his entry in either the Ultima or the Kim Muir. Singlefarmpayment lost his unbeaten record at Cheltenham through no fault of his own on Trials Day last time, having been brought down at the twelfth. Prior to that he had progressed to win a novice at the track in December (also successful at Cheltenham over hurdles last season), beating Arpege d’Alene and Label des Obeaux into second and third, and he could well have more to offer over fences.