The Cheltenham Festival’s ante-post markets are already toing and froing, with performances at the weekend making some dramatic changes to some of the Grade 1 betting shows.
Matty Sutcliffe runs through some of the most significant ones below, including highlighting a brand new Supreme Novices’ Hurdle favourite.
New Supreme Novices’ Hurdle favourite
The Irish were unusually dominated by the British in the Supreme last season and will be looking to re-establish their dominance, and Love Me Tender shot to the top of the Supreme betting when a comfortable winner at Naas.
He took his hurdles record to two from two and beat a 141-rated four-year-old in the process to become the outright favourite at a lowest price of 6/1, but it would be highly unlikely for Willie Mullins to bring his Supreme winner out this early.
Albert Bartlett – is Minella a Machine?
Just over half an hour later, Henry de Bromhead’s Minella Machine made a successful hurdling debut in a race the yard won with last year’s Albert Bartlett runner-up Fruit De Mer.
It was a commanding performance, which saw him join Charismatic Kid and Skerry Hill at the head of the Albert Bartlett market at around 20/1.
The Kopek conundrum
With Il Etait Temps missing Clonmel and Kopek Des Bordes failing to beat Irish Panther on his reappearance, we’re yet to see a drastic shift in the Champion Chase market. Irish Panther has gone from 100/1 into 20/1, whereas Kopek Des Bordes has eased out to 7/1 from 7/2.
Remarkably, the Naas effort has shortened him in the Champion Hurdle market to 14/1, shorter in places than Alexei, who won an actual Champion Hurdle trial in the Molyneux Hurdle.
Champion Bumper form to the fore
The 2026 Champion Bumper winner The Mourne Rambler made a successful hurdling debut at Naas on Sunday, albeit only by half a length, with odds-on backers made to worry late on.
It was a largely fluent performance on the whole, and it saw him shorten into 16/1 for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle.
Anzadam Arkle-bound?
Elsewhere at Naas, Anzadam made a successful chasing debut, beating Grade 1 winner Eachtotheirown by a comfortable three lengths.
The Authorized gelding was highly regarded over hurdles going into last season, but failed to return to the winner’s enclosure. Those connected to him have been pleased with his recent progress, and he’s shortened into 10/1 for the Arkle following the Naas display.