BUVEUR D'AIR CAN SHOCK THEM ALL

Ben Morgan prevews the opening day’s races

- Ben Morgan

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

APPRECIATE IT wasn’t necessarily on my radar for the Supreme this season but his performance at Leopardstown over Christmas meant he sky-rocketed up my list of horses of interest.

What really impressed me was the way he powered clear, showing real gears in the process. His trainer, Willie Mullins, initially thought he would be more of a Ballymore horse so I think that late acceleration took him by surprise as much as me. You can argue main rival, Ballyadam, didn’t really perform that day but the selection put plenty of distance between the pair again at the Dublin Racing Festival where I think Appreciate It idled in front.

He will face a different test at Cheltenham, but given Mullins’ record in the race I suspect he will be more than up to the challenge and I am expecting a dominant performance.

I am half expecting this not just because I think Appreciate It is potentially a very smart horse, but also because I’m struggling to see anything that might be able to get him off the bridle. He has beaten Ballyadam twice but I still think Gordon Elliott’s charge is his biggest rival. He travels well so you would think the better ground will be to his liking.

The home team look to have their hopes pinned on Metier. I think he is a very smart horse but to me horses who perform so well on heavy ground and win stamina sapping Tolworth Hurdles tend not to have enough brazen speed to win a Supreme.

Of the rest only a few standout. Dreal Deal showed last time out that he has every right to contest this race. A strongly run two miles will be right up his street and he is one that you would definitely expect to be staying on up the hill.