Cheltenham Festival Focus: Draw first blood on Mullins Juvenile

• Daryl tips 33/1 Triumph Hurdle hope in week nine

• Rounds up all the weeks action

• And takes a look at his bets so far

Lossiemouth victory was very slowly run

We pick up last Sunday's action at Fairyhouse and start with the impressive Juvenile winner Lossiemouth who won going away on her stable Irish/debut from the well-supported Zarak The Brave. The first thing to note is that she drifted alarmingly in the betting for most of the day but was supported late into 3/1, and this was the first race on the hurdle track on a day where the rain certainly got into the ground.

This was a good performance; you could have picked her out a long way from home as the likely winner. She travelled wide for the entire contest, and while that would have proven advantageous later in the card, this was on fresh ground, so perhaps a slight upgrade there. She travelled strongly and jumped well - particularly the last, where she was swift and showed a bright turn of foot.

However, this race was run at a very steady pace compared to the following Grade 1 Royal Bond. The Juveniles were 29 lengths behind the Royal Bond field by the time they had reached three out.

This makes sense, given six of the ten Juvenile runners were covered by just two lengths at the second last. It was a good time from three out to the line by Lossiemouth, clocking 58.22 if you compare it to Marine Nationale's closing sectional of 1.04.65. However, that wouldn't be the correct way to determine what she achieved because Common Practise - the eventual 50/1 fourth who was beaten in October 20 lengths by War Correspondent (a horse subsequently beaten four lengths by Scriptwriter) - clocked 1.00.56.

The time was not good, but it would be no surprise if she could clock much faster, given the ease with which she travelled through the race. Her rivals are probably flattered to get as close as they did, so she is rightly at the top of the Triumph tree, albeit a little short at 11/4 with Betfair. This is the best we have seen from a Juvenile this term, but it's still early days.

Nationale very good! But Royal Bond form is typically not the way to go

Marine Nationale impressed me, as did his rider Michael O'Sullivan who at the second last was still riding under hand and heels in the Grade 1 Royal Bond. He knew he had plenty left in the tank, and although he needed every yard of the 2m trip he travelled so well through the very strongly run race that he has to be taken seriously this season.

He is a 7/1 chance for the Supreme Novice Hurdle. I would just tread carefully with the Royal Bond form. It tends to be a race people get over-excited about yearly but rarely works out for the Supreme.

I think I have spoken plenty on Honeysuckle's defeat this week, but if you want to hear more, check out the Cheltenham Only Bettor podcast here. She is now 6/1 for the Champion Hurdle.

Mighty Potter surged to the head of the Turner's market, almost like his Supreme flop didn't happen. He won well enough in the Grade 1 Drinmore, but the rain came for him, and his record on right-handed tracks now reads 5/6.

He is a lovely horse with a huge engine, but I have to air on the side of caution. He is 4/1 for the Turner's Chase.

Gaillard Du Mesnil came out with plenty of credit in second and was cut into 3/1 for the National Hunt Chase, again, an air of caution given he is a second-season novice and is now 0-6 over fences.

Banbridge was pushed out to a wild 20/1 in places but rightly stayed at 10/1 with Betfair for the Turners after finishing third. The ground went against him here, it was almost heavy by race time, and he was never happy. Put a line through this.

Gaelic Warrior dotted up by 86 lengths at 1/12 in a Maiden Hurdle at Tramore on Tuesday in no more than a canter. We didn't learn a lot, but it was a good time, and the Racing Post Handicapper gave him an RPR of 150. That's almost unheard of for a Maiden winner.

He is 16/1 for the Supreme Novice Hurdle, and his experience of Cheltenham when a narrow second in the Boodles last year will hold him in excellent stead. It must be remembered how he jumped out to the right last year. So perhaps seeing him again on a left-handed track will be wise (he did it at the first here).

Considering Cheltenham's December meeting was on this weekend, there was little to pick up with a view to the festival. Following the opening Novice Hurdle won by the useful Attacca for Nicky Henderson will pay you handsomely throughout the term, but they won't be featuring in the main event.

Draw first blood with Destiny for Triumph Hurdle at 33/1

The nature of the ante-post market this season means you need to strike before the horse runs and that comes with risks attached. Still, the Triumph Hurdle market is one where you can have a stab at this far out, and with Lossiemouth taking up much of it, there could be another promising youngster lurking in the midst at Clousutton.

Blood Destiny 33/1 really caught the eye on debut in France as he made up considerable ground from the mid-to-rear division to run second behind Bo Zenith in what is always one of the leading key trial races for three-year-olds in France.

The fifth, seventh and third have all won since, with the third taking the scalp of the recent impressive French scorer St Donats who is 16/1 in this market.

Not only does the form usually stand strong each year, but the time of the race was very good - around 20 lengths faster than Lossiemouth, who ran in the proceeding race over course and distance.

He is one I want to take a wild chance with at 33/1. He runs today (Sunday) at Cork.

A quick review of our list so far

It's a quiet week and a chance to have a quick review of what we have so far.

Facile Vega Ballymore 7/2

Of course, the price is now 4/1, which is frustrating, but I am still confident he could head this way on the evidence of his Maiden Hurdle win. This was more of a cover bet but I am glad we stuck him in early.

Champ Kiely 20/1 Albert Bartlett

I am happy he was beaten in the Royal Bond, and it's handy that all evidence suggests he didn't give his running that day. He has plenty of stamina in the breeding, and on spring ground, he could still cause a surprise. We may visit this race again before March.

The Storyteller 12/1 Fox Hunters

The Storyteller went up early in the hope he would head this way after a stable tour. Since then, he has won three point-to-point races - strong ones at that - and this is almost certainly his target. Very happy.

Stattler 16/1 each way Gold Cup

I am kicking myself that I went 0.5pt e/w here and did not win only. I am very tempted to have another 0.5pt e/w, but I may as well wait to see him run. I am a big fan of what he did in the National Hunt Chase last season.

Thyme Hill 12/1 Brown Advisory

He was poor at Newbury, and it's hard to come back from that, and unfortunately this could mean two points wasted.

Banbridge 10/1 Turners

I am happy with him despite suffering defeat in the Drinmore on ground he would have hated. He has a big shout on what we have seen thus far.

El Fabiolo 6/1 Arkle

Once we see him I am confident this 6/1 will be long, long gone.

Grangeclare West 8/1 Ballymore

This is the one I am most excited about. He looks like a top-notcher, and in all honesty, I have backed this one twice!

Tellmesomethinggirl 14/1 Mares Chase

This looks like a cracking bet, and she is only going to get better and better.