Cheltenham Festival Antepost Tips: Sam Turner rounds up his ante-post ledger

• Go for Glory with Sober

• Gaelic a major Gold Cup player if allowed his chance

• For the latest Betfair Racing odds click here

• Click here for more racing tips

• We are now Non-Runner No Bet on all 28 Festival races

• Now read our Mega Guide to the Cheltenham Festival

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Thank you for taking in the final edition of my Cheltenham Festival Focus and with the big week nearly upon us, it seems appropriate to cast a glance at my ante-post ledger, some of which makes encouraging reading, while other bets are unlikely to see the light of day sadly.

The ante-post business concludes in the Boodles Gold Cup with Gaelic Warrior who has been tipped both with (6/1) and without (8/1) the nrnb concession. More of him shortly.

Unfortunately, Zertakt, tipped at 33/134.00, didn't make the entries for the National Hunt Chase which, given it was his early-season aim, means that he has probably met a setback, while 40/141.00 pick The Blue Room holds an entry in a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Kelso this weekend so it seems unlikely he will line up for the Albert Bartlett for which he is generally a 66/167.00 chance.

The latter's form behind No Drama This End at Sandown before Christmas still reads well, but a poor effort when pulled up at Cheltenham in January means connections have probably lowered their sights.

Don't give up on him going forward though.

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Hoping for some early Glory with Sober

So let's work through the remaining bets in chronological order starting with the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

My long-term fancy for the meeting curtain raiser was Act Of Innocence who was tipped for the day one opener following his impressive success at Newbury on Coral Gold Cup weekend in a race which Nicky Henderson has targeted before with his premier two mile novice hurdlers.

Sadly, for those of us which backed the former Paul Nicholls-trained six-year-old, Seven Barrows had also inherited Old Park Star from the same owners and, despite the vibe that the latter would stretch out for the Turners following his 12-length defeat of Glance At Midnight at Cheltenham before Christmas, Act Of Innocence's subsequent Newbury defeat at the hands of Minella Yoga meant it was he that was aimed at the day two novice event.

Another horse which I had resisted tipping earlier in the season with uncertainty surrounding his optimum trip was Sober Glory who was tremendously impressive on his seasonal bow at Chepstow in November before he blotted his copybook at Sandown on his next start.

He has since proved that running all wrong with a brace of wide-margined successes at Newbury, the second of which was achieved by 27 lengths, twice the margin he beat the talented Kadastral on his return.

We are clearly dealing with a very smart novice whose times have matched the authority of performances he has produced to date and the 40/141.00 nrnb which was on offer prior to his recent success is a distant memory.

Hopefully, he can give his supporters a big run in what promises to be both a fascinating and well-contested race.

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Don't fall out of love with Romeo just yet

There won't be as many runners in the Arkle Chase, but my long-term fancy, Romeo Coolio, appears to face a stiff task trying to add to this season's Grade 1 haul over fences.

Tipped at 11/26.50 following his impressive eight-length success in the Grade 1 Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse, Gordon Elliott's seven-year-old has been forced to fight pretty hard for two subsequent Grade 1 wins at Leopardstown, both of which have demanded he goes to the well to prevail.

Given that Romeo Coolio is touted as a future Gold Cup contender, he probably lacks the gears to win a good ground Arkle, but if it was genuinely good to soft or worse, he could still provide supporters with a decent run for their money with his profile echoing that of last year's winner.

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Alexei has the gears for Champion test

Munsif is yet to be allotted a UK handicap mark, that happens on Wednesday, but the Irish assessor gave him 121 for his efforts over hurdles to date and even with some 'UK tax' he should be able to race off a competitive perch in the juvenile handicap hurdle with some improvement on a better surface likely.

Admittedly, he has ground to make up on the likes of Saratoga, who beat the selection by nine lengths at Naas last time, but the rigours of this race should suit a horse that coped well with big-field handicaps on the level and I note his price is starting to be eroded in recent days.

At the time of writing there are more questions than answers regarding the Champion Hurdle, but it looks likely there may only be eight or nine runners, with or without Constitution Hill.

Alexei was 33/134.00 with the Sportsbook (bigger prices were available elsewhere) when I put him up each-way earlier in the season and, with the prospect of better ground more suitable than the deep conditions he tackled last time out in the Kingwell Hurdle, I'm happy enough with the position about a horse that has displayed gears to win his races.

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In a great position with Wendigo and Shantou

At present, our sole play on the second day is Wendigo in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase who was advised each-way at 20/121.00.

Jamie Snowden's gelding appears to have the perfect profile for a race of this nature so let's just hope he passes his final preparations at home and makes the line-up as he is now a best-priced 7/18.00.

Our only bet on Thursday, Ma Shantou, is a point shorter than Wendigo with the Sportsbook (6/1) to give trainer Emma Lavelle a second career win in the Stayers' Hurdle on the Thursday of the Festival.

Advised each-way at 50/151.00 prior to his Cleeve Hurdle success, Lavelle's pocket rocket loves the track and must boast a great chance of reaching the podium if he gets to Cheltenham week in the form which saw him score on Trials Day.

The Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle on Gold Cup day is invariably a well-contested event featuring a sizeable field so it is hard to get too carried away with Thedeviluno who was put up following his victory in the River Don at 12/113.00 when 14/1 was freely available in the village.

I loved the way he went about his work on Town Moor, exhibiting gears not to mention plenty of class to score from a smart rival and he appears to have all the attributes required to make his mark on this race.

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Warrior fancied for Gold Cup glory if given the green light

The ante-post business concludes in the Boodles Gold Cup with Gaelic Warrior who has been tipped both with (6/1) and without (8/1) the nrnb concession.

It goes without saying that we are at the mercy of connections who have previous in switching a live Gold Cup contender to the Ryanair - see Vautour - so we are unlikely to know where we stand until nearer an enthralling race.

The speed figure recorded by Fact To File and Gaelic Warrior in the Irish Gold Cup is head and shoulders above a number any of their rivals has managed this term and, with the selection's course record reading 221, he looks a huge player if allowed to take his chance.

It only remains for me to thank you wholeheartedly for taking the time to read the pieces each week and wish you the best of luck with your own Festival fancies.

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Sam Turner's Cheltenham 2026 Ante-post Ledger

Supreme Novices' Hurdle - Act Of Innocence win @ 25/126.00

Supreme Novices' Hurdle - Sober Glory win @ 40/141.00

Arkle Chase - Romeo Coolio @ 11/26.50

Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurde - Munsif win @ 16/117.00

Champion Hurdle - Alexei each-way @ 33/134.00

National Hunt Novice Handicap Chase - Zertakt each-way @ 33/134.00

Brown Advisory Novices Chase - Wendigo each-way @ 20/121.00

Stayers' Hurdle - Ma Shantou each-way @ 50/151.00

Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle - Thedeviluno win @ 12/113.00

Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle - The Blue Room win @ 40/141.00

Gold Cup - Gaelic Warrior win @ 8/19.00

Gold Cup - Gaelic Warrior win @ 6/17.00 NRNB

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