Festival Favourites - Novice Chasers

Going into this year’s Cheltenham Festival, Cheltenham sales graduates look set to take centre stage with many of the ante-post market leaders having graduated from the Tattersalls Cheltenham sales ring.

Cheltenham Sales graduates hold all the aces in the Novice Chases

On the opening day SHISHKIN will bid to repeat his success in last year’s Supreme Novices Hurdle when lining up in this year’s Arkle Chase for Nicky Henderson and owner Mrs Joe Donnelly. The son of SHOLOKHOV is three out of three over fences this season and bids to emulate the stable’s previous winners of this race ALTIOR and SPRINTER SACRE. He was sold by Virginia Considine for £170,000 to Highflyer Bloodstock at the 2018 Cheltenham December Sale.

On day two of the meeting the much-vaunted MONKFISH looks set to go off a very warm favourite in the Brown Advisory Novices Chase for Willie Mullins and Rich Ricci. The STOWAWAY gelding has looked imperious over fences so far and will bid to follow up his win at last year’s Festival when victorious in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle. He was sold by Cormac Doyle of Monbeg Stables for £235,000 to Harold Kirk and Willie Mullins at the 2018 May Sale.

Thursday will see superstar chaser ENVOI ALLEN put his unbeaten record on the line when contesting the Marsh Novices Chase for Gordon Elliott and Cheveley Park Stud. Unbeaten in eleven races under rules since joining current connections from Colin Bowe he continues to be the most talked about horse in training and looks set to once again light up this year’s meeting. He was purchased for £400,000 by Tom Malone at the 2018 February Sale.