Ferdy Murphy: Walsh set to take major honours on opening day of Festival

THESE are the four best days racing of the year and I expect Ruby Walsh to win on two of the all-time greats of Cheltenham racing – Hurricane Fly and Quevega.

Everything has come right for Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle. He wasn’t right last year when he tried to defend the race, but he’s got winning form on heavy ground this season.

People are trying to pick holes in the form – but there are no holes. He can be a bit fragile early on but there’s no better man than Ruby to keep the horse together and get him in the race. Just look at how many Grade One wins this horse has to his name. There wouldn’t be any doubts if he was trained by Paul Nicholls or Nicky Henderson.

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Despite what everyone is saying, there will be plenty of pace – there’s never been a slow Champion Hurdle – and that will suit. I wouldn’t be surprised if Rock On Ruby, last year’s winner, sets the pace now he’s wearing blinkers.

If Hurricane Fly wins, he’ll be the first horse to regain the Champion Hurdle since Comedy Of Errors in the 1970s.

Yet that’s nothing compared to Quevega in the mares’ hurdle. If she wins, she’ll be the first horse to win at five consecutive Festivals since Golden Miller in the 1930s.

Don’t be put off by the fact that she hasn’t run for nearly a year. Her whole season revolves around Cheltenham and Punchestown and the lads at Willie Mullins’s yard say she did a fantastic piece of work the other day. There’s nothing to touch her.

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The meeting starts with the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and I’m predicting a big upset. My Tent Or Yours was brilliant at Newbury last month – but it’s virtually impossible to keep a horse in that level of form between races. I’m going for Cheltenian each-way. We had him as a yearling before selling him to Roger Brookhouse. He has Cheltenham form and was very impressive when he won the Bumper two years ago – the way he pulled clear was brilliant.

He will have come on for his recent run at Doncaster, they will have worked him hard at the Hobbs yard, and I can’t see him being out of the first three.

There’s only one horse in the Arkle – Simonsig. He could probably have done with one more prep race, he’s just raced twice over fences this season, but he has a point-to-point background and the rain will not have helped Overturn.

In the JLT, I like Knockara Beau each way for George Charlton. He was sixth in the Gold Cup last year and he has come down a fair bit in the handicap. I was very taken by his last outing at Carlisle and Paddy Brennan will suit him well. This is a horse that never runs a bad race.

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In the Cross Country race, Enda Bolger is very sweet on Arabella Boy and his record speaks for itself. That said, Leac An Scail has a chance for Yorkshire and Jo Foster. Sam Drake was brilliant on him at the Open meeting back in November and she gave him a super ride. It was a never-say-die ride and that’s what you want in this.

In the final race, I think Carlito Brigante will win under my former stable jockey Davy Russell.

The horse has been laid out for this race by Gordon Elliott, the horse won the Coral Cup two years ago and there’s no one better over fences at Cheltenham than Davy.

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