Expert Analysis

The traditional opener to a far-from-traditional Cheltenham Festival, in that it took place behind closed doors. What was more commonplace was that the Supreme went to an Irish-trained horse for the sixth time in the last decade – a sign of things to come in the week ahead – and that it took place on ground described officially as “soft, good to soft in places”, which was close to the truth, the surface drying slightly thereafter and genuinely “good to soft” by the last three days.

APPRECIATE IT was thoroughly dominant in winning by the first double-figured margin since Back In Front (a mere 10 lengths) in 2003, though his own margin would have been approximately halved had Blue Lord not fallen at the last. That is a testament to his ability, to the shortcomings of his rivals, and to an unforgiving pace which saw him get to the second-last (619 yards from the finish) approximately four lengths ahead of the leader in the well-run Champion Hurdle later on, and it proved far too much for his rivals who wilted in the home straight. Appreciate It himself kept galloping, but would have been overtaken by both Honeysuckle and Sharjah from the Champion field judged on times, and may not be quite as good as this makes him appear. That is still good, though, and level on my figures at 162 with Klassical Dream and just one behind other recent winners Shishkin, Labaik and Altior. Appreciate It could well need a good test like this at two miles and has won at 20f (in a bumper) already. Here, he was always close up, travelling and jumping well, joined For Pleasure three out and drew right away after the next, pushed out until near the line to record the best performance by a novice hurdler this campaign (even after Bob Olinger won later in the week). 

BALLYADAM has now been beaten three times in a row by Appreciate It, and is not that horse’s class, but he would have been closer without a blunder two out which knocked him back to fifth, from which he rallied only briefly, well below his previous 150 rating. Unlikely to make into a Champion Hurdle contender, he has already won a point, and appeals as a good chasing prospect, probably at around two miles given how strongly he tends to travel for all that he is bred to get quite a bit further.

FOR PLEASURE defied his long odds in coming third, beaten a long way and strictly below his previous 144-rated best, but leading outright until three out and hanging on in there for a while after. He went a bit faster than ideal, but that takes his rivals out of their comfort zones and again proved effective here. A son of Excelebration, he is likely to prove best at two miles and jumps hurdles well enough to suggest he will have a future over fences too. 

SOARING GLORY had some further improving to do in this grade, having won the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury off a mark of just 133, but was a shade disappointing in first-time cheekpieces even so, in touch until left behind from three out. 

IRASCIBLE has faced some stiff tasks since a debut win at Clonmel and was beaten much more heavily by Appreciate It here than he had been previously, in trouble some way out and in need of further already. 

GRUMPY CHARLEY had an outside place prospect on his wins on heavy ground at Chepstow but was soon struggling. 

METIER was the main British challenger but ran badly (not the first from Harry Fry’s stable to do that recently), in touch until quickly beaten three out. His previous form was backed up by good times, and entitled him to finish second in this, so this should not be held too much against him. 

BLUE LORD got the strong pace which promised to help him and would have been a good second – worth a rating of 151 which would have seen him bang alongside the winner in the County Handicap Hurdle – but for falling at the last when 1.7s (8 to 9 lengths) down and making no further headway. His headstrong nature was less in evidence here, and he has a future, be it over hurdles or fences