Spotlight editor Richard Austen has previewed all 28 races at this year’s Cheltenham Festival and given his expert opinion on the outcome of each event.

 

Read on to get his unmissable advice for two of Tuesday’s big races, the curtain-raising Supreme and an awesome Arkle.

Tuesday

 

1.30: Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (2m½f)

 

The bubble has burst but can it be swiftly reinflated? Facile Vega was beaten 20 lengths on his latest start, the last of five finishers, and yet the Supreme betting still has him 2-1 favourite.

 

He went too fast up front in that Leopardstown loss, which is a partial excuse, and will be ridden differently this time. He was also reportedly “quite sore” afterwards. That display cannot sweep aside all the previous stardust but it was the most recent evidence and it’s cautionary.

 

That debate risks obscuring the merit of stablemate Il Etait Temps, who won that race and now arrives as the highest-rated novice hurdler at the entire festival. There is a lingering disquiet about his jumping but all of the leading contenders have displayed degrees of immaturity.

 

Further Grade 1 winners are Barry Connell’s Marine Nationale, who is unbeaten, and Paul Nicholls’ Tahmuras, for whom late mistakes and wanderings could not mask a great superiority in the Tolworth. At a lower level, Chasing Fire has also looked a fine prospect.

 

Selection: Il Etait Temps

2.10: Sporting Life Arkle Chase (2m)

 

They’ve met before. Jonbon and El Fabiolo had a fine set-to in a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Aintree last April, when Jonbon won by a neck after his rival had suffered interference. They are unbeaten over fences, with Jonbon looking the more assured jumper.

 

El Fabiolo brings the better form, though, having taken the last in the Irish Arkle only just ahead of the favourite Appreciate It and front-running Dysart Dynamo before drawing ten lengths clear. Bold-jumping Dysart Dynamo should lead them a merry dance but the concern is that this excitable sort, like many of us at the festival, will again end up having shot his bolt too soon.

 

Selection: El Fabiolo