Andy Holding reviews the biggest weekend Cheltenham betting stories, with Edwardstone looking the main UK challenger to the Irish contingent in the Arkle.
Edwardstone cut into 2/1 Arkle favourite
Without doubt the best performance of the weekend was produced by Edwardstone in the Kingmaker Novices' Chase at Warwick. Once again impressing with the way he jumped and travelled throughout, Alan King's gelding also recorded a very fast time to boot, and he now looks the main UK challenger to the Irish contingent in the Arkle in a month's time.
An hour later, Celebre D'Allen did his Cheltenham Festival claims no harm with a polished display in the 2m4f handicap chase and he looks bound for the Paddy Power Plate, a race which should suit given his French background in many double-figure fields.
Bravemansgame jumps into Brown Advisory contention
Over at Newbury, Bravemansgame cemented his position as one of the leading contenders for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase with a fine weight carrying performance in the opener.
Not for the first time, the key feature of his display was his pin-point accurate jumping and although he seems to lack the brilliance of Galopin Des Champs at this stage, you can't underestimate how valuable that flawless technique will be around Cheltenham.
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Eldorado Allen proved the surprise package of the day in the Denman Chase, and he now enters the Gold Cup conversation at the very least (best price 25/1).
It's fair to say both Clan Des Obeaux and Royal Pagaille probably didn't run to their best, but that's hardly a stick to beat him with and his performance backed up the pre-race theory that he's been crying out for further than 2m4f for some time.
Whether he (Eldorado Allen) receives a supplementary entry for the Gold Cup or tackles the Ryanair only time will tell, but either way, the race for him looks to be the Bowl at Aintree, at a track where he's performed well in the past.
Betfair Hurdle winner no match for Honeysuckle
Glory and Fortune ran out a surprise winner of the Betfair Hurdle and although this race often throws up a few clues towards the Champion Hurdle and in some cases the Supreme, this year's renewal strongly suggests we are not dealing with the same level of form this time around.
The horse who probably benefited most from this result was Epatante, who beat both Glory and Fortune and Soaring Glory easily in the Christmas Hurdle and she looks one of the better each-way bets of the festival in a race where beyond Honeysuckle, the contenders are falling by the wayside at a rapid rate of knots.
Death Duty joins Grand National shortlist
Sunday saw a strong field tackle the Grand National Trial at Punchestown and it went the way of veteran Death Duty, who had run well in the Thyestes at Gowran previously.
Along with Coko Beach, the pair enhanced the form of the Co Kilkenny feature won by Longhouse Poet from a month ago, so not only does the winner gain even more credence when it comes to drawing up a shortlist for Aintree, the likes of Franco De Port, Mister Fogpatches, and Ontheropes all have to enter the same thought process.
