2021 Cheltenham Festival Ante-Post Each Way Lucky 15

The first selection for our Ante-Post each way lucky 15 comes in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle with Ballyadam for new trainer Henry De Bromhead.

The five year old is a hugely exciting youngster Cheveley Park Stud after winning a three mile point to point by four lengths and being bought by the owners for a big fee.

He was seen twice last term, first time finishing third in a decent bumper at Navan before getting off the mark at the second time of asking, winning at Downpatrick by 18 lengths.

It was a breathtaking performance and he used that on his hurdles debut to get off the mark in fine style in a Maiden Hurdle at Down Royal, winning by 12 lengths.

He is a horse regarded very highly in Ireland and backed up that potential on just his second start over hurdles when landing the Grade One Royal Bond Novices' Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Since then he has been twice more at Leopardstown in Grade One events and although giving a lesser run at Christmas behind rival Appreciate it in to fourth, he bounced back last time out at the Dublin Racing Festival to finish a much closer second.

We do think the favourite is very tough to beat, but from an each way perspective this horse horse offers huge value being a black type winner at this level and showing clear speed in the later stages of his races.

On the Wednesday is out biggest price selection in the lucky 15 with Amoola Gold for trainer Dan Skelton looking big value in the Grand Annual Handicap Chase.

The Skelton's have been in fine form this season and head into the festival with arguably their best ever team and this gelding has a leading chance in this race.

The eight year olds handler believes this season he has turned into the horse they always thought he would be and on his seasonal debut he proved just that when landing a two mile handicap at Wetherby.

The gelding then went on to back that up with another success, this time at Ascot when seeing off Ibleo, who has since gone on to frank the form twice.

Amoola Gold has been seen twice more since that run and he has finished second in good fashion on both occasions behind some extremely smart types.

Two starts ago at Ascot he was a neck second to First Flow for Kim Bailey who has since gone on to land the Grade One Clarence House Chase.

Last time out the gelding went to Warwick for his final run before the festival and was a strong runner up behind Sky Pirate, who is favourite for this race.

He was only receiving 2lb off the favourite that day, but at the festival will be getting more and he looks an obvious type at a big price to go well in the race.

Thursday's selection for the lucky 15 comes in the Grade Two Mares Novices' Hurdle and we are siding with Hook Up for leading trainer Willie Mullins.

We are very much going with the approach that if it is not broke then don't fix it, with Mullins landing all five renewals of the race since its existence back in 2016.

Hook Up looks an extremely smart mare for the Closutton handler having had three starts this term and running to a high level in all of them.

On debut the five year old landed a Maiden Hurdle at Fairyhouse, seeing off the exciting Gars De Sceaux for Gordon Elliott who went on to frank the form next time out.

Off the back of that run, the mare was stepped up slightly in trip back at Fairyhouse and was a good second behind the Peter Fahey trained Royal Kahala.

Last time out she was pitched into the Grade One Chanelle Pharma Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival and was a staying on fourth behind stablemate Appreciate It.

What was eye-catching about her run was the ground she made up in the final furlongs and being dropped back into a lesser race against her own sex makes her very interesting.

The last selection in the Lucky 15 is the Willie Mullins trained Stattler who is owned by the sponsor of the contest and we all know that they would love to keep their own money.

The £59,000 purchase as a three year old started his career in January 2020 and was pitched into a bumper at Fairyhouse where he got off the mark straight away.

He was seen twice again in this sphere finishing third behind the likeable Farouk D'Alene and then second at Limerick in a minor event.

Mullins this term stepped him over hurdles and he looks to be a different prospect all together, with staying trips certainly more of what he needs then two mile events.

He was sent to Naas in November on hurdles debut and finished a good third of 20 runners, but last time out he showed his best run to date when stepped up to 2m4f.

Stattler landed a Maiden Hurdle at Leopardstown over the Christmas period, seeing off the smart Glens Of Antrim who was receiving 7lb from our horse.

The second looks to be a smart type for the same yard and it makes Stattler an even better recruit winning easily giving weight away.

Since that run the gelding has been seen once more and he finished a smart third behind stablemate Gaillard Du Mesnil at the Dublin Racing Festival over 2m6f.

He went from the front that day and although getting collard in the final stages of the race will come on for the run and will appreciate it the extra trip at Cheltenham.