Who To Follow On Day One OF The Festival?

The leading fancy in the Arkle and has been for sometime is one of Henry De Bromhead's big chances of the week with Notebook who is unbeaten over fences this season and we think he will be very hard to beat.

Starting in October the six year old headed to Punchestown for his first start over the bigger obstacles and saw off a nice Gigginstown horse that has since franked the form.

The gelding off the back of that stepped into a Grade Two and again blew the field away in great style and next on the agenda was the Christmas festival at Leopardstown.

He went into the Grade One Novice Chase and in a field with Laurina and Fakir D'oudairies he rose to the challenge to again win by a comfortable margin.

Keeping his run of wins going he stepped into his toughest contest at the Dublin Racing Festival in the Grade One Arkle Novice Chase where him and Cashback went toe to toe and he managed to get up on the line.

He sets the form standard and if not getting to excited looks the one to beat.

Mick Channon is no stranger to having a winner at the festival with his small team over the last few years and on the first day of the 2020 meeting he is looking to do the same with a stand out chance.

He fields the top weighted Hold The Note and he has a special relationship with this race landing it two years ago with Mister Whitaker.

The six year old son of Jeremy has been a very consistent horse for the yard starting this season over fences after being a respectable gelding over hurdles.

He went to Ludlow in November and finished third in a decent Beginners Chase that looked a perfect race to introduce him to the bigger obstacles.

He then went to Kempton where he was unfortunately pulled up when looking like he could go close in the Novices Handicap after a horse falling in front of him hampered his progress and ultimately ruined his race.

Last time out he gave a career best performance that has seen him get this high handicap mark when a clear second at Warwick in a Grade Two and that is some of the best form on offer

In the final contest of the day in the three mile six furlong event Ravenhill for Gordon Elliott and arguably the best amateur rider around Jamie Codd looks to have a huge chance.

Codd only has one ride on the first day of the festival and this 10 year old looked originally to be going for the Kim Muir but in a late change he has been smashed in the market for this contest.

The gelding has not really had a break this season running all through the summer and straight into the winter winning two of his seven events this year and placing in another two.

He looks to want a staying contest and now being unleashed over this trip for the first time could bring the best out of him.He fell last time out and will need to put that right but he is said to be one of Elliott's big chances this week.