Cheltenham 2023 Ante-post Tips – Potter can be Mighty in the Turners

With Irish stars set to return at Down Royal over the weekend, now is the time to back Mighty Potter for Cheltenham Festival 2023 glory.

Best priced 12/1 for the Turners Novices Chase, Mighty Potter is set to make his fencing debut over two miles and three furlongs at Down Royal on Friday.

Gordon tends to target this race with one of his top prospects having won recent renewals with the likes of Samcro and Envoi Allen. Samcro went on to win the Turners at Cheltenham, whilst Envoi Allen was sent off 4/9 favourite but took a crashing fall at the fourth.

 

Class shone through over hurdles

Mighty Potter looks a seriously high-class recruit to the novice chasing ranks. Given his scopey-chasing physique, I think it is a testament to his ability that he was able to win two Grade 1’s over hurdles at the minimum trip. His comfortable beating of Ballymore winner Sir Gerhard at Punchestown is likely false form, but I do believe it may give us a clue regarding his trip over fences.

 

Potter’s form holds the clues for his potential trip over fences

Gordon’s string didn’t appear to be fully firing at Cheltenham and Mighty Potter ran well below form in a red-hot Supreme Novices Hurdle. The fact he was in such good form just six weeks later suggests to me that he may have been outpaced, taken off his feet, sitting in behind a ferocious pace set by Dysart Dynamo and Jonbon. Those two rivals are likely to line up in the Arkle where they notoriously fly down over the first few fences.

Having been caught out for pace in a Royal Bond, and subsequently shaped like a stayer in the Paddy Power Future Champions at Christmas, I half expected to see Mighty Potter step up in trip for the Ballymore. Given the typical frenetic nature of an Arkle, and how strongly Mighty Potter stayed over two miles, I am hoping connections favour a step up in trip and a shot at the Turners.

 

Open looking three-mile division can lure Three Stripe Life away

Stablemate Three Stripe Life has a very similar profile to Mighty Potter and could be campaigned over similar trips. He was stepped up in trip as a novice hurdler but shapes to me as though he would improve further for a step up to three miles. With news breaking recently that Albert Bartlett winner, The Nice Guy, is out for the season, and Willie Mullins suggesting that current antepost favourite Minella Cocooner could step down in trip, the Brown Advisory market looks wide open. I can see Gordon taking advantage of this by stepping Three Stripe Life up to three miles, subsequently separating two of his stable stars, and potentially scooping up a few more valuable pots.

 

Market Rivals are by no means certain runners

Sir Gerhard and Jonbon currently head the betting for the Turners but there is uncertainty surrounding their participation in the race. Jonbon is likely to be sent down the Arkle route whilst Sir Gerhard has been touted as a potential Champion Hurdle horse. He too would have the option of running in the Arkle should connections opt for novice chasing. Given Mighty Potter is twice the price and much more likely to run in the race, he looks the value bet.

 

Don’t discount a class act

Far too often in racing, punters are too quick to abandon horses off the back of one poor run. Appreciate It was set a mammoth task when taking on Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle on his first start for a year. Beaten on his seasonal debut as a bumper horse, I believe he is a horse that improves considerably for each run. With that in mind I would forgive him his run in the Champion Hurdle where he ran with credit before tiring up the hill. I have long thought of Appreciate It as a stayer and given his chasing constitution would expect him to improve for a fence. Willie has already earmarked the Arkle as a potential long-term target, but given he has Dysart Dynamo and El Fabiolo, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Appreciate It rock up in the Turners come March.

 

2023 Turners Novices Chase Ante-post Tips

Having already advised Appreciate It at 12/1, I am happy to add Mighty Potter to the antepost assault. I have no doubt Mighty Potter will be a better horse over further and given he is set to reappear over the intermediate trip, I am hoping a dominate display will see him stay there, with the Grade 1 Drinmore Novices Chase a potential target early next month. As is the nature of antepost punting these days, an impressive chase debut on Friday could see his odds slash, regardless of who he beats.

Appreciate It – 12/1 with bet365

Mighty Potter – 12/1 with bet365

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