Nicky English (All-Ireland winning player and coach)
1. Bet of the meeting? “Take your pick of a number of short-priced Willie Mullins horses; State Man, Ballyburn, El Fabiolo, Galopin Des Champs.”
2. Lay of the meeting? “The Mares Chase can be very competitive. I would oppose Dinoblue if she’s odds-on.”
3. Number of Irish winners? “Could be 20.”
4. Number of Willie Mullins-trained winners? “I’ll go with 10.”
5. What wins the Gold Cup? “I can’t go against Galopin Des Champs.”
6. Are you worried about lack of competition at Cheltenham these days? “You have to be. There seem to be exceptional horses dominating in the championship races. They frighten off opposition and there’s probably going to be a record number of odds-on favourites this year. For me, Cheltenham’s attraction for has always been the uncertainty of results. Maybe this year will prove that remains — but I think not.”
Ivan Yates (Broadcaster and ex-minister)
1. Bet of the meeting? “The three I will back are State Man, El Fabiolo and Dinoblue. The prices on all of them should be better on the day given the nature of liquidity in the markets.
2. Lay of the meeting? “My three ‘Bismarcks’ are Sir Gino in the Triumph, Minella Indo in the Cross-Country, and Corbetts Cross in the National Hunt Chase. He has done enough, like running out here in the past, to make me take him on.”
3. Number of Irish winners? “18″
4. Number of Willie Mullins-trained winners? “I think Willie will have 10 again.”
5. What wins the Gold Cup? “I won’t oppose Galopin Des Champs but I won’t back him either. Of all the shorties, he could be vulnerable. I backed him the last two days in Leopardstown and he was brilliant, but has he peaked too early? I’ll be shouting for him though.”
6. Are you worried about lack of competition at Cheltenham these days? “I don’t accept the competition argument. It’s appropriate there are Mares races and races over intermediate distances. Allaho wouldn’t have won a Gold Cup or a Champion Chase but he was brilliant in the Ryanair. I don’t like the handicaps myself because they’re so hard, but overall, I think four days is right and there’s far more right than wrong with the festival.”
Paddy Power (Bookmaker)
1. Bet of the meeting? “Envoi Allen in the Ryanair. He won it well last year and has been a bit overlooked in the market.
2. Lay of the meeting? “Lossiemouth. She may well win, but I think her odds are too short considering it will be her first time at the trip.”
3. Number of Irish winners? “20 this time.”
4. Number of Willie Mullins-trained winners? “Nine.”
5. What wins the Gold Cup? “Anything close to his best and Galopin Des Champs wins. If he reproduces his Christmas performance at Leopardstown, he’ll lap them!”
6. Are you worried about lack of competition at Cheltenham these days? “Yes, I am a bit. I think it’s too easy for the big guns to duck each other. It also feels like top class horses are being given the chance to drop in grade and win some of the traditionally weaker races, making the top class races less competitive.”
Jimmy Barry Murphy (All-Ireland winning player and coach)
1. Bet of the meeting? “There are some very short ones that are no price, but at 7-4 or 2-1 I think Brighterdaysahead in the mares novice.”
2. Lay of the meeting? “I backed Teahupoo in the Stayers last year and felt he should have won. He’s obviously very good but it might be a year too late for him.”
3. Number of Irish winners? “I might be mad, but I’ll say 17.”
4. Number of Willie Mullins-trained winners? “He had six last year, 10 the year before — let’s split the difference at eight.”
5. What wins the Gold Cup? “Definitely Galopin Des Champs. He has that bit of class and he was brilliant at Leopardstown during Christmas.”
6. Are you worried about lack of competition at Cheltenham these days?: “It’s like a holiday for me and I love going to Cheltenham. But it’s very expensive and I see crowds were down 40,000 last year. I don’t know if that’s linked to competition, but a lot of races are being dominated by a small few trainers and that has to be a concern.”
Darragh Ó Sé (Six-time All-Ireland winner)
1. Bet of the meeting? “Teahupoo in the Stayers. He was very unlucky last year, and he has been kept fresh for this.”
2. Lay of the meeting? “Sir Gino [Triumph Hurdle] looked too good to be true when he won the last time. I’m against him.”
3. Number of Irish winners? “I think we’re looking at 18-plus.”
4. Number of Willie Mullins-trained winners? “Willie has some bullets to fire. Some of his second strings look super. I’ll say 10-plus.”
5. What wins the Gold Cup? “Galopin Des Champs is s super horse but it’s a very tough race and he’s no value. Gerri Colombe each way.”
6. Are you worried about lack of competition at Cheltenham these days? “If you keep tinkering with something, you eventually end up with nothing to tinker with. They are diluting the product and the competition. If it isn’t broke, then don’t fix it and they’ve been fixing it.”
