A runaway winner of the newly-named William Hill Hurdle at Newbury last month, the six-year-old initially looked an unlikely runner in the Cotswolds
JP McManus' Joyeuse has been added to the field for the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival . The six-year-old delivered a dominant victory in last month’s newly-named William Hill Hurdle at Newbury but initially seemed an unlikely contender at Cheltenham, falling one race short of the five-run requirement for Festival handicaps.
Henderson had considered the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso last weekend as an alternative but ultimately changed course, convincing owner McManus to pay the £4,800 fee to secure her spot in Tuesday’s Grade One race. Frank Berry, racing manager to McManus, said: “That’s the plan, she’s been supplemented and she’ll go there. “She was very impressive the last day, very good, and Nicky said she’d come out of the race very well.“She did it very nicely at Newbury, Nicky is very happy with her so we’re looking forward to seeing her out again.” Joyeuse is a general best-priced 6-1 for the Mares’ Hurdle, with Lossiemouth odds-on despite also being left in the Champion Hurdle by trainer Willie Mullins. Even if Lossiemouth does take on the boys, Mullins will still be well represented in his bid for an 11th Mares’ Hurdle success, with the Kenny Alexander-owned trio of Gala Marceau, Jade De Grugy and Kargese all standing their ground.Seventeen horses are in the mix for the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, including the red-hot Mullins-trained favourite Kopek Des Bordes. The Closutton maestro has whittled his team in the traditional Festival curtain-raiser down to nine, with Salvator Mundi and Irancy also worthy of consideration. Gordon Elliott’s Romeo Coolio and De Bromhead’s Workahead further strengthen the Irish contingent. Nine horses go forward for the My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy, with Majborough another warm order for Mullins ahead of his clash with Dan Skelton’s L’Eau Du Sud. The Changing Man and Broadway Boy are two of 31 confirmations for the Ultima Handicap Chase, while the Hallgarten And Novum Wines Juvenile Handicap Hurdle – better known as the Fred Winter – has 38 entries, including Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm’s French raider Stencil. The Princess Royal National Hunt Challenge Cup, which will this year be run as a novice handicap chase for the first time, brings day one of the Festival to a close and leading hopes among 29 possibles include Gavin Cromwell’s Now Is The Hour and the Rebecca Curtis-trained Haiti Couleurs.
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