AS we get so close to the Cheltenham Festival, I am asked one question time and time again.
What is the banker bet of the meeting?
Templegate can’t see Vauban getting beaten in the Triumph Hurdle
The easy answer would be to say Shishkin or Honeysuckle but they are both likely to be well odds-on in the Champion Chase and Champion Hurdle respectively.
Sometimes you have to wait until late in the Festival for your best bet to run – and that’s the case this year.
The opener on the final day, the Triumph Hurdle, is the race in question and the banker is VAUBAN.
I have been really impressed with Willie Mullins’ four-year-old since he switched to jumping.
He was useful on the Flat in France, winning a Listed contest, and he has shown that class on both starts for the Irish champion.
He kicked off in a big-field contest at Punchestown where he was beaten half a length by Gordon Elliott’s Pied Piper.
That doesn’t tell the story though as Paul Townend’s mount had zero luck in running.
He needed to be switched a couple of times and was eating up the ground to the winner only for the winning post to come too soon.
That form was left behind in the Grade 1 Spring Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival where he battered Elliott’s other Triumph hopeful Fil Dor by an easy three lengths.
Vauban is joint favourite at around 2-1 with Pied Piper who was impressive in taking a Cheltenham Grade 2 last time but against inferior rivals.
Britain has an each-way Triumph hope in Knight Salute who made it three Grade 2 wins in a row with a smooth Adonis Hurdle success at Kempton last week.
He needs to raise his game again to see off the Irish challenge but could reward place punters at 12-1 given his liking for the track.
But VAUBAN, top-price 15-8 with Coral, Ladbrokes and Bet365, looks a cut above and is worth keeping the powder dry for!
