The build-up to Cheltenham is in full flow as the plot thickens ahead of this year’s behind closed doors festival. Here’s four questions that will be answered at ‘The Greatest Show on Turf’. 

Is Goshen Back to His Best?

Goshen was in devastating form last season in the run up to Cheltenham Festival 2020, before his infamous hiccup over the last hurdle at Cheltenham to deny the Gary Moore horse the most emphatic of festival victories.  

After ending the season in disappointment, it seemed inevitable we’d see Goshen fully revved up and ready for another shot at Cheltenham glory. However, things just simply did not go to plan for Goshen in the first couple of races of the season.

He made his reappearance at the end of September in a flat race where Goshen finished last of all 6 runners. Of course, there was no immediate concern as it was his first race back and not his ideal conditions. Goshen was then tried in another flat race at Haydock in October, it was a closer run race but Goshen finished 3^rd. 

Then serious question marks were raised when Goshen returned over hurdles at Cheltenham, back in December, the setting of the stellar performance at the festival before the home straight nightmare occurred. Goshen finished last of 10 runners in the International Hurdle and looked a shadow of his former superstar self.

Goshen’s next appearance was at Ascot on 20^th February, this was arguably Goshen’s last chance to prove he is somewhere near to his old self. Goshen went off at 10/3 in the betting behind favourite Song for Someone but Goshen looked confident and smooth the whole way around Ascot with the Gary Moore horse winning by 22 lengths and looking like his former self. 

We all know the Ascot win wasn’t the Champion Hurdle and Goshen will meet the likes of Honeysuckle and Epatante, but if Goshen is back to his best then he has every chance of claiming what would be an incredibly emotional win at Cheltenham.

Can Anybody Stop Willie Mullins From Claiming The Top Trainer Award?

In the run up to Cheltenham, Willie Mullins’ stars couldn’t have been more impressive over in Ireland. Chacun Pour Soi, Monkfish, Gaillard De Mensil, Appreciate It and Energumene have all put in some great performances in the build-up to the festival. Not to mention Mullins also saddles two-time Gold Cup champion Al Boum Photo! 

The bookies seem to think it’s a near certainty with Willie Mullins around the 1/3 mark to claim the top trainer award. 

The Irish dominate the top of the market with Gordon Elliot the second favourite to win top trainer at the festival, then comes Nicky Henderson, Henry De Bromhead, Dan Skelton and Paul Nicholls. 

Mullins has won most of the key pre-Cheltenham battles over in Ireland which surely puts questions marks on Gordon Elliot’s and Henry De Bromhead’s chances of being crowned top trainer. 

Nicky Henderson will believe he has a chance of running Mullins close with the likes of Epatante, Shishkin, Champ and Chantry House all impressing this season. 

Is Champ Good Enough to Win The Gold Cup?

Champ’s Cheltenham Gold Cup antepost price was cut in half after his promising run at Newbury on Sunday. The 2020 RSA champion made his long awaited return having not run since that late surge to victory at Cheltenham last year. 

The Nicky Henderson trained horse was up against some expert 2-milers and finished second in the race, a pretty impressive return to action when you take into consideration this isn’t Champ’s best distance. 

Champ looks all but set for a crack at Cheltenham’s most prestigious prize, The Gold Cup in March and is now as low as 6-1 at some places to win it, behind Gold Cup expert Al Boum Photo who bids to win his third consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cup. 

There had been question marks about Champs jumping in the lead up to last year’s festival and this has clearly been a focus for the horse at home, with trainer Nicky Henderson saying “It won’t surprise you to learn that we’ve been working on his jumping” after Champ’s run at Newbury. 

The potential of Champ is undeniable and if the Seven Barrows horse has improved on his jumping there is no reason why he can’t have a serious stab at the Gold Cup. 

Who Will go Off as Favourite in The Champion Hurdle?

There are of course still questions marks around what horses will feature in the Champion Hurdle, but at the moment it is looking like one of the most competitive races at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival. 

Irish superstar Honeysuckle heads the antepost betting at 3/1, while Nicky Henderson’s impressive Epatante is a close second favourite at 7/2. Goshen’s resurgence at Ascot on Saturday has brought his odds in to 4/1 and third favourite in the betting. 

You could currently throw a cloth over all three of those horses in the betting. This order is sure to change several times ahead of the off and it will be fascinating to see who heads the market on Tuesday 16^th March.