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Buveur D’Air looks the class act in Champion Hurdle on day one of the Cheltenham Festival

Author: Roger Jackson, Posted: Monday, 12th March 2018, 14:20

Get your money on Buveur D’Air and Apples Jade and enjoy a win double on day one of the Cheltenham Festival which gets under way tomorrow.

So says friend of The Local Answer, Mike Edwards, who has been involved with National Hunt racing for much of his 70-plus years.

The Nicky Henderson-trained Buveur D’Air runs in tomorrow's showpiece race – the UniBet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy – while Apple’s Jade, trained by Gordon Elliott, goes in the next race, the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle Race.

“They’re both odds on but they are both class horses,” added Edwards. “Buveur D’Air is a class above the rest in his field.”

Former winner Faugheen, trained by Willie Mullins, will have his backers in the Champion Hurdle of course. The 2015 winner and Buveur D’Air have never met but Edwards added: “Buveur D’Air is the new kid on the block.”

Edwards has been a regular at the Festival for many decades and he says he’s very excited by the next four days of racing because the recent weather means that the going at Prestbury Park is heavy.

“It’s always better when the going is heavy,” said Edwards. “Firstly, the horses go slower and there are fewer injuries and you always get much longer-priced winners.”

One of those that Edwards is tipping to spring a surprise is the Warren Greatrex-trained Keeper Hill in the National Hunt Challenge Cup Amateur Riders’ Novices’ Chase at 4.50pm.

Mike Edwards’ top tips for day one:

1.30 – Kalashnikov

2.10 – Footpad

2.50 – Co Star Sivola

3.30 – Buveur D’Air

4.10 – Apples Jade

4.50 – Keeper Hill

5.30 – Any Second Now

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Buveur D’Air looks the class act in Champion Hurdle on day one of the Cheltenham Festival

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