Racings tips: Un De Sceaux has hallmarks of a champion

Ruby Walsh celebrates after riding Annie Power to an emphatic victory in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. Picture: Getty

Trainer Willie Mullins ruffled a few feathers when electing to bypass the 2014 Champion Hurdle with his free-going French import in favour of a quieter trip to France, but hindsight suggests that was probably the correct call as the eight-year-old appears at least slightly more tractable these days.

A brilliant winner of last year’s Arkle, Un De Sceaux has never been beaten in 14 completed starts, but the knockers will point to his two falls at Thurles last season and at Leopardstown over Christmas as evidence he is far from flawless.

There was no sign of a repeat of those errors when he slammed 2014 Champion Chaser Sire De Grugy at Ascot last month and with a clear round, it is hard to see the rest pegging him back in the main event on day two of the Festival.

Sprinter Sacre looked invincible at his peak, but it is three years since his mesmerising performance in this event.

Dodging Bullets won a sub-standard renewal 12 months ago and was beaten on his comeback, while it is hard to see Sire De Grugy reversing Ascot form, although the fitting of blinkers make him an attractive each-way bet at decent odds.

Many see Alan King’s Yanworth as one of the bankers of the week in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle, but the Mullins-trained Yorkhill should make a race of it and looks the value call.

The RSA Chase looks a straight match between More Of That and No More Heroes and with conditions drying out all the time, preference is for the former.

CHELTENHAM

1:30 Yorkhill

2:10 More Of That

2:50 Rock The Kasbah

3:30 Un De Sceaux (nap)

4:10 Josies Orders

4:50 Campeador

5:30 New To This Town

BANGOR

2:25 Magic Money

3:05 Don’t Hang About

3:45 Kilcullen Flem

4:25 Old Magic

5:05 Cruising Bye

5:40 Diamond Rock

KEMPTON

6:05 Lions Charge

6:40 Voice From Above

7:10 Celtic Ava

7:40 Dangerous Thought

8:10 Chelwood Gate

8:40 Princess Cookie

9:10 Chetan

SOUTHWELL

1:20 Sooqaan

1:55 Lifting Me Higher

2:35 Street Duel

3:15 St Andrews

3:55 Moon River

4:35 Hello Beautiful

5:15 Rampers

5:50 Lucky Mark

DOUBLE

Un De Sceaux

3:30 Cheltenham

Josies Orders

4:10 Cheltenham