Another Fab day expected for Willie Mullins at Cheltenham Festival

GAELIC WARRIOR won the Festival battle — and the war of the ratings on Day One.

Willie Mullins’ runner put up the best performance by a novice chaser this season when storming home in the Arkle.

Wille Mullins bagged a hat-trick of winners on day oneSportsfile

He earned a rating of 167+ and now has Grade 1 wins to his name at two miles, three miles and in between. He is clearly extremely versatile and something well out of the ordinary.

Gaelic Warrior has now passed Timeform’s threshold for a top-class chaser — 165 — but his win did not match that of El Fabiolo (175p) last season.

The worry for bookies today is the horse who had Gaelic Warrior beaten when he unseated at Leopardstown runs today.

That is FACT TO FILE (2.10) who tops the ratings for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and is a class act. He is expected to win.

EL FABIOLO (3.30) is another of Mullins’ sharpest bullets to fire and it will take a brave man to back against him.

His Timeform rating of 176p is only bettered by Galopin Des Champs (181) and Energumene (180) over fences.

El Fabiolo’s main rival today is Jonbon (173). He is a top-class chaser in his own right but El Fabiolo is unbeaten in six starts over fences and looked better than ever when hardly coming out of third gear last time out.

Jonbon’s trainer Nicky Henderson also had a very quiet opening day and his team are under a cloud.

By the time El Fabiolo struts his stuff the bookies could well be quaking in their boots.

BALLYBURN (1.30) is the best novice hurdler around and had his form boosted yesterday when Slade Steel — seven lengths behind him at Leopardstown — was a strong winner of the Supreme.

Ballyburn has a huge 12lb advantage over his nearest rival, Jingko Blue, in the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle on Timeform’s ratings.

Perhaps there will be one for the home team in the Coral Cup as Henderson’s DODDIETHEGREAT (2.50) was a big eyecatcher in the Betfair Hurdle.

He made good late headway from an unpromising position and should relish the longer trip.

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