‘I’m certain my Cheltenham Festival banker will not be beat’ – Templegate goes early with his big tip

I’M going early with my Cheltenham Festival banker this season — TEAHUPOO in the Stayers’ Hurdle.

He taught me a lesson when handing out a beating to rising star Impaire Et Passe at Fairyhouse at the weekend.

Teahupoo sees off Impaire Et Passe in the Grade 1 Hatton’s Grace and will now go straight to CheltenhamSportsfile

I thought Gordon Elliott’s star needed it wetter than an otter’s backside to show his best form.

But, while it was clearly testing, it wasn’t bottomless as he outbattled his younger rival up the run-in.

He’ll only be seven when he tries to go two places better than last year’s close effort at the Festival.

And it’s telling that connections will wrap him in cotton wool before the Stayers’ — fearing his run at Gowran in January took the edge off him last time.

OK, he’s 4-1 with most firms so Teahupoo is not exactly a dark one — but there’s nothing to beat him over three miles.

We don’t even have to worry about the ground so much now.

As long as it’s not a road he’ll be fine.

French raider Theleme has been all the rage with a few punters.

And he looked awesome winning a three-mile Grade 1 by ten lengths when last seen on November 11.

He has turned into a money-making machine with over £1million in winnings from just 18 races.

But Elliott looks to have his horses in top form and I fancy a tried and tested Festival-winning trainer over his French counterpart Arnaud Chaille-Chaille.

You will remember Gold Tweet, another French horse, was all the rage last year after his Trials Day victory only to finish eighth when it mattered in the Stayers’.

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