13:30 Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Race preview

In recent times, Willie Mullins has dominated this prestigious opener to four days of the Cheltenham Festival. Indeed, Ireland's champion NH trainer has been responsible for five of the last 10 winners of this race and he again sends out a clear intention for the coming week by fielding a power-packed quartet, headed by the high-class FACILE VEGA, who has developed from winning the Champion Bumper here last year to being a leading light on the novice hurdle scene. The only blot on his record came when he finished lame in the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Hurdle at Leopardstown last month. If forgiven that run, the son of Walk In The Park is a prime candidate to tighten Mullins' stranglehold on this contest. That's not to dismiss stablemate Il Etait Temps, who was a comfortable winner of that aforementioned Leopardstown contest, and he is key player in his own right. Michael O'Sullivan's unbeaten Marine Nationale also gives the Irish a strong chance of getting the first winner of the Festival on the board, while UK hopes appear to rest with the Paul Nicholls-trained Tahmuras, who ticks a key box for stats fans, as he arrives on the back of a ready win in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle last time out.