Melon An Expensive Starter At Cheltenham

Willie Mullins is responsible for 22 of the 83 entries for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The Clonsutton handler who saddled Champagne Fever, Vautour and Douvan to win three of the last four renewals has another warm favourite in the form of Sunday’s Leopardstown winner Melon.

There is no sign of the antepost plunge on the son of Medicean drying up…

…and with just under six weeks to go until the start of the Cheltenham Festival, he is already an expensive liability on the Cheltenham menu for our traders.

He is now the warm 3/1 favourite with the David Pipe-trained Moon Racer currently the 6/1 second favourite. The JP McManus owned Charli Parcs is now 7/1 from 8/1 with another Willie Mullins-trained horse, Cilaos Emery, next in the market at 8/1.

Harry Fry’s Neon Wolf is 12/1 alongside the Colin Tizzard-trained Finians Oscar whilst Crack Mome, the mare Airlie Beach, Consul De Thaix and Philip Hobbs’ Defi Du Seuil are all priced at 16/1.

*Prices correct at time of publication.