'I'm much happier with him now' - Recent ante-post movers for the Cheltenham Festival

The Cheltenham Festival is now just one week away and anticipation for the biggest four days in the jumps season is reaching fever pitch.

Most of the contenders for the festival have completed their prep, though Saturday's Imperial Cup at Sandown could still reveal a few clues, and the markets for the 28 races at the Cheltenham Festival are now starting to really take shape.

With the festival now in plain sight, which horses are shaking up the ante post betting? We've picked out some of the recent market movers.

Inothewayurthinkin — Gold Cup @ 6/1 Mighty Park — Supreme Novices' Hurdle @ 4/1

Bambino Fever — Mares' Novices' Hurdle @ 5/4

Gold Cup champion proving popular

Inothewayurthinkin stormed up the Cheltenham hill last March to deny Galopin Des Champs a third Gold Cup and give trainer Gavin Cromwell the biggest winner of his career.

The JP McManus-owned eight-year-old has disappointed in all three starts since. He was beaten a combined 94-lengths in the John Durkan and the Savills Chase and then fell when tired and beaten at the last in the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival.

With those runs behind him, Inothewayurthinkin was around an 18/1 chance to retain his Gold Cup crown last week but he has dropped in the betting following a seemingly significant piece of work at home.

He's now as short as 6/1 with some firms and Cromwell says the signs are good at home, though he admits it is a "big ask" to retain his title.

"I'm much happier with him now. That said, I think a few people might be losing the run of themselves with the way his price is shortening up," Cromwell told the Racing Post.

"He's starting to look a lot better in his coat and we're more optimistic than we were a couple of weeks ago, that's for sure. It's still a big ask.

"To come from where he was lying down at the back of the last fence at Leopardstown to winning a Gold Cup is asking a lot, but I'm definitely happier and fingers crossed he'll get there and give a good account of himself."

Mighty Park shortening for the Supreme

Another horse that has shortened up dramatically is Mighty Park, also owned by McManus but trained by Willie Mullins.

The Walk In The Park gelding was a 38-length winner on his stable debut at Fairyhouse in January, dispatching stablemate Roc Dino in impressive fashion.

That form has worked out well but the champion trainer has remained non-committal on his Cheltenham plans for Mighty Park, who is entered in both the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and the Turners Novices' Hurdle.

The longer race appeared most likely based on Mullins' musings but Mighty Park's price has tumbled from 14/1 to 4/1 for the festival curtain-raiser in the last fortnight.

He would face the likes of Old Park Star and El Cairos in the two-miler, while Talk The Talk and top British hope No Drama This End are amongst his possible rivals over the longer trip in the Turners.

DRF winner Talk The Talk has come in from 10/1 to 7/2 with some firms for the Turners but his trainer Joseph O'Brien has suggested that is not his intended target.

"Both options are open, but at the moment the Supreme remains the more likely one. He'll be left in both races and we'll discuss it internally with [owners] Simon [Munir], Isaac [Souede] and the team."

Bambino Fever looks rock solid

Bambino Fever won the Champion Bumper last season and that race has worked out very well. Willie Mullins' mare was denied by a race-fit Oldschool Outlaw on her hurdles debut at Naas in December but ran out a convincing winner next time at Fairyhouse in January.

A rematch with Gordon Elliott's mare is likely in the Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle next week and Bambino Fever is hardening all the time. She's the 5/4 market leader now and could be one of the best-backed horses at the meeting.

Patrick Mullins pinpointed her as his strongest fancy at the meeting this year in a recent Racing Post feature.

"The New course should suit her better again than the Old course, which she won on last year. She jumps well, has won at the festival, is a straightforward ride and I expect her to avenge that Naas defeat to Oldschool Outlaw," he said.