Three forgotten horses at the Cheltenham Festival: 'Eoin Griffin's horses have been in good form this season'

Plenty of people will be looking at the front of the market for their selections at this year's Cheltenham Festival, and while plenty of races have top-class horses, we can see shocks happening throughout the season.

Sometimes there are a few forgotten horses who have been at the track and done it before, but a year older and people seem to think that they can't do it anymore.

There's three horses that I feel are overpriced in this year's Cheltenham Festival and could have a say at the end of the race.

Daily Present in the Kim Muir 20/1, 5.20 Thursday

Last year’s winner of the race comes back into the festival as a 20/1 chance. Although disappointing, these races have been over hurdles, and it's also important to remember that he is only 6 pounds higher this year than last year. Paul Nolan’s horses have been in good form this season and he is approaching the festival with his strongest team yet. Johnnywho who Daily Present defeated, has improved further this season winning the Ultima Handicap Chase on Tuesday. It will be this horse’s third run at Cheltenham and he seems to enjoy it, with a 5th place finish the year the 2025 Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin bolted up.

But I feel for a former winner of the race he definitely has a good chance at the prices. Course form is crucial and he has regular rider Barry Stone, who is a superb point-to-point jockey. All things combined, I feel Daily Present can run well in this event again and he just might be one that is slipping the mind of people at this year’s festival.

It’s Only A Game in the Champion Bumper 25-1, 5.20 Wednesday

It’s Only A Game runs in the Champion Bumper and I’d be expecting him to shape up much better in the event this year. He made a good impression when winning a Punchestown bumper before Christmas and he looked like a horse that could improve and be one that would suit this race.

Most people won’t have seen, but before his Leopardstown run the last day he was playacting before the race and nearly didn’t join up with the rest of the horses, so he definitely has a quirk with him along with obvious talent.

I think this year, with the amount of horses in the race, he might settle a little bit better. I also feel that former Champion Bumper-winning jockey John Gleeson will be able to do things on his own terms this time, as I feel he had to mind the horse the last day and educate him on how to run, which hampered his chances of winning.

The last day he was visually impressive when winning in Punchestown and looks like a horse that definitely has plenty of talent. In a wide-open Champion Bumper he’s one that could run into a big place.

Ol Man Dingle in the Jack Richards Novices' Chase, 33-1, 2.00 Thursday

One horse that looks to be going under the radar for the Jack Richards Novices’ Chase is Ol Man Dingle.

He was an impressive winner at Leopardstown over hurdles last season, beating the well-fancied Henry de Bromhead-trained Taponthego. He’s constantly improved through races and made a good start to life over fences this season when beating Will The Wise in Galway, and then going on to win a Grade 3 event in Cork beating the Willie Mullins-trained You Oughta Know.

He disappointed then in Fairyhouse but had obvious excuses as his best form is on drying ground. I think if one horse is going under the radar that likes to go a good gallop and will enjoy the conditions of a race, I feel it’s Ol Man Dingle.

Eoin Griffin’s horses have been in good form this season and the connections had a winner last week, so I feel at a huge price he could be a bit of a forgotten horse in this race with the likes of Slade Steel, Regent’s Stroll, Sixmilebridge and plenty of other classy types. But he’s a bit too big of a price to ignore and I feel he’s going under the radar.