D Art D Art the first of many for Tiernan Power Roche

Members are only too aware of the high regard the Nu team have for Irish Conditional Claiming jockey Tiernan Power Roche.

His record since joining the professional ranks is quite simply phenomenal riding 33 winners in just six months and only 7 away from losing his 5lb claim.

Key to his excellence is his judgement of pace either from the front or on horses ridden cold. It has been compared to the great Ruby Walsh and he can capture his first Cheltenham festival win aboard the Thomas Cooper trained D Art D Art in the Pertemps final due off at 14.40.

Thomas Cooper is a vastly experienced trainer who has previously sent just 6 horses to the festival that have gone to post at a price of 14/1 or less.

The first Total Enjoyment landed a gamble backed into 7/1 to capture the Champion Bumper in the hands of Jim Colloty .

His next attempt was aimed at the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle with River Laine ridden by Davy Russell, the horse was sent off as one of the shortest priced favourites for this race going off at 11/4. Unfortunately after travelling strongly into the race at the 3rd last – he weakened finishing in 12th place but was found to have broken a blood vessel.

The stables best ever horse Forpadydeplasterer was sent to the festival fancied on three occasions finishing an unlucky 4th in the Ballymore when given too much to do. Then winning the Arkle and the following year coming 2nd in The Champion Chase.

Their only other fancied runner was Lucky William who was travelling really well when unseating his rider Bryan Cooper in the Grand Annual

The stables record at the Festival with horses going off at an SP of 14/1 or less is UR-2-W-4-UP-W.

D Art D Art will be their first strongly fancied festival runner for over 12 years. They have though stuck to the policy of booking a top jockey to ride their runners. Jim Colloty is joined by Tony McCoy, Davy Russell, Barry Geraghty and Brian Cooper. Tiernan is in good company.

D’Art D’Art has ran at the festival when finishing down the card when starting at 80/1 in the 2023 Champion Bumper. He has had just 4 outings this season , the latest being in the Carlisle Pertemps qualifier where he looked certain to win but got nabbed on the line by the Olly Murphy trained Shallow River. ridden by Sean Bowen another winning ride by the Champion elect that traded at over 100/1 in running. Shallow River has not been seen out since-the 3rd home was Gwennie May Boy who gave the form a massive boost when winning the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle on his latest outing.

The 6yo is Timeform top rated taking into account Tiernan’s 5lb allowance and has been prepared for this day for over a year. The yard has few runners but landed a nice touch in a Bumper at Leopardstown last week

Don’t expect to see D Art D Art anywhere other than at the back of the field for the first 2 miles, but do expect Tiernan to start to pass horses throughout the final mile, jumping into contention at the last and getting his head in front near the winning line.

A bet that typifies everything that is great about the festival

1pt ew D Art D Art 2.50 Cheltenham 7/1 ( 6 Places Bet 365 )