Martin Dixon: "I'll be having one of my biggest bets of the Festival"

Joseph O'Brien had a decision to make between the Triumph Hurdle or this Mares' Novice for Galileo Dame and I think the right decision has been made.

As a juvenile she gets a handy 10lb allowance from her older rivals and I'm sure the opposition is weaker here.

A Listed-class filly on the Flat, Galileo Dame has quickly made up into a smart hurdler and stayed on strongly from a long way off the pace in a steadily-run renewal of the Spring juvenile last time out.

With 24 runners this looks assured to be a much higher-tempo race which will definitely play to her strengths and I think the New course at Cheltenham which places a real emphasis on stamina is certain to be in her favour too. 

Unlike a lot of this field Firefox hasn't had the opportunity to run in a handicap chase and I think a mark of 150 underestimates him.

A smart and consistent novice hurdler last year (third in the Supreme), he's kept the best company in Grade One novices in Ireland this season, finishing close up in the Drinmore before finding things happening a bit too quickly dropped back to 2m on his past two starts.

He's super reliable, has looked an assured jumper of fences in the main and, even with a big weight, will find this much easier than most of the tasks he's faced over the last 12 months.

Odds of 7-1 are available at the time of writing and I'll be having one of my biggest bets of the Festival each way at that price. 

3.20 - Envoi Allen each way 

Backing a veteran like Envoi Allen may not be for everyone but he has a fabulous Festival record, winning this race two years ago and finishing an excellent second to Protektorat twelve months ago when sent off 9/4 favourite. I think the key to him nowadays is perhaps to catch him when he's fresh, as he was was when battling off Hewick to win another Grade One at Down Royal in the autumn, and that performance suggests to me that he retains most of his ability. I'm hoping his hold-up style will be seen to good effect with Il Est Francais sure to set a strong tempo.