Key Points
- My betting tip gave antepost favourite Narciso Has a fright at the Dublin Racing Festival
- This mare was expected to improve for that run so her potential is frightening!
- Rich Ricci has won two Triumph Hurdle renewals, and I think he can add a third
It’s time for my first
free horse racing tip
of the week! There are five meetings today across Punchestown, Ludlow, Kempton (AW), Sedgefield and Newcastle (AW) today but nothing stood out to me. Therefore, I’m not going to force a bet for today’s action just for the sake of it. However, we will be having a bet today and this is on a horse that really caught my eye at the Dublin Racing Festival over the weekend. So much so that I want to get her on our side for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival early now.
If you’re just discovering my content, I’m RacingGav and I’m the resident horse racing expert here at Betting.co.uk. I publish several articles every week which include a mix of daily and antepost betting tips, big race trends, and educational guides, so there is something here for everyone. Plus, if you are into antepost betting then it’s worth checking out my early selection for the
Pertemps Network Handicap
and my main selection for the
2026 Aintree Grand National
too. At the time of writing, both of these horses remain available at the prices advised.
Betting advice
- Friday 13 March 2026 -
2026 Cheltenham Festival
- The Triumph Hurdle -
Selma De Vary
@ 8/1 (3 places) -
1pt each way
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Willie can make it six Triumph Hurdle wins this year
Willie Mullins has won five of the last six Triumph Hurdle renewals, and I think he will add another at this year’s Cheltenham Festival. However, I don’t think he will do it with the current antepost favourite, Narciso Has. After all, he has a potential superstar filly up his sleeve.
Selma De Vary gave Narciso Has a fright at the Dublin Racing Festival
Over the weekend we had the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown, during which we saw a Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle take place. Narciso Has was expected to win for Willie Mullins, JP McManus and Mark Walsh and he obliged at even money. However, whilst on paper it was all plain sailing and he’s now a short priced favourite for the Triumph Hurdle, he wasn’t the one I’m taking out of the race.
Willie Mullins ran three in the race - Narciso Has, Selma De Vary and Bertutea. It was the filly Selma De Vary who ran in the Rich Ricci silks under Paul Townend that I was keen to keep an eye on. Both Willie Mullins and Rich Ricci downplayed her chances before the race, strongly advising that she would benefit from the experience and the run.
She was dropped into the rear of the field, wearing a hood and raced keenly in the early stages. Paul kept her covered up in rear before making a move at two out where she sliced through the field like a hot knife through butter, progressing from last place to third in a matter of strides. To my eye, she travelled the strongest around the home bend and looked the winner. However, she both looked green and physically in need of the run, when tiring and making a mistake at the last. With the way she came into the race between the final two flights, the Narciso Has backers would have been sweating!
Selma De Vary was expected to improve for that run so her potential is frightening!
As mentioned, before the race both Willie Mullins and Rich Ricci were strongly playing down her chance. In his public blog, Willie stated
“Selma De Vary is having her first run for us. She had plenty of experience over hurdles in France and
shows
us quite a bit at home. However, she will improve for this run and is one to keep an eye on for the rest of the season”.
As a result, I think it was a hugely promising run and it makes me very excited for what she could bring to the table in the future. You can mark her performance up from multiple angles. Firstly, she was keen early on, fresh from a small break and that run should knock some of that freshness out of her. Secondly, she looked green when wandering around in the home straight, which she should learn an awful lot from. Finally, she looked to get tired late on and with that run under her belt, I would expect to see a much stronger performance next time out.
For me, the key part of her performance was the jump at the second last and how smoothly she progressed from last place to third. It was completely effortless and in such a short space of time. She then only furthered her impression upon me when she cruised around the bend on the bridle, closing on the two ahead of her as they started to be asked questions by their riders. With that being Narciso Has’ third run of the season and in Ireland, I think Selma De Vary is open to far more progression and can reverse the form at Cheltenham.
Rich Ricci has won the Triumph Hurdle twice already, I think he can make it three
As touched upon already, Willie Mullins has won five of the last six Triumph Hurdles, which is an incredible statistic. In fairness, he was a fortunate winner in 2020 with Burning Victory as the race featured the infamous unseat at the final hurdle from Goshen when he was set to win. However, after Henry De Bromhead won the race in 2021 with Quilixios, Willie Mullins has firmly had this race in his grip. The last four renewals have all gone his way with Vauban (2022), Lossiemouth (2023), Majborough (2024) and Poniros (2025).
Interestingly, the 2022 and 2023 runners - Vauban and Lossiemouth were both French imports for Rich Ricci and Selma De Vary fits that mould once again. Ironically being a stunning grey filly, you cannot help but think of Lossiemouth when you see her, especially with the Rich Ricci silks in the saddle. Ricci didn’t have a runner in the 2024 renewal and he could only manage 8th and 11th in the 2025 renewal with Sainte Lucie and Willy De Houelle. However, there was modest hopes with that pair who were sent off 50/1 and 40/1 respectively.
In Selma De Vary, I think Rich Ricci could have his next superstar judged on what I saw at Leopardstown. I certainly think she will give Narciso Has plenty to think about in the Triumph Hurdle with that run under her belt!
Can Selma De Vary defeat hot favourite Narciso Has?
Vauban landed a Triumph Hurdle win for Rich Ricci and Lossiemouth made it two. Can Selma De Vary land the hat trick win for him? I think she can! At the time of writing this article, Narciso Has is strongly fancied to win the Triumph Hurdle. The best price available is 7/4 and he’s as short as 5/4 with a couple of bookmakers. That’s a very skinny price for a Triumph Hurdle. However, when there is a short-priced favourite, it usually means there is value elsewhere. I believe that’s the case with Selma De Vary.
I’m not going to sit here and say that Selma De Vary should be the favourite. Narciso Has fully deserves that status, but for me, the gap between them should be much closer. I think there is plenty of value in the 8/1 available for Selma De Vary, and I can see her price shortening as the race gets closer. With Narciso Has being owned by JP McManus, Mark Walsh will almost certainly take the ride, despite the horse being trained by Willie Mullins. Which means Willie’s top jockey, Paul Townend will almost certainly ride Selma De Vary, and there is no better man for the job.
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