4 Simon Munir and Isaac Souede Horses Fancied for the 2019 Cheltenham

Major racehorse owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede are no strangers to seeing their two-tone green colours in the winners' enclosure at the Cheltenham Festival.

An impressive victory for Footpad in the Arkle Novices' Chase last year was the latest they've had at the prestigious National Hunt horse racing meeting. Which horses owned by Munir and Souede have live chances at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival?

Footpad

Irish raider Footpad was simply awesome in his novice campaign over fences last season. Trained by Willie Mullins, he barely put a foot wrong but has found open company less straightforward this term.

Footpad didn't jump with his usual fluency on return to action at Naas and fell at the last. He was then collared close home by plucky veteran Simply Ned in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas.

While Footpad could stay at two miles and contest the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the latest Cheltenham tips on Betting.Betfair highlight how he'd have to take on the awesome and unbeaten Altior in that race. He also holds an entry in the Ryanair Chase over an extended two-and-a-half miles and should run into at least a place in either if reproducing his novice form.

Kildisart

The graded novice chase races at this year's Festival look likely to cut-up and it would be no surprise to see the odds for Kildisart tumble as a result. Trained by Ben Pauling, this seven-year-old caught the eye when winning a novice handicap over the two-and-a-half-mile trip of the JLT Golden Miller last time out.

Kildisart has demonstrated battling qualities in both of his chase wins to date. Many JLT rivals could defect and run in the Arkle instead, leaving him as a leading contender for victory in this middle-distance event.

Pauling knows what it takes to train a Cheltenham Festival winner after saddling Willoughby Court to victory in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle two years ago. Kildisart could actually turn out to be the owners' best chance of a winner in the entire meeting.

Top Notch

A cunning plan has been hatched by connections for Top Notch. While the Nicky Henderson-trained eight-year-old is best known as a chaser, he's going back over the smaller obstacles for a crack at the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham.

This late change of target from the Ryanair comes despite Top Notch winning a competitive Listed chase at Kempton last time out. Prior to that, he was a fine third in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot in December behind Stayers favourite Paisley Park.

It's an intriguing switch for Top Notch, especially as the three-mile hurdle race has fallen apart somewhat. Irish duo Penhill and Samcro miss the Stayers, leaving popular veteran Faugheen as the main challenger from the Emerald Isle and that gives Top Notch strong each-way claims at least.

Ucello Conti

Gordon Elliott has brought 2016 Grand National sixth Ucello Conti along very nicely for a crack at the Foxhunter Chase. This race is often referred to as the amateur riders' Gold Cup as it takes places immediately after the Cheltenham Festival's main event over the same course and distance.

Ucello Conti may be 11 now, but still has a touch of class and has won all three starts since unseating his rider at Aintree in last year's Grand National. Connections have been sure to book amateur jockeys to partner him in those runs and the Foxhunter Chase is the clear target.

That means Ucello Conti is well-fancied for that race as a result and is arguably the one to beat on the pick of his form. He gives Munir and Souede every chance of having a winner on Cheltenham Gold Cup day.