Last year five DRF runners went on to win at Cheltenham and all of them can be filed in the obvious category. They were Honeysuckle (8/11), Sir Gerhard (8/11), Delta Work (5/2), Facile Vega (15/8) and Vauban (6/4).

The DRF hasn’t been without its problems. Both Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott have commented on the unseasonably quick conditions at the track and this year sustained watering has taken place in a bid to produce winter ground for winter horses.

With a dry week in store it remains to be seen how the surface rides but any small-field criticism of the meeting would be grossly unfair.

The Irish Gold Cup has suffered and none more so than in 2019 when a morning field of 10 was whittled down to four by the off due to six withdrawals on the day, including high-profile horses like Al Boum Photo, due to the ‘Good’ ground.

That is well documented, but the average field size for the Grade 1s at the DRF has been 9.9 and, while the Irish Gold Cup could be a small field again due to the behemoth-sized shadow of Galopin Des Champs, that average probably won’t come down too much after this weekend.

Of course, the DRF is a super meeting in its own right, but this column is all about focusing on the Cheltenham Festival, so here are five things to look out for this weekend with Prestbury Park in mind.

1. Supreme pointers – and not just for the Supreme

The most prolific DRF race at Cheltenham has been the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle, formerly the Deloitte, formerly run over 2m2f.

By the time Samcro won it at the inaugural DRF in 2018 it was reduced to two miles, but he stepped up in trip at Cheltenham when he ran away with the Ballymore over 2m5f.

However, it has proven an excellent Sky Bet Supreme pointer, with Klassical Dream and Appreciate It winning both races for Willie Mullins, a trainer who used it as a stepping stone for the Cheltenham curtain raiser even when it was run over 2m2f thanks to Champagne Fever and Vautour.

Last year Sir Gerhard ‘did a Samcro’, meaning the Tattersall Ireland Novice Hurdle winner has gone onto Cheltenham glory in four of the last five years.

Facile Vega will be bidding to keep that run going this year, but look out for any potential Festival handicap runners for Mullins down the field.

In 2021 Galopin Des Champs was sixth in this race before he won the Martin Pipe, so keep an eye on IL ETAIT TEMPS if he runs with a Festival handicap in mind.

2. Having a Mares Handicap Hurdle

The second best Cheltenham pointer from the DRF hasn’t been the Irish Gold Cup, the Irish Champion Hurdle, the Irish Arkle or the Dublin Chase, but the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle, the first race on the Sunday.

Concertista was third in this race in 2020 before bolting up by 12 lengths in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, her DRF conqueror Black Tears finishing second in the Coral Cup. 12 months later the pair would finish first and second in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle.

That was a good year for the Paddy Mullins Mares Handicap Hurdle, but nothing compared to 2021 when the DRF race found three Cheltenham Festival winners. The winner, Heaven Help Us, followed up in the Coral Cup, the third, Telmesomethinggirl, won the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, and a fifth hurdle faller, Mrs Milner, won the Pertemps.

Clearly, this race is a target for the most progressive mares in Ireland and the race could house a Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle or Coral Cup player yet again, with LIBERTY DANCE of obvious interest for Gordon Elliott.

Owner Tim O’Driscoll had Harmonya Maker as a possible for this race, too, but he relies on Liberty Dance who was impressive in a Thurles Listed race when last seen in December. That was thought to be Davy Russell’s last ever ride at the time, but she might end up being better known for her own exploits, starting this weekend.

4. Galopin on the Gold trail

The Irish Gold Cup hasn’t been a prolific pointer to the Cheltenham Gold Cup over the years, but it has had its moments.

Jodami (1993), Imperial Call (1996) and Sizing John (2017) are the three horses to have won both races in the same year, while in the DRF era Minella Indo, fourth in the Irish Gold Cup in 2021, is the one horse to have come out of Leopardstown and win at Cheltenham.

He might be prohibitive odds and the opposition might be average, to say the least, but GALOPIN DES CHAMPS is the single biggest draw this weekend thanks to five chasing starts that have marked him out as the next big thing.

A 12-length winner over three miles on his only go at the distance over hurdles, he has his stamina to prove for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and this can be the perfect springboard, just as it was for Imperial Call and Sizing John, actually, who had the same questions to answer in 1996 and 2017.

He can’t prove he’ll stay the extended 3m2f up the Cheltenham hill this weekend, but he can give the biggest of hints and his performance is eagerly awaited.