She may have already been mentioned, but chucking one out for the Mares Novice Hurdle, Bellatior @ 50/1 (William Hill).
It's definitely a 'punt' based on breeding over anything else, and I have absolutely no knowledge of how she is working or if she's even done a piece of work yet.
On her breeding, she is by Walk In The Park, a producer of Douvan & Min and she is out of Monte Solaro, the same dam that produced Altior, among others. She is trained by Denise Foster, I'd imagine soon to be Gordon Elliott again, and now the stigma of backing the Willie Mullins runners in the race can be done with, for now, at least, this wouldn't be an issue.
Of course, it could amount to absolutely nothing, it wouldn't be the first time, nor the last, but she's bred to be half decent, and for me, she's worth a small interest at a big price.
Belle Metal? Owners have won this race the last two years and she put up a good rating in her latest bumper run. I think connections said she wants further than 2m but there's good reasons to believe she'll be a leading contender if she makes it to Cheltenham. I'm keen to take advantage of a market-leading 20/1 on bet365 before it goes.
I personally think they'll have better ones for this test than Belle Metal. As you say they think she'll stay well + the owners were not shy in purchases that might end up better for the Mares Novice.
Bellatior holds an entry at Punchestown on Monday, plus a couple of others for Gordon, and also Willie has a few entered at this stage also, Hermine, who is not priced up could be interesting of his lot, IMO.
I find it hard to weigh up the French NH form. Harmonie Star has a string of 1s, she was previously beaten by and then dead heated with Holly who went on to finish 5th in a Grade 1 bumper and is now with Jonjo O'Neill. I think it was Idoles des Jeunes who beat Cape Gentleman on the flat. Harmonie Star is compared favourably with Gaillard Du Mesnil by the agent who sourced her in OJA.
Just noticed Broomfield Hall let down Party Central's formline at Tramore last Thursday... adds some more weight to my suspicion that the latter needs to step forward markedly.
The two I like are Glens of Antrim 25/1 and Idoles Des Jeunes backed at 20/1 (now 16/1)
With Glens of Antrim I do like the going back and having that experience really counts over the novices as proved with Concertista. She could easily run a few places better than 5th last year.
Idoles Des Jeunes has been with Willie for a while after having a set back last year and has form beating Cape Gentleman in France. Runs in the same colours of Appreciate It / Kilcruit and the yard think a lot of her.