Getabird will have the chance to establish himself as one of the leading horses over two miles when he competes at the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival. The bay gelding has won all four of his races thus far in his fledgling career and trainer Willie Mullins will be desperate for his one of his charges to make an impact in his first outing at the marquee event.

The six-year-old is backed in the latest betting odds with William Hill at 11/4 to claim the victory. However, it will not be a straightforward task, especially at Cheltenham where the form guide can go out the window. Getabird has strong credentials, although the rest of the field, including Sharjah and If The Cap Fits, will have a say in deciding the outcome of the meet.

Mullins’ charge made his debut at end of 2016 in the GAA Flat Race at Fairyhouse. He was considered the favourite for the race with Patrick Mullins in the saddle, and he duly delivered a dominant performance as he powered through the field to claim the opening victory of his career at 12 lengths.

The bay gelding’s next outing came at Gowran Park at the end of January 2017. Mullins was once again at the reins and he guided the horse to a second win on the bounce. Getabird was pressed harder down the stretch on this occasion, but he still managed to close out the triumph by one-and-a-quarter lengths.

After an 11-month break from action, he returned to the fold at Punchestown in the Maiden Hurdle. Paul Townend took his place in the saddle for the meet and guided the horse to a steady start. He gradually came through the field and moved into the lead entering the straight. Getabird used his express pace to pull away to win by a comfortable margin.

Getabird was tested by a quality field in the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle in January. He was considered the favourite, but established runners such as Mengli Khan were present to provide pressure. However, the six-year-old rose to the occasion to secure his fourth successive win. Patrick Mullins put forward an assertive ride in the saddle, driving the horse on down the stretch to triumph by nine lengths.

The bay gelding has established a strong reputation in the sport, but now must take his form to a higher level to succeed at Cheltenham. If The Cap Fits has won his last four races on the bounce, including his victory in the Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton Park on Boxing Day. Harry Fry’s charge has the speed to match Getabird down the stretch.

However, his biggest challenge could come from his stable-mate Sharjah. The French horse suffered a fall at his last outing at the Future Champions Novice Hurdle in Leopardstown at the end of December. The five-year-old has previously put forward two victories in two runs at Gowran Park and could be the one to knock off Getabird at Cheltenham. Mullins will have two bites of the apple, making it an interesting duel when the two horses face off in March.