Archive for the ‘Cheltenham Festival’ Category
The countdown continues! Only two Saturdays to go until Cheltenham is finally here, but in the meantime cast your eyes towards South Yorkshire and Doncaster’s sportingbet.com Grimthorpe Handicap Chase at 3.25pm this afternoon.
A field of 15 are set to head to post for the Donny showpiece (live on C4), and the one to be on is market leader Possol who lines up for Henry Daly and Richard Johnson on his first chase start since April 2009.
Daly sends him north from his Shropshire base safe in the knowledge the handicapper can’t do any damage to his already published Grand National weight of 11st 3lb however well he performs, and despite a big weight to shoulder here his trainer can now unleash one of his stars with his sights firmly set on winning this on the way to Aintree glory (he’s best at 20/1 for the National, a price that might be worth a small interest before post time at Doncaster).
A class horse for connections since being bought from France in 2007 Possol saw off subsequent National winner Mon Mome over fences at Haydock in the autumn of 2008, before performing with real credit behind Nacarat in last year’s Racing Post Chase.
Things didn’t pan out for him in the William Hill Trophy at the Festival, but he signed off the 2008/09 campaign with a 22 length demolition of Ollie Magern at Perth, and his shrewd trainer has shyed away from running him over fences ever since with a view to protecting his mark of 151 for the National.
Instead they’ve been making hay with easy novice hurdles wins at Ascot and Doncaster from Possol – he positivly hacked up on both occasions to prove his wellbeing, and he even has a cheeky entry for the Albert Bartlett at the Festival.
This race isn’t just a stepping stone though, with over thirty five grand going to the winner, and I really fancy him to bag this on the way to the National.
Decent ground and a strong stamina test allied to Donny’s left handed galloping track will suit him perfectly, and although Wogan and Mill Side appear as obvious dangers, Possol can defy a big weight to take this.
At Newbury I’m looking forward to taking in the snappily titled Blue Square Supporting Greatwood Veterans’ Handicap Chase at 2.35pm.
I’m a big fan of these senior citizens races, and you only have to have a chat with my no nonsense associate Lord Culcheth to know that advancing years shouldn’t be a barrier to true love.
There’ll be a mighty cheer if Trabolgan can roll back the years and repeat his 2005 course and distance Hennessy win, and although he missed three years with injury he looked like his old self and ready to win last time out when going well at Doncaster before a mistake robbed him of his chance.
Generally he’s a very clean jumper despite that bad error, and it’s fair to say the handicapper may have given him a real chance now on a mark of 137.
A stone lower than his finest hour he is 12 nowadays, but when you consider he doesn’t have the miles on the clock of some of today’s rivals and represents the in form Henderson camp who continue to fire in the winners, he looks to hold all the aces in this contest.
To complete the set with another chaser I reckon can strike on Saturday afternoon, look no further than Sa Suffit in Kelso’s totesport.com Premier Chase at 3.35pm.
He handles very testing conditions the best of any of rivals, is well suited by the conditions of this race, is improving fast and can take this in the hands of Denis O’Regan.
Finally, breaking new ground for this column, a strong recommendation for Saturday’s Super League fixtures: back Huddersfield Giants to win at a shade of odds against away to Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.
Good luck!
Saturday’s tips:
2.35 Newbury – Blue Square Supporting Greatwood Veterans’ Handicap Chase – 5 Trabolgan (win)
3.25 Doncaster – sportingbet.com Grimthorpe Handicap Chase – 2 Possol (win)
3.35 Kelso – totesport.com Premier Chase – 4 Sa Suffit (win)
Super League – Huddersfield Giants to win at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Posted 1 week, 1 day ago
Tags: best, bet, bets, channel 4, live, possol, racig, sa suffitt, saturday 6th march, tips, todays, trabolgan
Posted in Bookmakers, Cheltenham Festival, Horse Racing, Jumps, Main Events, ladbrokes, paddy power, tips | No Comments »
The Betting Directory team continues our look at the Cheltenham Festival as the demand for tips and previews of the key races at the meeting continues to grow with every day! These aren’t tips as they will be coming courtesy of our resident tipster Tom Lee, but merely previews of some of the key trends for the feature races of each day.
The Champion Hurdle is the feature race on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival and is the first of the four Champion Races at the meeting and this year’s race looks as competitive a renewal as there has been for a long time. Co-favourites, Go Native and Solwhit currently head the betting with Ladbrokes offering 4/1 about the pair. And with the next four all chalked up at 8/1 you begin to get an idea of just how tough finding the winner of this race may be!
2010 Champion Hurdle Odds Comparison
Last year’s Supreme Novices’ winner, Go Native, has been the biggest mover in the antepost market throughout the winter after his price has gradually been cut from the 33/1, available before his Fighting Fifth Hurdle victory at Newcastle in November, where he upset the odds to beat several well fancied types and experienced two mile hurlders. He confirmed that form by landing the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, a result which saw him become genuine contender for the Champion Hurdle, contesting favouritism ever since. However, the trend that all of the last 15 Champion Hurlde winners had run in the same calendar year of their victory does go against Noel Meade’s runner whose last run was in December.
Solwhit however has run in 2010, landing the Irish Champion Hurdle in Januray. A repeat of that performance would surely make him very difficult to beat at Cheltenham providing he is unaffected by his first run on foreign soil since he was brought over to Ireland from France in 2007.
If you are a follower of trends, it may pay to side with one of the Irish duo at the head of the bookmakers lists given that 7 of the last 11 winners of this race were trained in Ireland. However, it is also useful to note that sixteen of the last 21 winners came from the top six in the betting, so you cannot rule out the English trained quartette who all sit as 8/1 co-second favourites with Ladbrokes.
Nicky Henderson trains two of those four in the form of Punjabi and Zaynar, with the latter being the long time favourite for the Champion Hurlde before a disappointing defeat when going off 1/14 in his prep run at Kelso in February. That defeat saw the 2009 Triumph Hurdle winner drift in the market and bring to an end his fine run of wins. The soft ground and a slowly run race at Kelso could be the reason for Zaynar’s latest defeat and whilst he’ll have to make a return to winning ways on the biggest stage of all, he cannot be written off. Punjabi has also disappointed on a couple of occasions this season but like his stablemate, cannot be written off; especially given he won this race twleve months ago and will look to join Hardy Eustace and the great istabraq as recent back to back winners of the Champion Hurdle.
Medermit, who represents the Alan King stable, beat Punjabi on his last run and connections are hopeful that he can bring an end to three narrow defeats at Cheltenham and win the race for the second time in two years for his trainer (who won with Katchit in 2007). One horse Medermit must reverse Cheltenham form with if he is to win the Champion Hurdle is Khyber Kim, whose last two runs (and wins) have been at the Prestbury Park track. The Nigel Twiston-Davies runner hasn’t been the most consistent of horses but his two runs this season put him right in the mix and despite not being seen since early December, is sure to make his presence felt and was the antepost pick of our resident tipster, Tom Lee, back in Januray – Read why Tom thinks Khyber Kim can win the 2010 Champion Hurlde.
Posted 1 week, 1 day ago
Tags: 16th march, alan king, bets, Champion Hurdle, cheltenham festival 2010, go native, kyber kim, Medermit, nicky henderson, punjabi, solwhit, tips preview, Zaynar
Posted in Bookmakers, Cheltenham Festival, Horse Racing, Jumps, Main Events, ladbrokes, tips | No Comments »
With the Cheltenham Festival fast approaching, Tom is busy fine tuning which selections he will be posting as tips for the various Cheltenham Races which will appear on this site from Monday 15th March, in time for the first day of the 2010 meeting. However, it never ceases to amaze us here at Betting Directory just how hungry people are for the Cheltenham Festival and we are already seeing huge numbers of people searching for tips and advice ahead of the Festival. Over the space of the next week, we are going to providing our readers with a preview to some of the Festival’s more popular races; looking at who the leading contenders are, where the money has been going in the market and unearthing some trends that may point you in the direction of finding that winner that may not have previously been on your shortlist. We’re going to start with the Cheltenham Festival curtain raiser, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
The only guarantee with the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle is that the start of the race will receive the biggest cheer of the Festival as the tapes go up to signal the start of four days and 26 top class races. However, the betting for the 2010 renewal of the Supreme Novice’s suggests that there is another guarantee in the race, in the form of Dunguib, the long time favourite. The Philip Fenton trained runner has been at the head of the betting for this race since running away to a ten length victory in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival 12 months ago and anybody who took the 6/1 with Boylesports about the Irish Raider winning the Supreme Novices’ immediately after that victory will be clearly identifiable from the size of their smile!
Dunguib’s price has only headed in one direction after each of his subsequent five wins from five starts and the odds against soon evaporated following his Grade 1 Deloitte Hurlde win at Leopardstown in February. He is now a best price 4/5 with Bet365, Ladbrokes and Sportingbet with other firms as short as 4/6 and could well go off as the shortest priced favourite in this race in ever! Anybody looking for a bigger price and isn’t bothered about waiting 12 months could do worse than back Dunguib to win the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle this year and the Champion Hurdle in 2011 at 8/1 with Bet365, a price that will surely look massive if he does win in the manner many are expecting.
Favourites haven’t fared too well in this race in recent years, with only four of the last 20 jollies obliging but the question remains have any been as good as Dunguib? His trip over the Irish Sea bodes well though with seven winners in the past nine years trained in Ireland. However, it must be remembered that bar his debut run, this horse has yet to come under pressure and has not been asked any question on a racecourse. This is more than likely because he’s top class and everything points towards him cruising to victory at Prestbury on the 16th March but at the price, many punters will be keen to know what the alternatives have to offer.
The springer in the market has been the Jonjo O’Neil trained runner, Get Me Out of Here, whose odds were slashed from 25/1 into 8/1 following his win in the Totesport Trophy Hurdle at Newbury in February. This unbeaten six year old is clearly a horse on the upgrade and could well pose a big threat to Dunguib if improving again but the fact that this will be his first run at Cheltenham does raise a big question mark to answer.
Oscar Whiskey is another runner with a similar profile to Get Me Out of Here, an unbeaten youngster that has improved with every run. However, he would need to find a big improvement on what he has already shown if he is to win on his first start at Cheltenham and trainer Nicky Henderson may have to wait a little longer for his first win in this race since 1992.
Blackstairmountain looks the pick of the remainding Irish runners and trainer, Willie Mullins, could well throw a spanner in the works of his fellow countryman, Philip Fenton’s, bid to win this race with Dunguib. Whilst far from consistent in his Bumper runs last season, when he did put his best foot forward, Blackstairmountain won well and the same seems evident this season over Hurdles. His latest outing came at Punchestown in Januray, where at the third time of asking, the penny finally dropped over obstacles and he ran away to an easy victory. If he can replicate that kind of form in the Supreme Novices’ then he stands a chance and is still available at 14/1 with Victor Chandler and Stan James. The other Willie Mullins runner is Flat Out (currently 25/1), who has looked impressive on both his (winning) starts over hurdles and is sure to go on to better things. It will no doubt be the decision of jockey Ruby Walsh of which of this pair he decides to take the mount on which will determine where the money goes come day one of the Cheltenham Festival but the ultimate question is can Dunguib be beaten?
2010 Supreme Novices Hurdle Odds Comparison
Posted 1 week, 2 days ago
Tags: 16th march, analysis, bets, betting, blackstairmountain, cheltenham festival, dunguib, flat out, get me out of here, odds, preview, supreme novices hurdle, trends, tuesday, willie mullins
Posted in Bet365, Bookmakers, Cheltenham Festival, Horse Racing, Jumps, Main Events, Market Movers, VCBet, ladbrokes, stan james, tips | No Comments »
Betting Directory’s resident tipster, Tom Lee, is away this week and has left the task of finding a few winners in the trusty hands of the site’s editor, known only as ‘The Bulldog’ to regular readers. So whilst Tom is recovering from a suspected overindulgence of Mixed Shellfish “Royale”, I have been busy studying the form ahead of this weekend’s action and Saturday’s Sandown card looks to present a couple of excellent opportunities to get amongst the winners.
The Toteswinger Challengers Novices Chase at 2:35 looks like the perfect opportunity for the Nicky Henderson trained Punchestowns to continue his preparations ahead of the Cheltenham Festival next month. Making only his second start over fences, he is likely to be a short price to follow up his impressive debut win back in November. However, readers who followed Tom’s advice and backed him for the Royal and Sun Alliance Chase at 7/1 ahead of that seven length Newbury success may wish to tune in to channel four on Saturday afternoon and hope that another win will see the current odds of 7/2 shorten further and increase the value of their antepost voucher.
In the 3:10 at Sandown, it is another Nicky Henderson runner in the form of Strawberry, who I expect to run a big race in the Totescoop6 Heroes Handicap Hurdle. This mare made an impressive return to Hurdles when landing a Grade Two at Kempton over Christmas and despite disappointing when pulled up in her latest outing at Ascot a couple of weeks ago she is worth a second chance off a mark of 140 on favoured soft going.
Up at Doncaster, the feature race of the day at Town Moor is the 3:25 Blue Square Handicap Chase in which Kalahari King can defy top weight to win this competitive looking race. The Ferdy Murphy trained nine year old looks fairly treated on what he achieved last season in events better than Saturday’s race, most notably when a short head second to Forpadydeplasterer in the Arkle at Cheltenham and a demolition job in the Grade One Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree. This will be his first run since last April and whilst there is the obvious question mark to answer regarding fitness, he is proven to go well fresh, winning three of his past five season reappearances on varying going. He is also sure to have his work cut out to concede weight to several useful rivals but eight of the past ten winners of this race have carried in excess of 11stone to victory and given his proven ability he looks like taking a chance with at 10/1 with Bet365 or Paddypower.
On Sunday, over in Ireland, there is an excellent card at Leopardstown where the feature race is the Hennessy Gold Cup. However, it is likely that most of the attention will be on 2:10, Deloitte Novice Hurdle, where the exciting Dunguib will make his final preparations before heading to Cheltenham but at odds of 1/3, he is best left but the 2:40, the Dr P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase, does present the opportunity for a bet in the form of Roberto Goldback. The Jessica Harrington trained runner has shown signs of making real progress in his last two runs and it would appear that the penny may have finally dropped following the transition from Hurdles to fences. Winning easily over Sunday’s course and distance last time out, it would be surprising not to see this lightly raced eight year old kick on once again and looks a solid option at 5/2 with Ladbrokes. He also hold an entry for the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, for which he is currently a 33/1 with most bookmakers.
Weekend Racing Tips
3:10 Sandown, Saturday – Strawberry to win
3:25 Doncaster, Saturday – Kalahari King to win @ 10/1 with Bet365 or Paddy Power
2:40 Leopardstown, Snday – Roberto Goldback to win @ 5/2 with Ladbrokes
Posted 1 month ago
Tags: best, bets, dunguib, irish hennessy, kalahari king, nicky henderson, roberto goldback, saturday 6th feb, strawberry, sunday 7th february, tips
Posted in Bet365, Bookmakers, Cheltenham Festival, Flat, Horse Racing, Main Events, ladbrokes, paddy power, tips | No Comments »
The noble Lord Oaksey, possibly the nicest man in racing, could be set for a memorable afternoon at Cheltenham as the strapping Carruthers lines up in the Gold Cup trial now known as the Argento Chase at 2.35pm.
Once a mainstay of Channel 4 Racing Lord Oaksey has been a tireless campaigner for the Injured Jockeys’ Fund for a number of years, and there’s no doubting who’ll get the biggest cheer of the day if seven year old Kayf Tara gelding Carruthers can stick his big head in front up the Cheltenham hill.
The absence of Denman (he goes for the Aon Chase at Newbury in a couple of weeks) will have disappointed the racecourse executive, but as long as the weather doesn’t strangle another keenly anticipated fixture (Clerk Simon Claisse tells me it’s forecast to be minus five tonight) they’ll be packing the stands at Prestbury Park for a meeting the crowds love.
You can’t get a hotel room for love nor money in Cheltenham tomorrow night, although depressingly my old pal Lord Culcheth will be in attendance and has already secured a duplex penthouse for the night in the town centre.
Expect the usual cougar hunting antics to be on display as he preys on any unsuspecting boozed up potential victims.
Back to the Argento though and the chances of headline selection Carruthers. He really appeals given that tissue favourite Madison Du Berlais has never been seen to the best of his sizeable ability here at Cheltenham.
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Posted 1 month, 1 week ago
Tags: argento chase, bet, bets, carruthers, channel four, cheltenham, festival trials, horse racing tips, saturday 30th january, tom lee
Posted in Bookmakers, Cheltenham Festival, Horse Racing, Jumps, Main Events, tips, william hill | No Comments »
With freezing conditions cutting the sporting calendar to ribbons punters are keeping warm by focusing on the big antepost targets, not least the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle betting, in which it could pay to make an early investment in Khyber Kim to continue his relentless improvement shown in the 2009/10 campaign.
A distant 22nd of 27 in last season’s County Hurdle this isn’t a horse you’d immediately have flagged up as a major player in the two mile hurdling showpiece, but a retun to the track at Prestbury Park in November yielded a facile win in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle, as Kyber Kim powered up the hill under a light weight to see off Harry Tricker by a couple of lengths.
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Posted 2 months ago
Tags: ante post, antepost, bet, bets, Champion Hurdle, cheltenham festival, khyber kim, tip, tips
Posted in Bookmakers, Cheltenham Festival, Horse Racing, Jumps, Main Events, Market Movers, sportingbet, stan james, tips | No Comments »
Denman is red hot favourite for the Hennessy but I'm opposing him!
A nigh on perfect weekend of sport lies in wait for armchair punters, with two fantastic days racing at Newbury, Newcastle’s Fighting Fifth, a typically strong Hatton’s Grace card at Fairyhouse, plus a mid-table scouse derby, the pivotal top of the table Arsenal v Chelsea game and the small matter of ‘el derbi superclasico’ over in Spain.
I can just picture my great mate Lord Culcheth parked on the sofa glugging his Liebfraumilch from a pint glass, Betfair fired up on his laptop, the 42 inch stolen plasma screen belting out Sky Sports or some obscure hooky Greek satellite channel, mobile at the ready, smug grin on his face as he snuggles up to some leathery old cougar he met while prowling the coat queue or the burger van at 4am that morning, dreaming of a trip to Andalucia with the profits of his punting.
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Posted 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Tags: antepost, Ap McCoy, auxerre, bets, betting, big bucks, binocular, channel 4, denman, evan williams, fairyhouse, football tips, form, hennessy gold cup, newbury, nicky henderson, odds, paris sg, paul nicholls, ruby walsh, State of Play, tips, what a friend
Posted in Bet365, Betfair, Bookmakers, Boylesports, Cheltenham Festival, Coral, Horse Racing, Jumps, Main Events, Market Movers, Sport Betting, VCBet, football, ladbrokes, paddy power, stan james, tips, totesport | No Comments »
It’s very much a case of the best of both world’s this weekend as Newmarket prepare to put on a big show for their Champion Stakes Meeting as the Flat season draws to a close, while at Cheltenham the marmalade and mustard coloured corduroy trouser brigade will be out mob-handed as the National Hunt campaign gathers a healthy head of steam.
There are plenty of heavy hitters on display at both tracks, and we’ll kick off at Cheltenham where Philip Hobbs’ crack hurdler Snap Tie can make the perfect beginning to his chasing career to by taking the WBX.com Novices’ Chase over two miles at 2.55pm on Friday afternoon.
Only five go to post for this £12,000 pot, one of which is stablemate Safari Journey, and although the ground might be a shade quicker than connections would ideally prefer Snap Tie should be able to see off this opposition with a minimum of fuss on the way to sterner tests ahead.
He’s got the ideal physique for the job over the larger obstacles, and distinguished himself last term with a big display in the Christmas Hurdle, alongside tilts at several of the major prizes.
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Posted 4 months, 4 weeks ago
Tags: barizan, bets, cesarewitch, channel 4, cheltenham, cheltenham festival, david pipe, dewhurst stakes, dick turpin, emirates airlines champion stakes, evan williams, horse racing, live racing, mamlook, never on sunday, newmarket, philip hobbs, snap tie, tips, tom lee
Posted in Bet365, Bookmakers, Boylesports, Cheltenham Festival, Coral, Flat, Horse Racing, Jumps, ladbrokes, stan james, tips, william hill | No Comments »
Surprises a plenty on day three of the Festival as Big Buck’s upset the big two in the World Hurdle and Imperial Commander showed his true colours in the Ryanair to down hot favourite Voy Por Ustedes. The same Big Buck’s who wasn’t even intended to be jumping hurdles this season just a short while ago….
Less surprising was a 577-1 handicap double for Venetia Williams courtesy of Kayf Aramis in the Pertemps and Something Wells in the Festival Plate. We knew she’d come to the party sooner or later, although Davy Russell’s delayed tactics aboard Notable D’Estruval in the Plate left a few observers scratching their heads.
All in all a bookmakers day – two odds jollies turned over to knock the stuffing out of punters, plus a gamble on Poker De Sivola going astray in the Kim Muir.
Still, hope springs eternal, here’s the plan for Gold Cup day:
1.30 – JCB Triumph Hurdle
Walkon can get punters off to a flyer and put a smile back on Choc Thornton’s face after he took a kicking in the Champion Chase. He looked a class act when winning here last time, and chief market rival Zaynar showed all the acceleration of a fridge freezer in a recent piece of work at Kempton Park.
He’ll be better on the day but he’ll have to be at his very best to stop the ultra tough Walkon – 5/1 with Toteport and Paddy Power looks the way to go. Zaynar came out on top last time they met, but Walkon looks primed to reverse that form.
Triumph Hurdle Odds
2.05 – Vincent O’Brien County Hurdle (Handicap)
Dave’s Dream goes in search of the Imperial Cup/Cheltenham £75,000 bonus here, but I fancy Sunnyhillboy to ruin that particular plot – a ready winner at the Open meeting in November he’s been kept fresh for this target since a December victory at Sandown – back him each way at 8/1 (general).
County Hurdle Odds
2.40 – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
Pride Of Dulcote can make his mark here – Alpha Ridge looks likely to make the running and set this up as a match between Cape Tribulation and Pride Of Dulcote. I have to favour Ruby Walsh’s mount on a testing track with the drying ground very much in his favour. The 7/2 with Blue Square and Paddy Power looks reasonable.
Albert Bartlett Hurdle Odds
3.20 – totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup
Kauto? Denman? Neptune? Madison?
Personally I’m Neptune Collonges all the way as he comes with none of the question marks associated with his more illustrious stablemates. This likeable grey continues to improve, was placed in the race last year, and looks sure to give his running.
The 6/1 looks a cracking each way bet with Bet365, Totesport and Victor Chandler.
Cheltenham Gold Cup
4.00 – Christie’s Foxhunter Chase
A contest I’m really looking forward to, with the chance to see Clive Smith’s distinctive colours back in the winner’s enclosure as Royal Auclair takes his chance in the Foxhunters. Now a 12 year old he’s run in all the top races down the years and can still be a force at this level following recent Hunter Chase wins at Sandown and Fontwell.
Back him each way at 10/1 (general)
Foxhunters Chase Odds
4.40 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
David Pipe matches Willie Mullins’ feat in the Bumper by saddling eight of the 24 runners in the race named after his father, and he can hit the target with Big Eared Fran, a horse who looked the real deal in winning at Sandown last Saturday. There’s 5/1 available with VCBet, Paddy Power and William Hill.
Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle
5.15 – Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase (Handicap)
Venetia Williams was firing on all cylinders on Thursday winning with 16/1 Kayf Aramis and 33/1 Something Wells, and she can notch again here with in-form Lorient Express.
The 10 year old is in the form of his life and can trouble the judge at 16/1 each way (general).
Grand Annual Chase Odds
Good luck!
Posted 1 year ago
Tags: albert bartlett novices hurdle, Channel 4 Racing, cheltenham festival, cheltenham gold cup, choc thornton, denman, foxhunters chase, grand annual chase, horse racing tips, jcb triumph hurdle, kauto star, madison de berlais, martin pipe conditional jockeys hurdle, pride of dulcote, royal auclair, ruby walsh, sunnyhillboy, tom lee, vincent o'brien county hurdle, walkon, Zaynar
Posted in Bet365, Bookmakers, Boylesports, Cheltenham Festival, Coral, Horse Racing, Jumps, Main Events, Sport Betting, VCBet, ladbrokes, paddy power, tips | No Comments »
Another cracking day here at Cheltenham with the headlines belonging to Ruby Walsh with a 14/1 treble (the first since Mick Fitzgerald notched a hat-trick back in 1999), Master Minded’s second Champion Chase win, and a major celebration for the Irish as they threaten to dominate this year’s Festival.
Horses crossing the Irish sea have accounted for a whopping eight of the 13 races run so far on days one and two, and there could be a couple more in the offing on Thursday:
1.30 – Jewson Novices’ Handicap Chase
Tony Martin could be about to unleash one of his handicap specials as Northern Alliance lines up in the Jewson. Campaigned over fences this season he has shaped well at slightly shorter distances, and with Ruby Walsh booked he can take the opener at 15/2 with Paddy Power.
Jewson Novices Handicap Odds
2.05 – Pertemps Final (Handicap Hurdle)
A fiendishly tricky puzzle to work out this one, but I’m rowing in with an in-form horse in the shape of Jonjo O’Neill’s Synchronised, the winner of a key qualifier at Haydock on Valentines Day, and a horse on the up.
O’Neill’s string seem to be in good nick at present, and the Jackdaws Castle trainer shrewdly opts for the talents of 5lb claimer Richie Killoran in the plate to offset his 7lb rise for that Haydock win (Pennek, Heathcliff and Scriptwriter all reoppose, while second horse Tazbar is considered good enough to run in the World Hurdle).
Back Synchronised each way at 11/1 with Paddy Power, who are also paying out a very handy extra place 1/4 odds 1-2-3-4-5.
Pertemps Handicap Odds
2.40 – Ryanair Chase
Time to nail my colours to the mast with the banker of the entire meeting Voy Por Ustedes – a Cheltenham specialist whose Ascot demolition job against Gwanako and Tamarinbleu last time makes him mighty hard to beat here.
The eight year old looks better than ever this season, and I expect him to charge up the Cheltenham hill with the Ryanair at his mercy.
Don’t forget he’d be looking at wins in key Festival races for the past four years if it wasn’t for a certain Master Minded 12 months ago! There’s no joker in the pack to spoil his party tomorrow so get on at 11/10 with Paddy Power and Ladbrokes.
Latest Ryan Air Chase Odds
3.20 – Ladbrokes World Hurdle
The feature race can also go the way of the market leader with Kasbah Bliss a warm order to go one better than a year ago when second to Inglis Drever.
With the great ‘Ingles’ now living out a long and happy retirement it’s time for a new name at the top of the staying hurdle tree, and Kasbah Bliss showed in his Rendlesham romp that he’s the one to make his mark.
His Flat form during the Autumn was superb, winning a Group 3 and collecting prize money in the Group 1 Cadran on Arc weekend, and the World Hurdle trophy can go to back to France with echoes of the great Baracouda.
Back him at 5/4 with Paddy Power.
An honorable mention too for Mighty Man - he’s a massive 40/1 with both Totesport and Stan James, but even though this race is seen as a stepping stone to an assault on a third Aintree Hurdle, this horse returns from a two year injury layoff here showing signs he retains plenty of his old ability and could sneak a place at massive odds.
World Hurdle Odds
4.00 – Freddie Williams Festival Plate (Handicap Chase)
Arthur Moore’s Notable d’Estruval could be the answer here. I suspect his cunning trainer believes he has a well handicapped horse at his disposal, and at 10/1 (general) he can make the frame.
Freddie Williams Festival Plate Odds
4.40 – Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Memorial Handicap Chase
Traditionally viewed as one of the easier handicaps to win at the meeting this race can go the way of Nicky Henderson’s Shouldhavehadthat – twice a winner at Newbury this season he benefits from the assistance of top Amateur Sam Waley-Cohen in the saddle, and can take this at 9/1 with Betfred.
He beat National Hunt Cup winner Tricky Trickster earlier this campaign on Hennessy Day, and then followed up in December beating Kim Muir favourite Poker De Sivola. His rate of improvement means he can confirm that form here.
Kim Muir Betting Odds
Good luck!
Tom
Posted 1 year ago
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