Another special day at Cheltenham. Faugheen looked wonderful in the Neptune. Rebecca Curtis is making a habit of winning good races each year. Decent bumper horse. Onto day three. The ground is perfect for Felix Yonger and I will not have excuses if he doesn't win. 12/1 down on this chap and I honestly think he's the right horse for this challenge. You'll all have fancies. What are they?
I see that a quevega is still declared tomorrow even has a jockey named to ride her, surely she must be a NR
Evening all. I'll put my lucky 15 for tomorrow up now. 1-30.Wonderful Charm. 2-40.Al Ferof. 3-20.Big Buck's. 4-00.John's Spirit. Good luck to all.
Well Wonderful Charm can make this festival a very nice one for me tomorrow. I've fancied this horse for this race from day 1 and I think that if it gets beat it will be because Felix Younger is a superstar. I'm relatively heavily invested in Wonderful Charm so just time to sit tight and see how it goes. I love the Pertemps normally but this year I can't really see past the obvious If In Doubt. Prices are very skinny for a festival handicap so might be one for the placepot attempt rather than a bet. I was going to back Benefficient but it looks like someone got there before me as his price has tumbled down to 7/2 from 11/2 when I last looked a couple of days back, so I haven't decided on that one just yet. In the poxiest bit of 'punting' seen for some time I dutched Annie Power and Big Bucks a while ago for another big bet (for me). So I expect this to come off, but will be significantly wincing if it doesn't! I might throw a shekel at the tricast: I fancy Zarkandar to place. Bugger only knows about the last two at the moment but I will find one or two for the placepot tonight (beaten by the RSA today, but landed it yesterday).
Are you not worried by the yards form. They certainly aren't firing like Nicholls said they would pre festival.
I presume your talking about Al Ferof here arnt you Bob... I was just looking at the cards thinking that the 5/1 on offer was a bit big for him and then thought, hows the stable going at the mo...?!?!? Ive not had a bet in the race yet but last month I was thinking that it could be his to take, but im not so sure now...
Wonderful Charm red. I put Al Ferof up on the preview thread but I'll not be betting in it. Probably Dynaste if I had a five to waste.
16.00 Cheltenham-Christopher Wren 33/1 ew Bit of a shot in the dark but the amount of weight he is carrying plus Maurice Linehan who is not the worst Of jockeys taking off 5lbs aswell just think although this is very competitive the amount of weight and the difference the cheek pieces have given him gives him a great chance of getting placed at least 2.05 Cheltenham - Fingal Bay 7/1 The class horse in the race if he cAn repeat anywhere near his best form he will take a lot of beating 14.40 Cheltenham - Al ferof- 5/1 Not that confident the way the Nichols runners have been racing all week but keeping faith as I said I would back him in any race he goes (except the GC) I just think he will take all the beating is a better horse than Dynaste and he flies round the course and with the good ground it will be a very quick race
Hahaha... Don't make me laugh Bobby boy, you've had a good festival so far... Keep it up those bookies chaps will only take it back off you if you let them...
Done a lovely looking Quevega / Felix Yonger double few weeks back when the later was bigger, the double pays 20/1. More than hopeful he'll be around the premises. All about ANNIE POWER. No doubt the knockers, doubters and snipers will be out to knock her Faugheen style but just like today I'm hugely confident the outcome will be the same. Save you're money on Big Bucks lad. He's never faced anything remotely like this one before. I'll say no more as I don't want to sound disrepectful to a great horse like he was but he's out of his depth tomorrow. Annie Power 7/4 festival NAP.
Good luck tomorrow lads! 1 30 - DJAKADAM e/w, Townend has yet to get in the winners enclosure which i find outstanding, and he has a real good chance on this one tomorrow, slammed a really good horse last time and if he handles cheltenham should take all the beating, and a great price at 10/1, Oscar Whiskey + Wonderful charm big dangers though 2 05 - Fingal Bay is the class horse in the race but I'm going to take a chance with LIEFORRIT e/w at 25/1, use to be a really classy hurdler and did go off the plot a bit with injuries and age but has been plotted out all season for this, ( was plotted out a couple of years ago for Chelts but got a injury and couldn't run ) and at 25/1 is a huge price as although he's getting older he's still on Fingal Bays level 2 40 - Tough race to call and just having a small e/w on Hunt Ball as i like the horse 3 20 - Big Bucks, what else ( NAP, BANKER, HUGE BET ) at 4/1, steal of a price and he will show these younger pretenders how it's done, he's got one more world hurdle in him and this is it and he'll make up for having to miss last years. One year too early for Annies Power to win the BIG BUCKS WORLD HURDLE!! GO ON THE CHAMP! 4 00 - Carrickboy e/w at 16/1 been laid out for this all season, Also e/w on Act Of Kalanisi e/w at 33/1 as ala Vino Griego the other year the owners always seem to have one winner 4 40 - Indian Castle win 7/1 , as much as I'd love to see Tranquil sea bring home the bacon just can't see past Indian Castle who has looked a real classy performer. AP should also have a good-ish day as well as he usually does **** all at the festival until the 3rd/4th day. Bryan Cooper & Townend also due winners. Watch out for Spring Heeled in the 4 40, 20/1 and same owner and Mcnamara teamed up today with Silver Concorde who won the 5 15 @ 16/1. BEST OF LUCK ALL AND HERE'S TO A BIG SMASH!!
Well yes and no. I mean, yes, because it's obviously not great. But to be honest I've not been all that convinced by the ones he's ran so far. Didn't particularly fancy Irving, Hinterland or Dodging Bullets and think Wonderful Charm is better than the lot of them. Would I be backing it now at 6/1? Probably. Not a decision I have to take as I'm on ante-post at 8/1 so the decision has been made for me. Very pleased for the good ground though as I think that will help. And I'm convinced he's got the best form in the book to date. But yeah, I'm a bit nervous!
Coral are going 9/2 about Big Bucks at 8.15 tomorrow morning. And given that they've finally admitted that I did back Quevega and even given me my £50... I won't be tempted to go back to the well again. Crap bookie, treated me like crap today, will not be using them again. But I wouldn't blame anyone who did go for 9/2. 9/2! Who'd have thought this would be on 2 years ago?
Tomorrow looks the toughest day of them all, some of them very closely matched. 1.30 - Taquin Du Seuil / Felix Yonger - My money is already down for Taquin, i dont think the ground is as much a problem as people think but Felix Yonger will absolutely relish it and he is my biggest danger. 2.05 - Grand Vision - Ante Post on Grand Vision at a nice price, similar ground to the 3rd behind Brindisi Breeze should go very close. 2.40 - Dynaste / Hunt Ball - Small stakes race Dynaste has the most ability in my opinion and i actually thought he stand a chance in the Gold Cup. Ante post on Hunt Ball at silly prices. 3.20 - At Fishers Cross / Rule The World - In my opinion AP wont stay or will be found out on the fast ground. AFC is 3/4 at the track and 2nd in the cleeve last time out, ground wont be an issue. Rule the World could be anything at this trip. Will definitely stay and loves the ground. 4.00 - Sraid Padraig / Tap Night - Darts 4.40 - Indian Castle
