Anyone taking 6/4 on Annie Power needs their head checking. Yes she may romp home but that is far too short a price to take about a horse whose stamina is unproven and one that we have no idea how good she actually is. Yes she beat Zarkandar but so has every other horse racing this week pretty much! Add to the fact she is racing against a four time winner of the race and i wouldnt touch her. I have Big Bucks in a few ante post bets but my bet tomorrow will be Rule The World e/w. I think he will finish 3rd but could be higher if the big 2 underperform. Elsewhere i am very sweet on the chances of Al Ferof in the Ryanair. I think Dynaste is overrated and although Benefficient is good, i think Al Ferof is a fair bit better. Hidden Cyclone isnt good enough and neither of the rest. He is my NAP of the day however judging on my last two NAPs (champagne fever chinned on the line, hinterland brought down when travelling well) i am probably putting the mockers on him! Felix Yonger will take a whole lot of beating in the first. A completely different animal on better ground and i cant see anything being good enough to beat him. Also like Fingal Bay in the Pertemps. His best form is in a different stratosphere to these. 6/1 is a huge price
Its like you have taken the words out my mouth! I have backed those 4 and yes I do need my head checking but am just topping up on my AP of AP () so great minds think alike or fools never differ!! lol
I see that First Lieutenant is not running tomorrow and now running in the Gold Cup surley that means Last Instalment wont be running on friday?!?!?
Evening all, glad to see you are all banging in the winners. First post of the festival and one that I'm keen on is in the first, e/w bet to nothing really. I see a few fancy Felix Younger but the one I really fancy is Oscar Whisky. Looking at his profile he has a very good record at Cheltenham and especially around this distance. He is 7 from 8 and in that other race he was beaten a neck by TDS. Just cannot see this one out of the first 2. Maybe a r/f with Felix. However the experts amongst you may see differently. Would also love to see BB win too.
Well they can jock Davy Russell up on FL and have Brian O'Connell ride Last Instalment (pretty much been his regular partner) but the ground suggests that LI is unlikely. A real shame because he is a monster at jumping a fence and he may never get the chance to do it again.
Oh come on Reebs, Last Instalment may be a monster at jumping fences but he is still gonna set this race up perfectly for Bobs Worth to come storming home up the hill to win
Melodic Rendezvous beat Zarkandar and that thing was beat after 10 yards in the Champion Hurdle lets not use Zarkandar as a form line watch him go and win tomorrow
Just looked at the Albert Bartlett market. Frankly bonkers. Deputy Dan (who needs soft) shortens to 12/1. The winner, Briar Hill now evens. Kings Palace still 4/1.
Thats exactly my point RV. Annie Power is being hyped up because she beat Zarkandar by 8 lengths receiving 7 pounds in a three horse race, by 5 lengths in a 2 horse race and then beating Doyly Carte at Doncaster. She hasnt really been forced to battle yet and the form isnt that brilliant. Add to that that she is completely unproven over 3 miles. If they round the final bend and its a straight battle between Annie Power and Big Buck's then i know which one i would rather be backing! I am quite happy to not get invested financially in the race and sit back and enjoy it, hopefully cheering a fifth world hurdle win for Big Buck's
Agreed Brough she could be a superstar but 6/4 is a joke. There is a big diff between a 3m 11 runner World Hurdle at chelts and a 2m4f 3 runner race . I will have a little bet on Big Bucks because I think he is value. Would be brilliant if he could see them all off.
The race is screaming 'upset' to me. Think there is something in there at bigger odds that could take it. Celestial Halo is too big a price at 25/1 but im happy to stick with Rule The World e/w. Only small stakes though cos i really do want Big Buck's to win. The cheer would be deafening if it happened!
Don't think Rule The World is good enough Zaidpour beat him comfortably over 3m off levels just two starts ago. Good luck though Jonjo's horse looks interesting
Race is set up for AFC- No Pressure on the horse, Will appreciate the quick ground- coming back on to form and the stable is starting to go quite nicely! If Annie Power doesnt win and doesnt make it up the hill- I see AFC just picking her off!
Look, Big Bucks will regain his crown ( not that he has ever really lost it ) and that's the end of it, can't believe people are actually backing against him!! Even more so when he's 4 to ****ing 1!!
1.30 Mozoltov 20/1 e.w- This horse comes in under the radar and yes with a bit to find. However, he was closely matched with Felix Yonger at Leopardstown and I'm sure they should be closer in the betting. Felix will improve for better ground but so will Mozoltov, who beat Don Cossack over hurdles in good ground last season, and the step up in trip will really help Mozoltovs jumping. He was excellent for the most part the last day and I am convinced he will improve half a stone for the ground, which gives him a real chance of being in the fight when they reac the hill. Vukovar and Djakadam are ones for the future (only 5 Y O) and both will prefer ground with some give, as would Taquin De Seuil. Wonderful Charm is a lovely animal but he might not want a fight up that hill. With that logic, Mozoltov, who has the size and scope for chasing, the prospect of improving for trip and ground, is in with an e/w squeak hopefully. 2.40 Cheltenham MEDERMIT 33/1 e.w & AL FEROF 5/1 Drying ground for Al Ferof is good because it gives him chance to use his gears providing Dayl Jacob gets him settled, which up until now he has been completely useless at. He has the class to go very close to winning this- Dynaste was beaten fair and square by Benefficient last year and there is no real obvious reason to consider a turn in form, especially as Dynastes best form has come at flat tracks. Al Ferof left handed and at Cheltenham has been very good and I'd love to see him win. I think he is top class when settled and he will stay very strongly up the hill if he jumps round okay. Medermit will come on an absolute tonne for his Ascot reappearance- which was full of promise in totally unsuitable conditions. He was not given a hard time and actually ran on through beaten horses for a distantg 4th, but he will be cherry ripe for today and this has been the target all along. His form from previous seasons ties in really well and gives him real each weay possibilities if he is fit and well, and Alan Kings stable have looked in solid form so far this week after re-opening their yard not too long ago! 3.20 Big Bucks 4/1 Annie Power is class. The fact she turns up here tells me they think she is now better than Quevega and that in itself is a huge deal. She has an unbelieveable engine and gears, but at 6 years old and with so much pace does she really want to be in a 3m hurdle around Cheltenham? They think she is a Gold Cup mare, and that she is special. I think that goes without saying. But I think she would make a fascinating Arkle contender next year, so the World Hurdle doesn't tie in with that school of thought for me. I think she'd have run extremely well in a Champion Hurdle this week. If she stays as well as Mullins and the team think, there is every chance she could win this on the steel, because of the gears she possesses. However, she hasn't struck me as a staying hurdler in her racing style, and I think because she handles soft ground so brilliantly her stamina may have been overemphasised, so I'm interested to see tomorrow. It sounds as if team Nicholls are going to set a right good clip and to see if they can draw any sting out of her tail. Sam won't have to make any of his own running this time and he will sit closely in behind. He travelled smoothly and went clear in the Cleeve but the mud and the long absence told. Nicholls seems convinced that he hass tightened up since and this could be a brilliant race. Don't underestimate the others- Rule The World is a gorgeous horse who will be primed for this race and at 11/1 is worth a saver. Hope it's a race to savour. In the 4.40 Roberto Goldback running off 144 is a real gamble by the handicapper and with Sam Waley-Cohen on board and being an experienced amateur, he could go well.
Superb day out in the sunshine at Cheltenham today. More of the same tomorrow hopefully. Taquin De Seuil in the JLT, Crowning Jewel & Josies Orders ew in the Pertemps lottery, Medermit ew in the Ryanair and Bless the Wings ew in the Byrne Plate. To be honest though that's all secondary as I'd just love to witness Big Bucks triumph. It's big ask, he's no spring chicken but if any horse can strike a blow for the senior citizens of the racehorse fraternity surely Big Bucks is the one. It would also be great for the jockey. I probably won't bet in the race but I hope they prevail.
Evening all , hoping to wake up to another nice treble on the NBA, Tonight's selections here Good luck everyone .
