Plenty of the fancied runners have not had their formlines franked Beefy, that's what makes it so difficult. You just have to go on what you have been visually impressed by.
I agree there, especially in bumpers where there's often little form but the horse is verging on being favourite for Champion Bumper! I see the owner cites him as his Cheltenham best chance, over Kings Palace.
Could just be playing down that ones chances Beefy. However, he would be in my select bunch of visually impressive performers this season in bumpers.
And he cost a fortune and will run in what looks a highly open race and has been proven at Cheltenham whereas Kings Palace failed at last years Cheltenham and runs in a race with two of the best novices we've seen in a few years. Maybe the owner is just being realistic about the task facing Kings Palace...
It's certainly getting exciting with little over a week to go. Mullins looks to have day one accounted for with his top fancies looking to take four of the first five races. I aim to put these in a yankee and hopefully have some enjoyment on the lottery races with the winnings. (ho ho ho ever the optimist). Which race will Don Poli go in? Mullins rates him as a 4 miler but there a three entries for him. I am also waiting to see which race he chooses for Djakadam. When are the final declarations posted?
Niks - Robbie McNamara seems pretty confident that his housemate, Bryan Cooper, will get to ride Don Poli in the RSA. I'd rather he go 4 miler. I think Very Wood is looking a terrific bet in what ever race he turns up for. I've rewatched the Albert Bartlett this morning a couple of times and just think that was a brilliant performance from horse and jockey last year. There's no way he should have won turning in. He loved the hill. Loved Spring ground. Masterful from Carberry as is the norm. Whether it's RSA or 4 miler, i'm going to back him. It's paid off for me the other week when he won head in chest in Ireland at a 13/2 when he should have been 2/1. No reason to desert him now. I think it might turn into my strongest bet of the week.
for me the most intriguing race is The Queen Mother on the Wednesday, Nicholls is bullish about Dodging Bullets and Mr Mole whilst Henderson is not so big about Spinter Sacre, then there is sire De Grugy to consider and a horse that seems to enjoy Cheltenham, Champagne Fever. It will be good to hear the views of others but at the moment I'm thinking A P to get the Mole running and hopefully doing the business
Boston, currently 16/1 for the RSA with 365 but another with options, I've taken the name and added it to a list that is getting longer with each article I read. That however is the joy of Cheltenham, I had all my bets written out on the Thursday last year and when I got there the Guinness tokk over and I changed my mind on most of them. Going on the Thursday again this year but the bets will be on before I leave home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just read N Meads stable guide on the atr website cheltenham guide. He is speaking highly about Snow Falcon as a speedier horse than Very Wood and if spring ground he would give it a shout at 40/1. Watch the forecast.
With the bookies offering NRNB there's not much kudos in striking an AP wager now. However I've been unable to resist one from the lovely Rebecca's yard in the Albert Bartlett at a whopping 100/1 ew. Carningli is the choice. I must admit I like the chances of Blaklion for win purposes but was very taken with Carningli's last run at Chepstow where he put some indifferent form over hurdles well behind him. It may turn out to be not much of a race but Carningli travelled really nicely and couldn't have won any easier than he did. He had very decent bumper form and the lovely Rebecca has made no secret of how highly she rates him and has indicated it is the longer hurdles race he'll be going for. The thing is she doesn't tend to send her horses to the Cheltenham festival for the day out. I expect a decent run for my money. Runner up to Blaklion will do. I would just add that I've been struggling with the dreaded manful since the middle of last week so this bet may owe more to the amount of brandy I've been topping up the lemsip max strength with.
I doubt it, he won't be content with runner up to Rock On Ruby when he can win the mares egg n spoon.
Not to mention the Mares is probably her best trip too... Confirmed for Mares tonight by Ricci. Sensible choice after having her season effectively ruined by injury. Aintree Hurdle after it, so not ducking the boys at Aintree!
What's the thinking on Sprinter Sacre now chaps? Are we buying the usual Barry Geraghty/Hendo hype? Back to his best, where we were 2 years etc etc A few interesting viewpoints coming out from a few Festival previews tonight. Rich Ricci saying he thinks its bull coming from 7 Brandies to scare off the opposition, which kind of makes sense to me. Another one from David 'fall off' Casey is that Barry's full of ****e and would tell you if he was riding an armchair around Cheltenham he'd make out it was a great ride lol I personally think Sprinter's done and having not rated him last year I am left with the conclusion Sire de Grugy SHOULD be a strong favorite for the QM now. His performance the last day surely shows he's suffering no ill effects and if I was forced to have a bet on the day I'd be looking at Moore's charge. The rest could write their own puzzle book such is the amount of question marks against them.
Have to disagree beefy! I think Sprinter will be back and back to his best! 2 out at ascot he looked to have some of the old sprinter bacck but just got tired! He would have improved greatly for the run and IMO the Moores panicked and gambled which paid off but if it hadn't and he had got beat we would have all been saying about the weight he was giving to the field so there was always a no lose situation! The Ground and having a year off with his condition is the excuses for sprinters loss but neither of them was really pushed! So we don't know! But they both can jump which is the weakest part lf CF game (have backed him ew for the race as I do like the horse) Henderson has always said he will be right on the one day that really matters and I have faith and if he is the old Sprinter he wins simple
It's the 'if' that ruins it for me Wooly, but be great if he could do it to mark him down with the greats but I can't see it myself.
Have got quite abit invested in him so am hoping but have got a saver on the Fever he will bowl along in front and could be hard to peg back on the spring cheltenham ground
Be hard to begrudge the Fever a third Festival win after last year but is he really a Grade 1 2mile chaser?! He'll place, I'd be sure of that but he'll need to meet everything absolutely on the right stride and ping every fence to win. He could just do it though but Sires run the last day made me think he's the one. It's not a vintage QM but its better than last years and its awfully hard to solve!
I agree with you Beefy Kevin Blake's made some very interesting points. Barry's not asked him a question yet. He'll have to get serious on the day and at 11/4 he's a horrible price.
SPRINTER SACRE (possibly the best 2m chaser we have ever seen) SIRE DE GRUGY, DODGING BULLETS, MR MOLE and two time festival winner CHAMPAGNE FEVER...... its about as "vintage" as it gets if you ask me!
