I agree this yrs festival apart from the performance of the 3 Mullins horses yday it has been slightly underwhelming Annie power probably the biggest fall at the festival for a while the race today yes the deserved horse won but he is he really a champion 2miler tody yes he was but it was not classic of race UDS owners must be licking their lips and spending thier money already Lol xbattle of the big 2 we were waiting to see just didn't happen! Both ran like nothing SS obviously not the same horse and SDG any news about him ? Tomorrow a weak Ryan air two previous winners not there ! World hurdle last years 1 and 2 not running and the field is full of questionable stayers but then it does give someone a chance to shine just hope the horse prevails and and gives more of that a race next year if he is back of course , then on Friday the gold cup wide open but is lacking a Kauto star, Denman a real superstar stayer ! But **** it it's cheltenham let's get on and bash those bookies!
Bet u wish u had added Douvan in to it but good luck ! I would have had a nice return on my Heinz had annie power not fallen the 4 Mullins runners plus champagne fever and Vautour ! But let's hope vautour does what he did last yr!!
Really tricky day tomorrow - like stick I thought Champion court might be thrown in and have followed him with Regal Encore. Also like Radhjani Express Apache Stronghold is my one for the JLT and although hate following Meade at the festival, I had liked this and Road to Riches from a long way back so can't desert that now. To keep the philosophy of never backing Meade in Cheltenham I go for another one in Monksland in the World hurdle. Think I lost my frigging marbles at this stage
I'd like to see Abyssial run a nice race in the world hurdle I was suprised he stayed hurdling this year but they must feel another years experience before Chasing, will be a beast over fences I think. 14/1 in a wide open World Hurdle tomorrow I wasn't going to bet in the race but I've been lured in. Very optimistic bet as this horse is pretty big and maybe not the most fluent of hurdlers as we've seen but definitely one to follow in future no matter what happens tomorrow.
Had an awful day today, even steven at the halfway point. Not lumped on anything yet PTIT ZIG 1.30 and MA FILLEULE 2.40 both carry a sizeable chunk of funds tomorrow. I also like the look of TRUSTAN TIMES 2.45 EW 22/1 REVE DE SIVOLA 3.20 EW 18/1 GRAND VISION 4.40 EW 16/1 And KLEPHT 4.00 66/1 is taken to outrun its price tag... Carried 11.11 two years ago been running recently over a trip too far could go well of 10.8 with a further 5lb off for the claimer in what looks a weak race
Very good money today for EASTLAKE 10-1 in the Grand Annual on Friday. Renamed this year The AP McCoy Grand Annual Chase, trained by Jonjo O'Neill and owned by J P McManus, I wouldn't mind betting AP will be declared to ride this fella despite the fact that JP has the jolly NED BUNTLINE entered in the race!
Un De Sceaux owners must be asking themselves why they didn't go for the Champion Chase. His time on good to soft ground in the Arkle was 1.5 seconds quicker than Dodging Bullets time today on good ground. So I think UDS is abit of flying machine in truth, and will take some stopping next year. I think he has a lot of potential for improvement too, as his jumping a still abit dodgy, once he gets better through experience he'll put in some even better efforts as his engine is so impressive. One thing that well never get to see but would have been great is this fella front running with Sprinter Sacre at his best getting a toe off him
Am going to Towcester tomorrow, does anyone have any tips as I have never heard of any horse running there
1.30 Cheltenham Vautour 2/1 Paddy Power are offering money back as a free bet if 2nd or 3rd in this contest which is an absolutely terrific offer but, nevertheless, I very strongly fancy Vautour to land this contest. Willie Mullins' French recruit was unbeaten in his novice hurdling campaign last year when he landed 3 Grade 1s with the highlight undoubtedly being a scintillating performance in the Supreme Novice Hurdle where he smashed the track record and he started this campaign as a high class Novice Chasing prospect. Having won very easily and impressively on his chasing debut at Navan over 17f back in November, Vautour was turned over in a shock defeat when stepped up to Grade 1 company at Leopardstown's Christmas Festival when beaten miles by Clarcam (who he easily dispatched with on his chasing debut) and you have to put a line through that run as he just wasn't right in the slightest. He put that run behind him when easily winning a pretty weak 3 runner Grade 2 contest at Leopardstown back in January when stepped up to 19f and I think he'll have no issue with an extra furlong here at Cheltenham. Looking at the opposition, I cannot believe Ptit Zig is as short as 3/1 in a place. The best price of 9/2 on offer is also a joke in my eyes. He fell last time out, wasn't very impressive in my eyes against Champagne West and I just couldn't have him. The legitimate danger in my eyes comes in the shape of Apache Stronghold who beat Valseur Lido LTO and who ran a good 2nd to Don Poli before that and I think he's the horse to follow Vautour home. Taking aside Vautour's 2nd when clearly not right at Leopardstown, Vautour has won all his other 7 races since trained by Willie Mullins and with a track record breaking performance in the Supreme to his name I think he'll be extremely hard to beat. 2.05 Cheltenham Call The Cops 10/1 & Edeymi 8/1 This looks an incredibly open renewal and I could make a case for about 7 or 8 of these and I'm playing two against the field in the shape of Call The Cops and Edeymi. Starting first with Call The Cops, I don't think there's any doubt that he's well handicapped under a 5lb penalty for his really impressive success at Doncaster when upped to 3 miles for the first time but the worry is with that effort coming just 12 days ago there's an obvious chance that the run took more out of him that it looked and he won't be 100% today. A useful enough novice hurdler, this unexposed 6 year old ran a very eye catching 4th behind Brother Brian (well fancied in this) at Kempton on his seasonal reappearance as he stayed on strongly from an impossible position over 2m5f and his latest run was seriously impressive to my eye when upped to 3m on his latest start as he ran out a very convincing eased down 5L winner off a mark of 133. He travelled powerfully through the race and came clear on the bit before being briefly driven to success and it was a very impressive performance that suggested he had a real future as a staying hurdler. I've actually no problem that Andrew Tinkler has kept the ride as opposed to Barry Geraghty as I thought he got on really well with the horse the last day and I think a well run race will suit this strong travelling 6 year old. With only 8 career starts to date, there ought to be a lot more to come from Call The Cops and if in the same form as he was 12 days ago I think he'll prove a difficult horse to beat. The other horse I've backed in this race Edeymi screams of a Tony Martin plot and he's somehow sneaked in as bottom weight in this contest. I could go into great depth about a lot his previous runs but all you need to do is look at his last run at Musselburgh when he was a tenderly handled 4th off this mark under an inexperienced 7lb claimer to see that he's had this race as a target for a good while and I'd be surprised if he didn't run a big race. 2.40 Cheltenham Don Cossack 4/1 This actually looks like a race with a good bit of depth to it and there's a good 6 or 7 live contenders in this contest but I think Gordon Elliott's 8 year old is the one to be on. Don Cossack has always been a good horse and won a Grade 1 at Leopardstown in late 2013 but I think he's finally finished maturing into his big frame this season as he has been imperious in winning all 4 starts this season. An effortless win on his reappearance in a Grade 3 was followed by another comfortable success in a 3 runner Grade 2 at Down Royal and he bagged his 2nd career Grade 1 beating two very good horses in Boston Bob & Gold Cup holder Lord Windermere over 2m4f at Punchestown in December and for all both would be better over further and Lord Windermere would have needed the run he couldn't have been much more impressive in winning. Don Cossack's final start again resulted in success this time in a Grade 2 at Thurles in soft/heavy ground and for all his task was made simplistic with Champagne Fever falling at the last I think he was going to master that rival and I was particularly impressed how he got himself back into the race having made a mistake 2 out. At the very least, Don Cossack would have pushed a horse who was a 5/1 shot for the QMCC before his withdrawal very close on ground much softer than ideal but I firmly believe he was going to surge past that rival up the home stretch. It finally seems this big bodied horse has completely filled out and he's now finishing off his races much better and I think he'll be an incredibly hard horse to beat today. Ma Filleule, Balder Succes, Foxrock, Hidden Cyclone and Taquin De Seuil all look to be legitimate threats in this contest which should be a very good viewing spectacle but I'm confident The Don can see them all off and record his 5th win on the spin.
3.20 Cheltenham I can't get over had bad this race is and I'm leaving it well alone. At a push I'd go for Blue Fashion 18/1 & Abbyssial 16/1 and the fact I'm putting up 2 horses that haven't even raced over 2m4f says it all. Good luck to whatever you back in this. 4.00 Cheltenham Monetaire 7/1 There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Monetaire is a well handicapped horse off a mark of 138 and has had this race as his target since he arrived at David Pipe's from France and, given that the trainer won the contest in 2014 and 2012 with ex French horses with similar profiles for this owner, I think he'll take a lot of beating. Monetaire made his British debut off a mark of 123 at Cheltenham over 2 miles where I thought he did an amazing job to finish 3rd. He made an absolutely horrendous error at the first when unsighted and he nearly fell as he dropped back to last but I was just so impressed with the ease he travelled through the field despite making a few more mistakes along the way and, much like The Druids Nephew in the Hennessey, he struck me as a really classy horse. Having travelled oh so smoothly into the race, Monetaire looked like the likeliest winner turning into the home straight but his early shuddering blunder saw him tire late on as he was beaten less than 5L into 3rd. His ability to recover from that mistake over the minimum trip and get into contention screamed that he was a very well handicapped horse and I immediately thought he'd be aimed at this contest. Upped 3lb to a mark of 126, Monetaire scored 2 weeks later at Newbury over 2m1f in impressive fashion and he struck me as a horse that had a lot more left to give in the handicapping sphere. Given a good sighter at all his fences by Tom Scudamore, his jumping was excellent throughout bar getting in close once and he again travelled through the contest powerfully. He took up the lead at 2 out and despite having to be driven out up the run in to maintain his advantage he ran out a very impressive scorer. The form of that race looks very strong with the runner up Solar Impulse (running off 145 that day) subsequently finishing 2nd to Josses Hill who was 3rd in Tuesday's Arkle and being headed at the post in a Grade 2 novice at Doncaster and it was fine performance by Monetaire on just his 2nd start in Britain. The handicapper initially raised him 10lb to a mark of 136 for that effort but luckily he's given him an extra 2lb on the back of Solar Impulse's subsequent exploits as he wouldn't have gotten into this race otherwise but even with a 12lb hike there's no doubt in my mind he's a well handicapped animal. The Pipe's put him away for this contest back in November and have clearly been readying him for it ever since. Although both his starts have been over 2m/2m1f in Britain, I definitely think he'll relish the step up in trip to 2m5f today as he was 2nd in the French Grand National (run over just shy of 3m) and I'm confident it will see him improve significantly. It's quite interesting that the tongue tie which was used on his British debut but was absent on his 2nd start is back on for this contest and it is possible that he may have won despite a suffering with his breathing in the closing stages (complete speculation) which would further enhance his chances if true. Given that Pipe has won this contest in 2 of the last 3 years with ex French horses towards the bottom of the handicap for owner Allan Stennett, he clearly knows exactly how to ready his horses for a race of this nature and I've no doubt Monetaire will be ready for the task and I think he'll take a truck load of beating. I can't not have a bet on Champion Court 33/1 given that he's either a plot of just a regressive 10 year old given that he's a massive 16lb lower than when 7th in this race last year and if he is a plot he's sure to run a huge race off a mark of 141 and at 33/1 I'm willing to take a chance that he is. 4.40 Cheltenham Champagne James 10/1 I'm keeping this short and sweet but it looks like Ted Walsh has done a fine job getting Champagne James into this handicap off a mark of 134 having campaigned him over 2m4f or shorter throughout his career but he's shaped as if he'd appreciate a step up in trip for a long time and I think getting that here today now upped to 3m2f will bring out a lot of improvement in him. I'd be fairly certain that Ted Walsh has had his eye on this race for quite a while with regards to Champagne James as he'd dearly love to give his daughter Katie another Cheltenham winner and with a good weight of 11-1 on his back I think Champagne James is primed to run a big race.
If anyone wants free money on odds checker the Prestbury cup betting is 8/13 Britain at WH and 5/2 Ireland at PP
yeah when the bookies start to advise of a gamble on a specific horse due to rumour you can be assured the values gone!!!
I want to say thank you to the Daily Mail, it does little but let me see that someones avatar was Alonso and Ron Dennis! Thought it was just someone and their dad!!!!
