1.30 Cheltenham Beltor 8/1 I was absolutely blown away by the performance Beltor put in the last day as he was still able to quicken away in great style despite pulling the arms of Tom O'Brien for virtually the entire race and if a first time hood and stronger pace allow him to settle better I think he's going to take a huge amount of beating. A decent enough horse on the flat for Michael Dods and then Sir Mark Prescott, Beltor joined the Robert Stephens' stable for a juvenile hurdling campaign this season and he made the perfect start to his national hunt career with an impressive success on his hurdling debut at Ludlow towards the end of January. Running with the choke out from the outset (nowhere near as bad as he did LTO) and looking a little inexperienced at times, Beltor's hurdling was very fluent for the most part and he travelled powerfully throughout the contest. Under a confident Tom O'Brien, Beltor came with his challenge approaching the last and he quickened under minimal fuss to score a comfortable victory. He beat two horses that ran in the Fred Winter (both poorly) but it was a very impressive hurdling debut and you couldn't have asked for much more. Beltor was stepped up in class to the Grade 2 Adonis Hurdle at Kempton towards the end of February on his 2nd and last hurdling start and I was absolutely blown away by his victory as he must be a freak to win like he did after pulling so hard for the entire race. Failing to settle off a steady pace, Beltor's hurdling was again largely fluent and he travelled powerfully throughout the contest once again. He came to challenge absolutely swinging off the bridle and led on the bit at 2 out and when asked to quicken by Tom O'Brien he did so oh so easily to win by 5L in what was a stunning performance. He must have used up a serious amount of energy being so keen in the contest and to still have enough left in the locker to hit the lead on the bridle and quicken clear shows me that he has an absolutely massive engine and the form of that race looks strong with the runner up All Yours running a fine 5th in the Fred Winter off a mark of 137 on Tuesday. If trained by a bigger name, there's no doubt in my mind that Beltor would be half the price he is now or shorter but Robert Stephens has certainly handled his 4 year old very well thus far and I see no reason why he can't get him to improve again. Given that he was so keen the last day, it's no surprise to see Beltor sporting a first time hood (much like stablemate Modus did on Wednesday when 2nd in the Bumper) and I think he's going to appreciate the strong pace that this race will surely be run at. Additionally, although both starts over hurdles came on soft, his best flat form can on a quicker surface so it's possible that he'll improve for better ground even more and I think he's a massive, massive player in this contest. Nicky Henderson has a really strong hand in this contest with three very fancied runners in the market and they must be respected but overall I don't think this is the best crop of juveniles we've seen and I've been incredibly impressed by Beltor thus far. If not being overawed by the occasion, I think Beltor has a tremendous chance of landing the Triumph Hurdle and I really believe that the 8/1 on offer is a total insult and expect him to show how good an animal he really is by taking this. 2.05 Cheltenham Quick Jack 7/1 Another handicap and another Tony Martin plot in the offing and although he's rated 17lb higher than his last run in a handicap hurdle 412 days ago it looks as though this has been the target for a long time for the same connections who won this with Ted Veale two years ago. A great credit to connections given his success on both the flat and over hurdles, I'll start first with his National Hunt form as he left behind 3 terrible runs in Maiden Hurdles that were clearly designed to get a good mark when he made a successful handicap debut back in September 2013 off a mark of 95 and followed that up with a pretty impressive success over this C+D off an 18lb higher mark on his next hurdling start in November that year in a race that has worked out ridiculously well. Held up in the rear by Ruby Walsh, Quick Jack was given a confident ride as he travelled very smoothly throughout the contest and he was driven out to score by a little over 2L from what turned out to be some very well handicapped animals. The runner up Deep Trouble (rated 118 that day) is now a 147 rated hurdler, the 3rd Three Kingdoms (rated 124 then) went on to become a 140 rated hurdler and Grade 2 winning novice chaser whilst the 5th home Vibrato Valtat (rated 121) has since gone on to be a 140 rated hurdler and Grade 1 winning chaser and for all a mark of 113 is miles away from the 136 he races off today he beat a field of similarly well handicapped horses convincingly and proved his liking for Cheltenham which definitely bode very well for today. His final start over hurdles came in January 2014 when 3rd off a mark of 119 in the top class Boylesports hurdle at Leopardstown when he perhaps didn't quicken as expected in soft ground when sent off a ridiculously short 7/4 shot but he lost little in defeat that day behind the well handicapped pair of Gilgamboa and Flaxen Flare. Since then, he's been kept to the flat where he was successful in a valuable handicap at Galway off a mark of 85 before being narrowly denied in the Cesarewitch off a mark of 94 and it's clear this 6 year old is still improving in all disciplines. An admirably consistent horse in both codes having either won or been placed in his last 10 runs (last 7 in fields of 16 or greater), it seems absolutely assured that he'll run his race and with the excellent Shane Shortall taking a very valuable 5lb off his back I think he's got a tremendous shot in this off a mark of 136 and I'm hopefully he give connections this prize for the 2nd time in 3 years. 2.40 Cheltenham Shantou Bob 40/1 It's absolutely criminal that a ridiculous 40/1 is available about Shantou Bob if putting a line through his last run which came during a period when the Greatrex yard were under a cloud (0-28 in January) and where he was reported to have made a noise and if the breathing operation and the step up to 3 miles give him the improvement that I expect they will then I think he's a huge player in this contest. A winner of his sole point to point, Shantou Bob was a comfortable winner of his only bumper run in May last year before getting his hurdling career off to the perfect start at Ffos Las when beating a couple of useful sorts in Padge and Fletchers Flyer (reopposes today and is half the price) with a strong staying performance over 2m4f back in October before easily winning under a penalty from an ok horse in Sidbury Hill at Lingfield a month later over just shy of 2 and a half miles to make him unbeaten in 3 starts under rules. He was then stepped up into Grade 2 Company on his next and 2nd last start at Sandown in December over 2m4f when he once again looked as if he was crying out for a step up in trip when going down by a nose to Vyta Du Roc in a race that has worked out very well. Having chased the leader in the 5 runner field, Shantou Bob was first off the bridle and dropped to last after 3 out before his stamina kicked in and he stayed on very powerfully just to be denied and he would have won the race in another stride. The winner that day Vyta Du Roc was narrowly beaten in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle subsequently by Parlour Games and he would have definitely finished 2nd behind Windsor Park in the Neptune if he didn't nearly fall at the last (Parlour Games 2nd) and although Shantou Bob was in receipt of 3lb from that rival it was a terrific effort. Additionally, the 3rd Tara Point has comfortably won a Listed Novice hurdle on her only subsequent start and it's really strong form. On his last start Shantou Bob just wasn't himself during a time that the yard's horses weren't right when sent off an odds on shot for a Grade 2 at Warwick and if ignoring that run Shantou Bob has superb form. Much like the yard's Cole Harden who won Yesterday's World Hurdle, Shantou Bob has had a breathing operation and needs to bounce back from a below par run in January and I see absolutely no reason why he can't bounce back in the same manner. The forecast rain will definitely help Shantou Bob significantly (but will severely hinder stablemate Paint The Clouds!) and I think this 7 year old will relish the step up in trip to 3 miles for the first time as he looks like he'll stay all day. With the yard proving their well being by landing the feature yesterday, I think it's an absolute insult to have Shantou Bob priced up at 40/1 and I've had a decent each way bet on him as I think he's a real player in this contest. If bouncing back from his last run in a similar fashion to Cole Harden, I see absolutely no reason why a huge run isn't on the cards and I think his form looks very strong in the context of this race.
3.20 Cheltenham Coneygree 10/1 I'm really looking forward to the Cheltenham show-piece this year as it looks a wide open contest aside from Silviniaco Conti and I'm hoping the brave decision by Mark Bradstock to run Coneygree in the Gold Cup as a novice pays off. Twice a winner around here over hurdles, Coneygree has been plagued by injury throughout his career but the yard have gotten him sound this year after a long time off the track and he's been a seriously impressive recruit to fences. A horse at ease with his jumping, Coneygree has been oh so impressive in his 3 starts over fences to date which culminated in a stunning front running performance in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Chase at Newbury last month that meant the handicapper gave him the highest rating to a staying Novice Chaser for 15 years - and 5lb above that of Gold Cup winner Denman's RSA Chase win in 2007. It's been a brave, brave call to skip the RSA this year and head straight for the Gold Cup as a Novice but with the rain forecast today it certainly looks like it's the right decision in terms of the ground will definitely be more to his liking than it would have been on Wednesday. Although novices in the Gold Cup have a really poor record, the fact that Coneygree is a front runner slightly negates that fact for me as if he's able to get on the front end and go a pace that he's comfortable with then it shouldn't really make too much of a difference to him as his rivals will be behind him and will need to get by him to win and at 8 years old he's older than a lot of Novices. Additionally, given his injury plagued past there's no guarantee he will be sound for next year’s contest and I think he'll run a huge race. If the ground isn't too testing than I think Road To Riches 12/1 also has a great chance in a race that several rivals have legitimate claims to the crown but if settling into a rhythm out in front I think Coneygree can land the daddy of them all and win the Gold Cup 4.00 Cheltenham Paint The Clouds 9/2 I'll be praying that I wake up to find that not too much rain has fallen as if it's soft his chance will be pretty much gone but if the ground is decent enough then I will be very, very, very surprised if my NAP of the festival for the past two months doesn't win this contest comfortably. Having flagged him a good while ago, I've backed Paint The Clouds regularly at 8/1 and more recently at a special of 10/1 for this contest as I think he's well ahead of anything in this sphere. Now a 10 year old, Paint The Clouds has had an injury hit career but Warren Greatrex's inmate seems to be sound for the first time in a few years. He had a perfect season last year winning all 3 of his Hunter Chases in facile fashion as he signed off the season with a bloodless victory in the Champion Hunter Chase at Stratford last May taking his record to 5 wins from 5 over regulation fences and improved that to a perfect 6-6 when winning well enough on his reappearance at Doncaster last month which should put him absolutely spot on for this and there's no doubt in my mind that he's the best Hunter Chaser around. A winner at Cheltenham over hurdles, Paint The Clouds gets the assistance of his regular partner the excellent Sam Waley-Cohen in this and I genuinely think that, if the ground is decent, he only has to jump around to win. I'll be absolutely gutted for incredibly patient connections if rain spoils his chance but if the ground still contains good at the start of the description then I just think he has to jump around to win. 4.40 Cheltenham Killultagh Vic 12/1 Willie Mullins has 3 in this contest and all look well handicapped but I'm hoping Killultagh Vic will be the best handicapped of the lot off a mark of 135 and think he could come on top of this. A talented bumper performer who finished 6th in last year’s Champion Bumper at the Festival, Killultagh Vic ran out an easy winner on his hurdling debut at Clonmel over 20f in December before finding the 2m miles up against the talented L'Ami Serge at Ascot too quick for him as he was no match for that rival in December/ However, I thought he ran a fine race on his last start when 3rd in a good Grade 2 Novice Hurdle over 2m4f at Leopardstown back in January. Held up in the rear of the field by Ruby Walsh, Killultagh Vic put in a fair few jumping errors throughout the contest which certainly didn't help his cause but he looked to hold every chance coming to the last where he didn't pick up as well as it looked like he would as he was beaten less than 4L. Perhaps the mistakes at his hurdles took a bit out of him and he had no finishing kick at the end of the race but nevertheless it was a fine run and he was surrounded by horses that have or will be contesting the Grade 1 Novice hurdles at the festival. The winner Outlander (6th in the Neptune; sent off 4/1), and Albert Bartlett bound Martello tower finished in front of him whilst Neptune winner Windsor Park (I don't think for a second that you can equate that form to this race as he was brought along steadily) and Albert Bartlett bound No More Heroes (apparently wasn't right that day) finished directly behind him in that order and given that he's been assigned a mark of 135 for this contest I think it's very reasonable to assume, in tandem with his bumper form, that the handicapper has been favourable to him. One thing that very much stands out to me is that Ruby Walsh decided to ride Killultagh Vic over Outlander who was thought good enough to contest the Neptune which adds weight to my belief that he's well treated for his handicap debut. Sure to have been heavily schooled since then, I'm happy with the booking of the talented Luke Dempsey for this Conditional Jockeys contest as he has his first start for the Irish Champion Trainer and although a lot of horses in here are probably ahead of their mark I'm hopeful that Killultagh Vic can go close in this wide open contest. 5.15 Cheltenham Blood Cotil 9/1 It would sum up Tony McCoy's career perfectly if he were to win the race named in his honour on market leader Ned Buntline on his last ride at Cheltenham and for all I think that horse has a great chance I think Blood Cotil is a well handicapped horse off a mark of 141 and he looks the ideal sort of horse to win this race. A talented Grade 2/3 winning hurdler, Blood Cotil fell on his chasing debut in January last year but has gotten his act together this year and he very much seems like a chaser on the up. Having bumped into two talented horses in the shape of Gilgamboa and Wounded Warrior on his first two completed starts over fences, this 6 year old caught my eye with a never nearer 3rd over 2m at Naas back in January behind another couple of decent rivals in Sizing Granite and subsequent Grade 3 winner Fine Rightly before he got off the mark at the 5th time of asking with a confidence boosting success over that same C+D last month and he seems like a chaser who has been brought along steadily and who is progressing. That win is sure to have done him the world of good and I think a very strongly run two miles will suit him ideally as I think he's quite smart at his fences which will be incredibly important as everyone's jumping will definitely be put under pressure today. With Ruby Walsh in the saddle, I think Blood Cotil is definitely on a winnable mark of 141 and hopefully he can round of what has been a very successful festival for the Ricci/Mullins/Walsh combination.
Nothing really much takes the eye Robbie. But an old favourite of mine runs in the first and will be backing it myself, has a definite chance but is more of a flat horse and even then is so hard to catch right. So I'd bet with caution and the price isn't great. Jonnie Skull 7/2 is the horse in question. And at a push in the 4:15 Red Inca 9/2 could be worth a small bet. Neither is a confident bet but it looks a pretty poor card today. Enjoy your day out
In the 2:05 Ballyglasheen could well out run its 50/1 odds and is well worth an EW shout with 5 places on offer
Morning all!! The last couple of days have been a haze for me and I'm just about starting to recover!! Not the best from a punting perspective with only one dart landing in Call The Cops but it's been a fantastic week thus far. Hope everyone is well and still having in right off!! Just 3 races I'm punting in today and I've effectively got a couple of eway Patents running... Triumph - BELTOR 7/1 Stick told me to!! Albert Bartlett - BLAKLION 14/1 Stick didn't tell me to do this one but I know he's a big fan. Really like this fella and he's certainly battle-hardened. Will appreciate this test and looks nailed on for a place. Gold Cup - CONEYGREE 9/1 and ROAD TO RICHES 11/1 Hard to ask a novice to win this race but I've been nothing but impressed with Coneygree since he's been over fences, the ground softening up will aid him too. If he can get into a nice rhythm out in front he will take some pegging back. Backed RTR because he's been impressive over in Ireland and is unexposed at the trip. Good luck guys, I'm off to find some paracetamol
It wouldn't surprise me at all if Coneygree won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in what's probably the most open renewal this century. He impressed me when winning at Newbury, but connections have taken a risk running a novice. Good luck to them. Many Clouds is a second season chaser, and they have a good record in this race since 2008 (started off with the mighty Denman, if I'm right Imperial Commander, Long Run, Bob's Worth and Lord Windermere were also second season chasers). Some would say he's shown the best form this season, with wins in the Hennessy and over 3m1f at Cheltenham last time out. If there's any horse who's likely to finish in the first 3, it's him. I've backed him each way. But I just have a feeling it's going to be Holywell's day (knowing my luck it'll be tailed off!), as he's won at the last two festivals. But there's a few others who've shown far better form this season, like Carlingford Lough who won well at Leopardstown last time out. But he's got to jump a lot better than he did on his last visit to Cheltenham. Another horse who won at Leopardstown on it's last run (in December) is Road To Riches, and 3m2f round here should be right up his street. A lively contender who looks to be the most likely Irish trained winner IMO. Simon Holt said on The Morning Line he's opposing Silviniaco Conti, he was still travelling well when falling at the third last in the 2013 Gold Cup, but run out of it in last year's renewal when jumping the last in front only to finish 4th. I'm simply not prepared to back him today, he reminds me of One Man who also won two King George's but never delivered when he ran in the Gold Cup.
Just read a report that it's not raining now, 5mm overnight as Nass said, it's moving away and they broke the track record in the Ryanair. Sounds to me like it'll be absolutely fine for Paint The Clouds and the Gold Cup ground will most likely be nigh on perfect.
In addition to my antepost on No More Heroes I've taken the 10s on MARTELLO TOWER in the Albert Bartlett in the belief the more rain the better as Shergs has also pointed out. This is a bit of a boat, but he's not a bad boat and he'll stay on up the hill after this war, when some of the others have cried enough. ROI DE FRANCS at 9/2 seems the Mullins one for the Martin Pipe. Won it last year with the mighty DON POLI, this lad could well follow up for the all dominant Mullins team.
I live 14 miles from the course and it had eased off here too Bob but it has just started raining. I'm not sure it will make a lot of difference to be fair though
The worst it will be will be good-soft, soft in places. Decent jumping ground. If anything you could say the last 2 days were verging on being too quick for jumpers. I think Moore has had a bit of a rant about them not watering after Sire's defeat too?
They were kicking it up on the morning line, if the rain comes all morning it will be very testing. Same happened last year, it was very testing despite the official going
Can this festival get any better? It can if these win 1.30 PEACE AND CO 2.05 SORT IT OUT 2.40 BLACK HERCULES 3.20 MANY CLOUDS 4.00 PAINT THE CLOUDS (NAP) 4.40 ROI DES FRANCS 5.15 SOLAR IMPULSE These will all be going in my PP with a few outsiders thrown in!!
Cheltenham / Fri 13 Mar Updated @ Fri 13 Mar Going/Track: Good to Soft. Rails: Chase course rail moved in reducing circuit by 36 yards. Weather: 5mm of rain overnight, expected to clear by early afternoon. Non-Runners Take A Break (FR) Race Time: 1:30pm Declared: Fri 13 Mar 8:43am Reason: Self Cert (Not Eaten Up) Minella Present (IRE) Race Time: 2:05pm Declared: Fri 13 Mar 8:36am Reason: Going Don Cossack (GER) Race Time: 3:20pm Declared: Fri 13 Mar 9:50am Reason: Self Cert (Other)
Hello chaps, hope everyone has had a successful week so far. An outsider in the first for me: STARS OVER THE SEA 50/1 e/w. Sea the Stars has only had 4 runners over hurdles but they're running well and have not been out of the first 4 in 10 starts (3 wins, 3 seconds, 2 thirds and 2 fourths) , including Starchitect who was 4th in the Fred Winter on Wednesday. In the 2.40 I'll be having a punt on THOMAS BROWN 12/1 e/w. A friend of mine works in the yard and says this is his banker of the week.
