Punters that did not have the sense to take their Mullins’ money home on Day One have probably given most of it back by now and just for good measure the bookies are offering no respite on the final day. Any takers for Tricky Nicky’s Peace And Co in the Triumph Hurdle? Or you could go to the Mullins’ Well again for Black Hercules in the Albert Bartlett.
At Kempton or Sandown, Desert Orchid was a legend who dispensed with his rivals with distain. When he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup he was all out to scrape past an ordinary rival, Yahoo. Silviniaco Conti followers will be hoping that their horse does not have a similar aversion to Gloucestershire, although he was beaten last year and looks like one the bookies will be out to lay. Whilst wishing the favourite well, he is opposable and Many Clouds looks to be the one if the ground softens. Lord Windermere defends his crown against five of last year’s field including 2013 winner Bob’s Worth, so it should be tight; and a competitive race is what everyone wants to see. It will be fascinating to see how the novice Coneygree performs but this is a lot tougher than Newbury last time.
Good luck to AP on his last Cup ride Carlingford Lough, but sadly I do not think the horse is good enough to feature in the finish.
The Gold Cup last year was such a non entity in my memory that I couldn't have told you who the placed horses were. Based on what you have reminded me of Bob, that 40/1 does look a bit odd against the winner's price of 22/1Looking at the Gold Cup and there's some value around if you look away from the front of the market for each way pokes.
Smad Place has run 5 times at Cheltenham and finished placed 4 times. He's 33/1. He could be totally out matched but at the price i think he's a sporting each way bet. The same can be said for On His Own, who is 40/1 again this year. That's a rick in my mind.
He won the race for me last year having been interfered with by Lord Windermere. It was only a poor decision by the stewards that led to him losing out. Yes, he's not been brilliant this year year but i'd be convinced they've targeted this day. Again, he may be outclassed if something shines but with Coneygree forcing the pace and turning it into a slog, i can definitely see On His Own running on late to challenge. If he'd had the rub last year and won the race he'd not be 40/1 today.
Obviously the ground turning soft helps Many Clouds and Djakadam and the latters piece of work against Vautour last week must give him a massive chance after we saw an incredible performance yesterday from the aforementioned but the percentage call for me is to stick with the outsiders and hope to mop up a place or two.
So my two against the field are:
Smad Place each way and On His Own each way.
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!!
I've done a 960 line place pot! It better ****ing win.
Come on TC share the luck give is your full placepot?!
L1: 12 PEACE AND CO.
L2: 2 CHELTENIAN & 25 SORT IT OUT.
L3: 3 BLACK HERCULES & 5 CARACCHI APPACHE.
L4: 11 MANY CLOUDS
L5: 8 CURRENT EVENT & 17 PAINT THE CLOUDS.
L6: 9 ROI DE FRANCS & 20 BALGARRY.

