Sorry Pilgrim. I wouldnt put you off him mate. Four of the animals he beat at Cheltenham have come out and won since and he is proven at the track. On strict formlines I would say he has a little to find with Acey Milan. Its a fantastic race this year as it is clear to me that the home team look every bit as good as the raiders! I really like ACEY MILAN and am also coming around to Didtheyleaveyououtto. Backed Rhinestone ante post a while back and firmly believe that he is the best of the Irish horses. It will be really interesting to see which horse Geraghty picks....then back the other one! FOB has a really strong team and I would be amazed if Floridas selection is not one of them!
I like acey Milan also and it's form is unquestionable. I'll back it on the day but something in the pack might hose up and fergals been on good form in bumpers this year. Won't be long before he will be training flat winners.
I also fancy sea fox at lingers. Chevalier longs strong. But fran berry won on sea fox at kempton iAd is better at the weights.
At 6/1 skybet have a nice little special, Mullins,Henderson and Elliott to have 15 winners between them which they managed last year Btw, looks quite achievable again.
Wow, this market is constantly changing. I got 7/1 for 13+, just over a week ago they were offering 5/1 for 11+ and 9/1 for 14+
Interesting stat in the last eight runnings of the Fred Winter Paul Nicholls 16 runners have won three times and came second four times.He clearly likes to target this race so I've placed my first proper bet on Act of Valour 14s Ew.I see some money has come in for it already and into 10s now.Not a massive fancy but reckon he will defo place.
A horse whose ante-post price still has some value about it is Alan King's Scarlet Dragon at 33/1 (Skybet) for the Supreme Novices Hurdle. In this article from the RUK website connections confirm they intend to run him in the Supreme after a fine 2nd on hurdles debut in the Dovecote. He pulled Wayne Hutchinson's arms out for the first dawdled mile at Kempton yet was the one who came eye-catchingly out of the pack to chase home Global Citizen (who IMHO had a very soft lead in the race and had flown before Scarlet Dragon even got racing). I think the winner is very good (but won't reoppose at Cheltenham) and I expect Scarlet Dragon to settle much better in the Supreme given the pace should be very genuine. Clearly a number of these won't run and I can see him going off much shorter on the day of the race. Here is the replay of the Dovecote (Scarlet Dragon in the red and white Ponsonby silks) http://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/video/20180224/2767509/16532185
B365 still sticking their neck out at 14/1 so well worth loading up with NRNB - I know connections stated he was definitely going Ballymore but surely they would have pulled him out of the Supreme? If heavy is in the going description he will go Supreme
Aye it’s a bit of a stretch but worth the risk. Long range forecasts aren’t to be trusted entirely but with the snow melting and rain predicted everyday from Wednesday onwards it certainly isn’t a 14/1 shot. Should he line up he will be evens at best.
Claisse looks like he's going to have a tough week. Loads of drifts around the obstacles apparently which need removing manually to keep the going (whatever it is) even. At least it doesn't look like the ground will need to be covered to protect from frost. Good to soft, soft in places would be my rather predictable bet.
Cracking Smart out. "Cracking Smart has suffered a setback which will keep him on the sidelines for the rest of the season. Trainer Gordon Elliott had been preparing the Grade Two-winning six-year-old for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. But the County Meath handler told his Betfair blog: ''Unfortunately Cracking Smart had a setback so he is out of the Albert Bartlett and will not run for the remainder of the season." Cracking Smart has done well this season and won the Navan Novice Hurdle in December, after which he finished a close second to Next Destination in the Grade One Lawlor's of Naas Novice Hurdle." Now maybe Blow By Blow will run here. That's my hope.
Coral Cup - Enniscoffey Oscar ew @ 33s. Taken some of paddypower's generous 33s for Emma Lavelle's gelding. A good winner of a grade 2 at Donny last time out and would get in this off a very lenient mark imo. There is a possibility that he'll line up in the 3 mile novice race on Friday but this looks a better option off his mark and the fact that he's only raced once over 3 miles and that was on a flat track. I hope Ms Lavelle concurs. NRNB so no harm done if she opts for the latter.
Rewatching the Albert Bartlett last year and how easy PENHILL got to the front! Currently 10/1 and can’t see him going off that price the layoff wouldn’t worry me! Small ew bet on at that price!
