Saturday's Meetings Lingfield A/W 8 Races 11:40-3:40p.m. Punchstown N/H 7 Races 12:00-3:30p.m. Wetherby N/H 7 Races 12:15-3:45p.m. Uttoxeter N/H 7 Races 12:22-3:50p.m. Cheltenham N/H 7 Races 12:30-3:55p.m. Wolverhampton(E) A/W 8 Races 4:30-8:00p.m. Racecards At The Races Sporting Life Racing Post Good Luck
Cheltenham Paddy Power Gold Cup 14,15 Nietzsche 16/1 e/w BoyleSports six places and Betfair five places, Sky 14/1 seven places, WH 14/1 six places 14,50 Proschema 11/4 WH, others 5/2
Okay it is do not shoot the messenger time... Mate of mine texted me this one for Saturday suggesting to get on early. When I look it is one of the favourites for the Paddy Power Gold Cup, in which it was third last year: Cheltenham 2:15 – AL DANCER No point getting on early when it is 6/1 for a 20 runner race not 33/1.
One I have a personal interest form wise is minella encore in the 1.05 chel. It won a hot maiden at uttoxeter which has produced untold winners and was only just beat by streets of doyen at Cheltenham who went on to finish 3rd in the Albert Bartlett at the festival. Expect the trainer to exploit the handicap mark even more with a 5lb claimer.
The Red Run Handicap Chase, run on the 8th of April 2021, provided me with yesterday's winner Editeur Du Gite and it is to this race that I look again for the winner of today's Paddy Power Gold Cup. In sixth place that day at Aintree, finishing some 10 lengths behind the winner, was Philipp Hobbs' Zanza. That was off a mark of 145 and he was giving weight to all the horses in front of him. I like the form of this race for future races (especially those run on goodish ground) - Editeur Du Gite won well yesterday, 2nd placed Sully D'Oc won a big handicap at Punchestown at the end of April and a number of those horses in front of Zanza at Aintree met in a Class 1 handicap chase at Ascot a couple of weeks ago and filled 4 of the top 5 places (Amoola Gold won, Grey Diamond 3rd, Frero Banbou 4th and Sully D'Oc 5th). To me that gives the Aintree form a really solid look. Zanza himself had his first run since Aintree when finishing a fine 3rd behind Eldorado Allen and Hitman in the Haldon Gold Cup and is 4lbs well in here on official ratings. The only slight negative is Zanza's Cheltenham record which reads 60FP, although 3 of his 4 visits to the track were for the festival and he was going well when falling 3 out on the other visit. The step up in trip ought to be OK for Zanza (won over 2m 3f over hurdles) and he looks a decent e/w bet with bits of 11/1 around this morning. Good luck everyone
Elsewhere on the Cheltenham card, the Triumph Hurdle trial looks a decent renewal with 2 entries form the excellent Milton Harris yard and probably only one of the 9 runners can be ruled out on paper - Saint Riquier looking up against it. The Nicholls, King, Moore and Skelton yards all warrant respect in this sphere and Magistrato looks the likely winner, with Knight Salute to chase him home. The highlight of the card for me is the reappearance of Third Time Lucki in the other grade 2. He was explosive on chase debut over C&D and is a warm order to follow up here today. Hopefully he can provide connections with compensation after the unlucky fall of My Drogo yesterday. Finally the listed mares bumper, where Fergal O'Brien is mob-handed and hopefully Paddy Brennan has picked the right one in Bonttay. I think Fergal could have a 1-2 with Leading Theatre also looking a very useful mare.
Lovely performance from Knight Salute there Might he be a Triumph contender? I'm not sure Fil Dor will be shaking in his shoes just yet .......
Wow that is a seriously talented mare Riviere D'Etel - getting lumps of weight from the geldings but very impressive