Cheltenham 2018: Antepost Thread

Early days but Finians Oscar wins whatever he turns up in at Chelts. Got him well covered for both - Arkle over JLT would be the way to go imo.

 

Backed GUMBALL at 33/1 for the Triumph last night. Halved in price and has an engine but boy he is a poor jumper at the moment.

 

Tom Segal, in today’s ‘Weekender’, has given a glowing eulogy re Gumball so much so in fact that I was waiting for him to add the words, ‘the reincarnation of Pegasus’! He believes Gumball to ‘have a seriously good chance of winning the Triumph Hurdle’.

These words may (or may not) be the reason why Gumball has been very ‘blue’ all day on Oddschecker and now as low as 12’s for the juvenile championship heat. That 33/1 though looks a corking ante-post voucher.

 

That was simply foot perfect on debut from PETIT MOUCHOIR. 10/1 taken for the Arkle.

 

He won’t be winning anything at the festival will be another mid table hurdler who will fail to cut it on the top table of chasing

 

Petit Mouchoir vs Finians Oscar would be some race if they both make it!!

 

I’m generally extremely lukewarm on novice chasers who have had more than one season over timber too Wooly but this lad hasn’t exactly had loads of runs, or isn’t built for it or is simply too old like some failed examples a la Rock On Ruby, Granduoet or Peddlers Cross who support the ‘one season hurdling’ theory I subscribe too. And of course de Bromhead had a certain horse called Sizing Europe who done ok having hurdled for two seasons too! Obviously not saying he’s another Sizing Europe, but shows it is possible for a horse to improve for fences having hurdled a while and as I say he is hardly one over raced. Wasn’t even dreaming of backing him until I saw him today, but I’ve rarely seen a debutante jump round a tricky track like that as well as he did. Long way to go as we know, but I’m sure I’ll back many (many) worse 10/1 shots

 

As long as it’s on the Tuesday and not the Thursday

 

Death Duty 14/1 for the RSA after two wins, was he not the second coming last season?

 

I think he's as likely to run in the middle distance chase as the RSA.

 

If he really is seen as Gordo's next Gold Cup horse then he will bring him along slowly and i bet we won't see the best of him until he's got a year over fences under his belt. Screams out as a JLT animal to me and i have a point each way at 20's with Betfair before his second run. He's got an engine.

 

Killultagh Vic 6/1 Foxhunters
You may recall this one a couple of seasons back winning a novice chase after doing the splits on landing in a heap when jumping the final fence in front at Leopardstown. Was a short priced fav for the JLT on the back of it before they discovered he had picked up an injury and he hasn’t been seen since. Now with a small trainer in Northern Ireland I hear he is back nearing full fitness and will be aimed at hunters races with the Foxhunters in March the big goal if he they can keep him sound. He has to be miles better than what he’ll face in hunters races that’s for sure and he’ll absolutely hack up at the Festival if he does line up.

 

Devastating news about FAYONAGH what potential she had

 

Bacardys 16/1 RSA
Has some nice form to his name including beating Finian Oscar at Punchestown over an inadequate trip where he was strongest at the line over 2m4. Absolutely looks sure to improve with 3m of galloping, if you can forgive his Neptune shocker you’d have to say he’s grossly overpriced when you look at how he’s fared against Finians and Death Duty? Good enough to pick up two Grade Ones over hurdles, if he was in Ricci or Gigginstown silks he’d be trading shorter than 16s that’s for sure. Looks a big old fashioned chaser to my eye, won’t win anything flashy like others but he’s ferociously tough and the RSA looks his race.

 

At 16/1 it doesn’t take much on to have a decent bet and I’ve guessed ok at his down the years, a nice motor on the drive backs this up haaa! Wouldn’t be backing much antepost at much less than double figures, I never really have tbh, madness. Sad news about Fayonagh confirms why.

 

Killultagh Vic - he looked absolutely brilliant in his novice chase season. Fingers crossed he retains his ability and gives the small trainer some big days.

 

So here’s a scenario for you if Coneygree bolts up on Saturday then continues to win right up to the Gold Cup and Might Bite turns up in he form of last year on a soft Gold Cup and your Nico who do you ride a reliable Galloper who stays and will to try ground the opposition to the ground or a mad horse who could run out at the first or just anahilate the field!