We all know how difficult it can be to back a winner at the festival and I honestly believe with the ground drying out all the time we are going to see some strange results over the 4 days. Its good to soft ground at present and down in Bristol today its a scorcher. I can see it easily being good ground come Champion Hurdle time as a dry forecast has been predicted up to Tuesday. I think that will massively suit My Tent or Yours... The taps could be turned on at some point over the 4 days which is just weird when you think about how wet it has been. Anyway I have picked out some interesting pointers that may help on the betting front and turn the 4 days in to a profitable period:- Handicaps with Ruby Walsh as jockey. And not for Willie Mullins guys.... but check this out. Ruby Walsh has been riding plenty of handicap winners for Tony Martin this season and the pair have successfully teamed up at the Festival 6 times from just 24 attempts. Not a bad strike rate. Walsh is likely to be Martins go to jockey when his stable runners are fancied to fire. Keep an eye out for these 2 therefore teaming up in the handicaps. Charles Byrnes Runners# This trainers record at the Festival from just a select bunch of horses is impressive. Since 2008 this reads 720161043501B. More than half of his horses recording top 5 finishes which is no mean feat with an average SP of 9-1. Trifolium is a major contender for the Arkle. Other runners to consider are Arnaud and Shanpallas. Top Amateur O'Connor Jockey bookings are often significant in the 3 amateur races at the Festival and the talented Derek O'Connors record since 2007 reads 22P620405101F2. For a £1 level stake thats a profit of £26. In the National Hunt Chase over 4 miles which provides a thorough examination of jockeyship the record reads 452P241F and he was going well last year when Rival D'Estruval fell at the 2nd last. Handicappers with Solid Form Punters can be sidetracked by those stables who are regarded as handicap target stables. Horses on the up can be overlooked and can be available at decent prices. This may be stating the obvious but look out for horses who posted a personal best from their last run, when their previous run to this was also a personal best. 3 of last seasons handicaps were won by horses with that profile - Medinas 33s (Coral Cup), Holywell 25s (Pertemps) and Ted Veale 12s (County).
