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.
Cheltenham will ride soft. Time to lay the Paint the Clouds stake off i'm afraid. He'll be okay on it but you can't get away with being okay on the ground when you're at Cheltenham.
Looking 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.
I'm not going to burden Value at Risk as nothing would please me more than Harry riding a winner at Cheltenham. I remember when Amanda and Harry were competing at BSJA Affiliated Junior show jumping and, when Amanda got 1st and 2nd, Harry rode one of Amanda's ponies in for the prize giving. Come on Harry; we'll all be cheering you on. Good luck.
Final placepot Leg 1: 13:30 Beltor (2) Leg 1: 13:30 Pain Au Chocolat (11) Leg 2: 14:05 Modem (7) Leg 2: 14:05 Princely Conn (19) Leg 3: 14:40 Fletchers Flyer (8) Leg 3: 14:40 Value At Risk (20) Leg 4: 15:20 Coneygree (4) Leg 4: 15:20 Many Clouds (11) Leg 5: 16:00 Aiteen Thirtyth' (2) Leg 5: 16:00 Salsify (18) Leg 6: 16:40 Vieux Lion Rouge (2) Leg 6: 16:40 Noble Endeavor (8) Leg 6: 16:40 Killultagh Vic (21)
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 22/1
I only remember because i backed On His Own at 40's that day as well and am still as sick as a parrot about it! I think On His Own's run in the Lexus was brilliant. 2nd to Road to Riches. Definitely his mid season target. They ran him again as a prep race in the Hennessy an d he'll be spot on. He could come nowhere. He could ride the race of his life and finish 7th but 40/1 is too big.
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.
Time to press up on Many Clouds then. With a saver on Coneygree, just in case Mark Bradstock actually does know what he's doing with his own horse.
Just for a laugh, my placepot. If I picked 10 in each race I probably would lose. I think the lottery may be a better bet 13:30 Peace And Co, Hargam, Beltor, Petite Parisienne, Top Notch, Dicosimo, Pain Au Chocolat 14:05 Sort It Out, Quick Jack, Ebony Express 14:40 Black Hercules, No More Heroes, Value At Risk 15:20 Djakadam, Holywell, Many Clouds 16:00 Paint The Clouds, On The Fringe, Salsify, Current Event 16:40 Roi Des Francs, Jolly's Cracked It, Killultagh Vic, Full Shift ****, that's 3024 lines Shorter list in bold = 64 lines Now all you have to do is include the ones not in bold
Ew Lucky 31 on: 1:30 - Beltor 8/1 (backed this on its last two runs so sticking with it today) 2:05 - Quick Jack 15/2 2:40 - Value At Risk 12/1 4:40 - Mckinley 10/1 (backed it on its last two runs including a win at 33s so sticking with it today) 5:15 - Ted Veale 14/1 I've got AP tickets for Paint The Clouds and Silvinaco Conti, they're in an ew lucky 15 with Zarkander and Apache Stronghold. I'm also backing Boston Bob 33/1 & Smad Place 25/1. I've also gone ew on Cheltenian 16/1, Ballyglasheen 50/1, Junior 33/1, Conquisto 50/1, Royal Irish Hussar 18/1, On Tour 14/1, Grumeti 16/1 and done a few very small stakes combi fc/tc
Had a small stakes e/w Lucky 63 life-changer but will be betting cautiously with my main bets to day, each one just before the off. Really want to see what the ground is riding like.
