OT Cheltenham Festival

Here you go DMW, a racing special from NUFC.com

If you don't want to know about our annual four-legged fulminations and frustrations, then look away now....

Punting partner, Paddy Power's offers today are Money Back Specials* in all of the first six races on Day 3 if your selection ends up being second to the favourite. Also, watch out for the extra place available in the Pertemps Final at 2.05pm.

* see terms and conditions.

The World Hurdle at 3.20pm could be the highlight of the festival as Annie Power goes head to head with Big Bucks. Everything seems to be going in Annie Power's favour but Big Bucks will be out to regain his title.

We're going to steer clear of both and go for Rule The World @ 9/1 to be placed and possibly cause an upset. Sounds like NUFC.

The day gets underway at 1.30pm with the Novices' Chase and Felix Yonger should do well on the drying ground so we'll have that as our banker @ 4/1.

The Pertemps and Ryanair at 2.05pm and 2.40pm look to be very competitive races but the extra place in the Pertemps temps us to take a punt on If In Doubt @ 7/1.

Finally, we're going a bit nuts with a long odd selection in the Kim Muir Handicap Chase at 4.40pm, Hunting Party @ 18/1. Is there any method to our madness? Probably not - but we think it has a good chance to at least get in the top four, so we'll be backing it each way.

We're out of pocket on the festival so far but not by too much. Given our modest success so far, a couple of successes today would get us back in the black.

Follow all the betting and action with Paddy Power.

Regular readers will remember that the rule of thumb is usually to totally discount our selections but occasionally we have bucked that trend, with a couple of notable trebles in recent years (including a spectacular 561/1 treble) and some other well-priced winners.

All the races we're watching give a best price guarantee so if the starting price is better than the odds we've taken, we'll get the higher of the two.

Good luck if you're having a flutter this week and remember that Paddy will be offering plenty of money-back offers over the course of the Festival.

 

Today:

Felix Yonger
Crowning Jewel
Menorah
Annie Power
Sraid Padraig
Balnaslow

 

How much are you up on the meeting so far?

 

Haven't been betting much AB. I think it is notoriously difficult at Cheltenham. So many good horses, so many trainers aiming them at the races all year. Better off just enjoying the watching. I'm about a fiver down, I can live with that.

 

Not a single winner yet

 

I have a 100/1 shot for today Tells you everything you need to know:

Calipto
Jumps Road (100/1)
Urbyn Hymn
Bobs Worth
Harbour Court
Vieux Lion Rouge
Changing the Guard

To be honest I am quite keen on Calipto, Bobs Worth and Vieux Lion Rouge. I haven't really been mad keen all week bar the two Mullins horses (Faugheen and Vantour). Should be a good watching day anyway and I'd love to see Bobs Worth extend his fine Cheltenham record.

 

A horse, a horse , my kingdom for a horse.

A winning one that is.

That one at 100/1 would be very nice.

 

I'll jump over the road and give you a bobs worth of change while singing an urban hymn if the 100/1 shot comes in.

 

I know the trainer of Urban Hymn a little bit (long story), and Malcolm is a very astute guy who basically wouldn't run a horse at Cheltenham he doesn't think is good enough to have a chance. I just think he has picked a big fight in Briar Hill. So that one is maybe a little bit speculative to say the least as the Pipe horse looks a superstar too. Jumps Road is clearly a wild suggestion. But the one in the last Changing the Guard may not be a forlorn hope as it loves the ground. I know the guy who used to own when it ran on the flat and if it wins today he will be a broken man!

 

Surely he'll have a few bob on it for old times sake.

 

I think he has someone putting his bets on because he is sunning himself abroad at present. I think he is just gutted as he loves the jumps more and would have killed to have a Cheltenham horse. The horse was really good to him but I think they felt it was regressing on the flat. To then find it winning jumps races after sale and now running at Cheltenham, he can't quite beliveve it. He'll still want it to win and he'll have had a bet. I think it will just sting a little.

 

Having a few £'s coming back off the bet will help to ease the pain.