One from me early doors runs in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, NOBLE ALAN, had this one in my notebook straight away after his LTO when unseating his rider when cruising and looking all out the winner. He has previous form at Cheltenham sadly the best is over hurdles; however, in his only other run there he fell when a close up 4th when he was in with every chance, the winner that day was Poquelin. In his latest outing once again he was held up and was just running on to lead when unseating his rider two out. Im am sure he will be stripped fitter for his last two races, however, the big question mark is over his jumping, with a clear round, off his rating of 142 he is a solid EW bet at odds of 20/1 and is Nicky Richards only runner at Cheltenham over the 3 day meeting and the booking of Dougie Costello is another plus.
Waywardlad, Noble Alan is one I've watched for quite a while- he cost me quite a bit of cash at Market Rasen and, as far as I'm concerned, he did not fall- rather his jockey baled out the side door (so common nowadays- bring back Dave Dick and Mike Scudamore!). I also backed him when he fell at Cheltenham against Poquelin- and I feel he would have won that day too. However, although I feel he has a real chance of finally landing a big prize, I can't go to the well a third time! Hence I do prefer Poquelin as a sporting EW bet. Best of luck!
Just a quick word for now, but I have just read that if you bet on the Paddy Power Gold Cup tomorrow using the Ladbrokes mobile app, you get the SP doubled, so get much better odds. So anyone who is a customer with them- take advantage. But remember, it is ONLY THAT RACE that qualifies, and only ONE HORSE!! Not their biggest fan, but will use that tomorrow as its a very good offer. http://www.ladbrokes.com/ppgc/
Tam, i agree thats why i put unseated his rider, i just feel that the two races he has fallen in he looked like winning. Prior to this he has looked a good jumper and i feel that with a clear round he will be there on the run in, you may regret not following the rule of third time lucky ;-). He meets Poquelin on the same terms as he did in December when he fell and looked like winning. Good luck all the same
My fancies for tomorrow- 1.20 Hinterland- 2/1 Ladbrokes (get on it quick it will disappear)- Have been awaiting his re-appearnce for a while- am really excited about seeing this young horse- nicholls has very high hopes for him. Although his win was on soft ground- should have no problems adjusting to this ground! And although there are some other good horses in Hollow Tree & Ozeta- I feel Hinterland may have a little to much class for the field 1.55 Chicago Grey- 11/2. Has a great record round this course and is the main reason for my selection winning two and coming 2nd once out of 6 races plus he stayed on very well in the charlie hall and would have pleased Gordon Elliot so stamina is not a problem. Galaxy rock also caught my eye and is pretty good e/w value bet @ 8/1 but will stick with my choice in Chicago Grey who i reckon will stay on to win here and in the festival again! 2.35- Am basically going for loosen my load 16/1- there are so many who can win, but fancy loosen my load to come over from ireland and take this big prize! Has a good jockey on in H de bromhead who does well at this meeting one of them announcing the arrival of the QM chase winner Sizing europe here. Is 11lb better off than wishfull thinking who beat him at the festival last year and the drop in weigh thanks to the presence of poquelin will go massivley in his favour! Which is why he is my choice and also thanks to Shergar!! Plus he his alot better value than Wishfull thinking who is half the price!! so an E/W bet with a bookie who pays out for 5 places! is tremendous value!!
For those who knew Stick, connections have advised him that CANTILOW will bolt up in the 3.10 at Cheltenham currently 9/1 available on Bet 365
Wayward - putting that one up as my NAP as well. Just seen Stick put it up whilst I was producing my write up. Makes me more confident Good evening all NAP tomorrow is CANTLOW in the 3.10 at Cheltenham. Anyone who watched this one last time out will understand why I feel he offers some cracking value at around the 8/1 mark tomorrow. Following a 204 day break from a 2nd in a Grade 1 at Aintree that many seen as a fluke Cantlow proved he is a talented animal when finishing 4th in the John Smiths Grade 2 hurdle at Wetherby. Although he was beaten 42 lengths by the eventual winner Restless Harry that really doesn't reflect on how he ran that day. Confidently held up towards the rear early on he made good progress throughout and turning for 3 out he was cantering and looked the likely winner. However after jumping the 3rd last he soon bombed out and Dominic Elsworth looked after him well as if it was expected. It looked to me as if he just needed that outing and I am very hopeful that he will be a lot fitter tomorrow and can go through with a strong finishing effort this time..
Also the double SP can only be applied to one selection so use it wisely. Don't go backing and laying the whole field!!!
12.00 Lingfield - HURSLEY HOPE 7/1 (BOG) - A poor start to the Lingfield card to be honest and not a contest I would usually be betting in. However Hursley Hope stands out as a decent bet at around the 7/1 mark now going handicapping. Despite finishing 7/9 9/12 and 10/10 in her three starts so far she has actually shown a lot of promise. On her debut she was green and dwelt at the start and was never able to get involved. However in her other 2 maiden starts she was too keen and showed up prominently for long periods of her races. She has now been given a 158 day break and hopefully she will settle better tomorrow as a mark of 58 certainly looks workable. The booking of William Buick is a positive and although well down the field in her maidens it is worth looking at some of the horses who have contested against her so far. They include Lyric Street, Wild Coco , Hunters Light Maqaarat Polygon, Stella Point and Rainbow Springs. The selection is a big scopey filly and I would like to think we haven't seen the best of her on the track yet and at 7/1 she rates as a decent bet imo. 2.15 Lingfield - HUNTERS LIGHT 7/4 (BOG) & SATWA PEARL 20/1 E.W (BOG) I really do think Hunters Light will take some stopping tomorrow and I will be having a decent bet on him at 7-4. He has really impressed me this season progressing from a maiden win to winning a listed heat and then again bettering that form with a 3rd place finish in Group 3 company behind Namibian before running with credit in the Great Voltigeur (weakened out late on). He took advantage of a drop back down to listed level at Goodwood last time out when comfortably getting the better of a smart performer from the John Gosden stable (Fallen Idol) the 3rd that day Mirror Lake went on to land a listed race at Doncaster last Saturday so the form looks very strong. I think this race is weaker than the one Hunters Light contested last time, therefore if he runs up to form he should win this well. I will be having an E.W saver on Satwa Pearl as I like the way she has progressed this season. I don't feel we have seen the best of her yet and I think her performance last time out when 7th in the listed race that Mirror Lake won would confirm this. She is a 20/1 shot at the moment and I am hopeful that she can run in to a place tomorrow. 3.20 Lingfield - ZACYNTHUS 16/1 (BOG) E.W Not a horse I would be putting a lot of money on but I do feel Zacynthus is worth an E.W bet tomorrow. If he has retained his ability since a switch from Al Zarooni to the Mccabe yard I fancy him to run a big race. After his impressive win at Newmarket on debut Zacynthus performed with great credit when finishing 3rd in a listed heat at Longchamp on his second and final start as a 2yo. He returned to the track in June but made no impact in a handicap at Newmarket finishing last of 13 and didn't show much at the same track 22 days later. However he proved he still does have ability when a fine 4th at Doncaster behind Mias Boy last month on his final start for Godolphin/Zarooni. That form is good enough to see him go close tomorrow therefore I do believe a mark of 88 is workable. 1.20 Cheltenham - OZETA 9-4 (BOG) A cracking renewal of this Triumph Hurdle trial. Hinterland is going to be a popular selection for many punters as Paul Nicholls seems to rate him very highly. He was a 10 length winner of a listed hurdle at Autueil last time out and is a very interesting contender for the yard that took this last year with Sam Winner. However I will take a chance on OZETA. This filly was a listed winner on the flat at Longchamp and then a 3 length winner of a unraced listed hurdlers race at Auteuil. The second home that day has been runner up in a grade 3 hurdle since. Her form looks strong and I am hoping she can make the most of the allowance she recieves from her main rivals and therefore make a winning debut for Nicky Henderson/JP Mcmanus.
Lingfield 2.50- SILAAH 14/1 ew An excellent all-weather horse, with 15 top 3 finishes from 21 starts on the surface. His Lingfield record is exceptionally consistent, reading 2222. Run creditably throughout the summer in good handicaps but the winter campaign is where he comes into his own and return to his best. Looks a great price and might be difficult to pass if it can grab the lead coming round the home turn. Lingfield 3.20: RIGGINS 12/1- Beginning to get some respite from the handicapper, shaped better last time out, and if building on that is very much overpriced. Rated 108 last year, and was only beaten 6L by Dubawi gold a few runs back. Has some top class form to his name, and by no means out of this. Cheltenham 2.35: Loosen My Load e/w Watched the Jewson again earlier and this fella possesses a lot of ability. People say he doesn't find much for pressure, but he blundered when going best of all 3 out at the festival and then picked up again before weakening at the very last. Jumped exceptionally well around the course that day until 3 out and hopefully can produce an error-free round to be bang in the mix.
3.10 Cheltenham. Pettifour. My Shamwari looked very much on the upgrade last backend, but he needs to prove he really stays this extended three miles at Cheltenham. Paul Nicholls' Oscargo is the likely favourite- and could be anything- but he's only won a maiden hurdle which isn't a strong recommendation round here. Both Cantlow and Battle Group are more likely contenders- they have had an outing and will last out the trip. Weight is their concern, however. Old Don't Push It isn't off a bad mark, having run Big Bucks to a couple of lengths off a similar weight, albeit nearly three years ago now. However, the horse that stands out on previous form is Twiston-Davies' Pettifour. In 2009 he reached a rating of 160 and the third top rated three mile UK hurdler. After an unsuccessful stint at novice chasing, he reverts back to hurdles off a very favourable rating of 138. Yes, he's nine years old now, but he does go well 'fresh' and his trainer has no problem producing them to win first time out. You take a chance that he's retained his ability, but if he has, he will gallop them into the ground off this mark. Pettifour -Best price: 20/1 Ladbrokes.
Two APRAISE selections today I'm sorry i forgot to mention that the bets are scaled between (1 and 7 pts) a 7pt bet being the maximum. 12.40 Wetherby RESIDENCE AND SPA currently available 10/11 3.5pts win 2.15 Lingfield HUNTERS LIGHT currently available 7/4 2pts win Apart from the APPRAISE system selections i like WESTON LODGE 11/4 very much in the last race at Wetherby won a nice point in Ireland in April step up on Carlisle effort will put him bang there o hope. Good luck to everyone today.
Good morning fellow threaders. Super card at Cheltenham as you would expect and a few I fancy are: 1.20 The 2 French hotpots will likely fight this out but as both their victories in Fance came on very soft I'm going to take a chance that Hollow Tree might cause a small upset. After winning his last 2 races on the flat for Andrew Balding off 67 he made a pleasing hurdles debut at Bangor where, despite sweating profusely, he jumped smartly and pulled readily clear of an admittedly poor field. 1.55 is very competitive so I will just have a small e/w play on Reve de Sivola who won a novice chase here last December on good going and shaped well on his seasonal debut before tiring - should come on nicely for that. 2.35 I think the Paddy Power Gold Cup will be won by a horse who can race prominently then kick on and will stick by my 2 selections from earlier in the week - Noble Alan as my main bet (for me a winner without a penalty as he came full of running last time out only for the jockey to unship) and a small dabble on The Giant Bolster who could grind out some place money coming late if he puts a clear round in. 3.10 A small e/w dabble on Raslan who I backed last time out over 3 miles where he stayed on quite nicely and the extra distance should suit today. 3.40 Simply have to back John Ferguson's runner Cape Dutch here - absolutely hosed up in a novice hurdle last time despite carrying a penalty and a mark of 122 on handicap debut could look very lenient come this evening. 4.10 In the lucky last Restless Harry will be all the rage but I was very impressed by the Twister's Viking Blond on his chase debut and he can take what should be a very interesting race. I just need to work out what sort of bets to perm that lot into. Might go for the placepot Best of luck everybody
Fantastic meeting at Cheltenham but i must put up one horse at a huge price at Lingfield, this is definately a worthwhile each way bet. Lingfield 2.50 Secret Wittness 20-1 Take the price
Morning all! Two Placepots for me .... Cheltenham: Leg 1: Hollow Tree (4) Leg 2: Chicago Grey (2) / Balthazar King (5) / Reve De Sivola (6) Leg 3: Great Endeavour (6) / The Giant Bolster (9) / Araldur (12) Leg 4: Battle Group (2) / Cantlow (3) / Faltering Fullback (7) / Define (18) Leg 5: Warden Prince (5) / All The Winds (9) / Shallow Bay (15) / Up to the Mark (18) Leg 6: Join Together (4) / Saint Are (6) 288 @ 5p £14.40 Uttoxeter: Leg 1: Go Get em Kid (4) / Opera Og (11) / Silver Stirrup (13) Leg 2: Carpincho (1) / Railway Dillon (7) Leg 3: Abnaki (1) / Magic Prospect (3) / Spice Bar (4) / Mighty Monty (10) Leg 4: Overafrica (9) / Red Rocco (11) / Ruling Party (12) Leg 5: Present To You (1) / Mister Wiseman (2) Leg 6: Grams and Ounces (1) / Officer In Command (2) 288 @ 5p £14.40 Singles Bets: Araldur (ew) 2.35 Cheltenham (NAP) The selection ran a blinder when conceeding lots of weight in a listed race at Wetherby. Up in grade, but looks off a far better mark. He should go well again at decent odds, and hopefully can keep the trend of being in the first two. 16/1 Various Good Luck to everybody today
Just in from willie " morning dano me boy great touch yesters on Uncle J, today we have Dorset Square going for the 3m 1f handicap hurdle. He has been running well on the flat and, with Danny's claim, he has a lovely racing weight. He will love this trip and hopefully they have put plenty of water on the track as ideally he would prefer softer ground and seen as the heavens opened !!! we re on for the win, never mind RV and Stickos CantiSlow, lump on boyo and stay frosty" Do as you please im staying with RV and Stick
