I was supposed to go to this last night but dragged into going to watch a boring 1-1 draw with czechs instead.
Anyway this is what came out of it and is the best of the reviews i've seen available so far.
Boston Bob and Nobel Prince (BGâs pick of the Festival) were also held in very high regard.
Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins were brought in by conference call, they didnât give away too much, but Mullins picked out Sweet My Lord as his e/w punt of the festival in the Pertemps, and Nicholls outlined that he thought Zarkander was a very good e/w punt.
DR = Davy Russell
RW = Ruby Walsh
BG = Barry Geraghty
PP = Paddy Power
CM = Colm Murphy
DMcC = Don McClean
JH = Jessica Harraington
Tuesday 13th
13.30 Supreme Novices Hurdle
RW - Darlan
JH - Steps to Freedom (very high on this horse)
BG - Darlan
DMcC - Steps to Freedom
14.05 Arkle
BG - Sprinter Sacre (thinks the horse is top class and won't be beaten)
RW - Thinks Al Ferof must improve to beat Sprinter. Go for Al Ferof on PP's Money Back Special
PP - Sprinter Sacre
JH - Sprinter Sacre (BG informs her that this horse may be better than Moscow Flyer)
DR - Peddlers Cross to place
CM - Sprinter Sacre
DMcC - Sprinter Sacre
15.20 Champion Hurdle
RW - Hurricane, no doubts
PP - Hurricane
JH - Oscar Wells to place, Hurricane to romp.
BG - Hurricane (nailed on) / Oscar is value
DR - Hurricane
CM - Binocular to be 2nd, better than people think
DMcC - Hurricane
Wednesday 14th
13.30 National Hunt Chase
RW - Alle Garde on good ground
PP - watch out for who Mullins puts in the race
14.05 Neptune
DMcC - Monksland
PP - Monksland good value
RW - whatever Wille Mullins runs
JH - Simonsig if runs
14.40 RSA Chase
RW - Grand Crus is very beatable and reckons Sir Des Champs has a good chance if runs
BG - Bobs Worth has a big chance (3 for 3 in Chelts)
PP - Bobs Worth
DR - Call the Police has a chance if runs
JH - watch out for W Mullins who he runs
CM - whatever horse D Russell rides (if he rides First Lieutenant in particular)
DMcC - First Lieutenant
*MO'L - e/w bet on First Lieutenant (Michael OâLeary was asked on a radio show for a pick out of his horses)
**I got the feeling from the panel that First Lieutenant will win this race, but thatâs just my feeling!
15.20 QM Chase
JH - Sizing Europe (but closer than people think!)
DR - good ground = good for Zeb
PP - Sizing Europe a cert
RW - Sizing hard to beat
DMcC - top 2 will be close
CM - very happy with the way Zeb is going at the minute
BG - Zeb willl be closer than people think to SIzing
Thursday 15th
14.40 Ryanair Chase
JH - Albertas Run / Rubi Light
RW - Albertas Run could surprise everyone and pop up and win, Rubi Light vulnerable on good ground
DMcC - Nobel Prince has a huge chance
DR - Nobel Prince is his bet of the festival - NAP
BG - Respect paid to Somersby
CM - Nobel Prince and Somersby
DMcC - Nobel Prince (but will be competitive)
15.20 World Hurdle
RW - Bucks (w/ Thousand Stars doing well)
BG - Thousand Stars is value, but Bucks will win
PP - Bucks
JH - Bucks
DR - Bucks
CM - Voler la Vadette e/w (he runs in this race defo)
DMcC - Bucks (w/ thousand stars)
17.15 Champion Bumper
**STEER CLEAR OF THIS RACE was the main opinion
PP - Moscow Mannion best of the Irish, but Irish will more than likely not win it
DR - Royal Guardsman
JH - Moscow Mannion (although you should wait till the day of the race and see what the word is)
CM â Nigel Twiston Davies horse, whatever he is called
Friday 16th
13.30 Triumph Hurdle
PP - Alot of money for Ranjann / Shadow Catcher / Balder Success
RW - Ut di Sivola impressive horse, as is Pearl Swan
JH - doesnt know
DR - steer clear of this race!!
BG - Lyvius (if she performs well in Newbury this Friday - watch out for this)
CM - Sadlers Risk
DMcC - Shadow Catcher good value
14.40 Albert Bartlett
DR - Ipsos Du Berle is good horse
BG - Boston Bob / Mount Benbulben
DMcC - Mount Benbulben interesting horse
**Boston Bob got very good backing by RW, no matter what race he is in, he doesnât think it matters.
15.20 Gold Cup
DR - Long Run is the best horse in the race / Midnight Chase is a good e/w punt
RW - Kauto needs to be at very best to beat Long Run - but he wouldnt back Kauto, nor would he get off him. Long Run should win it
BG - everything is in Long Runs favour
JH - Burton Port e/w
PP - Long Run
DMcC - Wouldnt back Long Run @ 5/2, and believes Weird Al willl push them and good e/w bet
OTHER NOTES
JH - Citizenship e/w whatever race she runs him in is a good bet
Paul Flynn - Moondice doing very well - defo worth an e/w punt
CHARITY BETS of â¬200 each
DMcC - Nobel Prince with the lot
CM - half on Scotsirish / half on Somersby
BG - Bobs Worth with the lot
DR - Nobel Prince - NAP
JH - the lot on Steps To Freedom
RW - half on Boston Bob (he will win) / half on Ted Spread (County Hurdle)
PP - the lot on Sacre
WILLIE MULLINS
- Quevega and Hurricane in good fettle (will win)
- Midnight Game in the Supreme (likes the hard ground)
- BOSTON BOB is his real hope, he reckons he would be very disapointed is he doesnt win
- Uncle Junior ahead of Scotsirish - both will love ground, but Scots has never won over this trip
- Sir Des Champs is doing everything right, is a course winner, he is gonna be good
- Loving Alle Garde, he will float on that ground.
- Mourad is coming back to himself, defo worth an e/w punt
- Champagne Fever has a huge cruising speed and will do well
- Thousand Stars will run in the Champion Hurdle
- E/W TIP of the FESTIVAL is Sweet My Lord in the Pertemps
- Boston Bob is on track
PAUL NICHOLLS
- Bucks in good form (will win) - Oscar Whiskey is the only danger whatsoever.
- Rock on Ruby is in good form, has a great chance
- Prospect Wells has a good e/w chance
- Crystal Bonus is someone that he is high on, good e/w
- Harry the Viking is 4/4 this year, stays forever, has a good chance
- Join Together is one of his best chances in the festival
- REALLY likes ULK DU LIN in the Fred Winter on the wednesday
- Banker = Bucks
- e/w punt = Zarkander!
Anyway this is what came out of it and is the best of the reviews i've seen available so far.Boston Bob and Nobel Prince (BGâs pick of the Festival) were also held in very high regard.
Paul Nicholls and Willie Mullins were brought in by conference call, they didnât give away too much, but Mullins picked out Sweet My Lord as his e/w punt of the festival in the Pertemps, and Nicholls outlined that he thought Zarkander was a very good e/w punt.
DR = Davy Russell
RW = Ruby Walsh
BG = Barry Geraghty
PP = Paddy Power
CM = Colm Murphy
DMcC = Don McClean
JH = Jessica Harraington
Tuesday 13th
13.30 Supreme Novices Hurdle
RW - Darlan
JH - Steps to Freedom (very high on this horse)
BG - Darlan
DMcC - Steps to Freedom
14.05 Arkle
BG - Sprinter Sacre (thinks the horse is top class and won't be beaten)
RW - Thinks Al Ferof must improve to beat Sprinter. Go for Al Ferof on PP's Money Back Special
PP - Sprinter Sacre
JH - Sprinter Sacre (BG informs her that this horse may be better than Moscow Flyer)
DR - Peddlers Cross to place
CM - Sprinter Sacre
DMcC - Sprinter Sacre
15.20 Champion Hurdle
RW - Hurricane, no doubts
PP - Hurricane
JH - Oscar Wells to place, Hurricane to romp.
BG - Hurricane (nailed on) / Oscar is value
DR - Hurricane
CM - Binocular to be 2nd, better than people think
DMcC - Hurricane
Wednesday 14th
13.30 National Hunt Chase
RW - Alle Garde on good ground
PP - watch out for who Mullins puts in the race
14.05 Neptune
DMcC - Monksland
PP - Monksland good value
RW - whatever Wille Mullins runs
JH - Simonsig if runs
14.40 RSA Chase
RW - Grand Crus is very beatable and reckons Sir Des Champs has a good chance if runs
BG - Bobs Worth has a big chance (3 for 3 in Chelts)
PP - Bobs Worth
DR - Call the Police has a chance if runs
JH - watch out for W Mullins who he runs
CM - whatever horse D Russell rides (if he rides First Lieutenant in particular)
DMcC - First Lieutenant
*MO'L - e/w bet on First Lieutenant (Michael OâLeary was asked on a radio show for a pick out of his horses)
**I got the feeling from the panel that First Lieutenant will win this race, but thatâs just my feeling!
15.20 QM Chase
JH - Sizing Europe (but closer than people think!)
DR - good ground = good for Zeb
PP - Sizing Europe a cert
RW - Sizing hard to beat
DMcC - top 2 will be close
CM - very happy with the way Zeb is going at the minute
BG - Zeb willl be closer than people think to SIzing
Thursday 15th
14.40 Ryanair Chase
JH - Albertas Run / Rubi Light
RW - Albertas Run could surprise everyone and pop up and win, Rubi Light vulnerable on good ground
DMcC - Nobel Prince has a huge chance
DR - Nobel Prince is his bet of the festival - NAP
BG - Respect paid to Somersby
CM - Nobel Prince and Somersby
DMcC - Nobel Prince (but will be competitive)
15.20 World Hurdle
RW - Bucks (w/ Thousand Stars doing well)
BG - Thousand Stars is value, but Bucks will win
PP - Bucks
JH - Bucks
DR - Bucks
CM - Voler la Vadette e/w (he runs in this race defo)
DMcC - Bucks (w/ thousand stars)
17.15 Champion Bumper
**STEER CLEAR OF THIS RACE was the main opinion
PP - Moscow Mannion best of the Irish, but Irish will more than likely not win it
DR - Royal Guardsman
JH - Moscow Mannion (although you should wait till the day of the race and see what the word is)
CM â Nigel Twiston Davies horse, whatever he is called
Friday 16th
13.30 Triumph Hurdle
PP - Alot of money for Ranjann / Shadow Catcher / Balder Success
RW - Ut di Sivola impressive horse, as is Pearl Swan
JH - doesnt know
DR - steer clear of this race!!
BG - Lyvius (if she performs well in Newbury this Friday - watch out for this)
CM - Sadlers Risk
DMcC - Shadow Catcher good value
14.40 Albert Bartlett
DR - Ipsos Du Berle is good horse
BG - Boston Bob / Mount Benbulben
DMcC - Mount Benbulben interesting horse
**Boston Bob got very good backing by RW, no matter what race he is in, he doesnât think it matters.
15.20 Gold Cup
DR - Long Run is the best horse in the race / Midnight Chase is a good e/w punt
RW - Kauto needs to be at very best to beat Long Run - but he wouldnt back Kauto, nor would he get off him. Long Run should win it
BG - everything is in Long Runs favour
JH - Burton Port e/w
PP - Long Run
DMcC - Wouldnt back Long Run @ 5/2, and believes Weird Al willl push them and good e/w bet
OTHER NOTES
JH - Citizenship e/w whatever race she runs him in is a good bet
Paul Flynn - Moondice doing very well - defo worth an e/w punt
CHARITY BETS of â¬200 each
DMcC - Nobel Prince with the lot
CM - half on Scotsirish / half on Somersby
BG - Bobs Worth with the lot
DR - Nobel Prince - NAP
JH - the lot on Steps To Freedom
RW - half on Boston Bob (he will win) / half on Ted Spread (County Hurdle)
PP - the lot on Sacre
WILLIE MULLINS
- Quevega and Hurricane in good fettle (will win)
- Midnight Game in the Supreme (likes the hard ground)
- BOSTON BOB is his real hope, he reckons he would be very disapointed is he doesnt win
- Uncle Junior ahead of Scotsirish - both will love ground, but Scots has never won over this trip
- Sir Des Champs is doing everything right, is a course winner, he is gonna be good
- Loving Alle Garde, he will float on that ground.
- Mourad is coming back to himself, defo worth an e/w punt
- Champagne Fever has a huge cruising speed and will do well
- Thousand Stars will run in the Champion Hurdle
- E/W TIP of the FESTIVAL is Sweet My Lord in the Pertemps
- Boston Bob is on track
PAUL NICHOLLS
- Bucks in good form (will win) - Oscar Whiskey is the only danger whatsoever.
- Rock on Ruby is in good form, has a great chance
- Prospect Wells has a good e/w chance
- Crystal Bonus is someone that he is high on, good e/w
- Harry the Viking is 4/4 this year, stays forever, has a good chance
- Join Together is one of his best chances in the festival
- REALLY likes ULK DU LIN in the Fred Winter on the wednesday
- Banker = Bucks
- e/w punt = Zarkander!




Harsh but true