Tag: Arctic Fire

Punchestown Festival – Friday Preview

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There are two Grade 1 races on Friday at Punchestown and Willie Mullins looks set to win them both. He saddles the Cheltenham first and second in the Champion Hurdle and has four entries in the Champion Novice event.

Mullins has dominated the Grade 1 races all week and opposition to his star hurdlers has dried up here. There are only two rivals to Faugheen and Arctic Fire and both look well out of the depth. Faugheen only had a length and a half to spare over his stable companion at Cheltenham but had the race won a long way from the finish.

Ruby Walsh is one of the finest judges of pace in the jockeys’ room and he made sure that the Champion Hurdle did not turn into a crawl. Arctic Fire was held up in the rear and ran on past beaten horses to finish second. That was a fine effort and he looked set to go one better at Aintree when taking a crashing fall at the last flight. Fortunately, both he and Walsh escaped relatively unscathed. Walsh will once again look to dictate matters here with Paul Townend presumably trying to keep closer tabs on the favourite. The outcome will probably be the same as at the festival.

Mullins and Walsh then team up for Nichols Canyon in a much more competitive Champion Novice Hurdle. The former John Gosden inmate is one of four Mullins-trained runners here, although he looks much the best on form.

He was classy enough to finish second in a Group 3 on the flat and his only defeats over hurdles can be excused. He unseated his rider at Leopardstown in December and refused to settle when finishing third at Cheltenham. He was always cantering over his rivals at Aintree before easing to a four and a half length win over Parlour Games. That shows that his Cheltenham form was all wrong and he is the one to beat on Friday.

The pick of his stable companions may be Outlander who was well beaten when runner-up to Shaneshill at Fairyhouse. He had previously finished sixth at Cheltenham and has ground to make up on Nichols Canyon on that evidence. Sempre Medici was a creditable sixth in the County Hurdle before winning Grade 2 at Fairyhouse over two miles. He is unproven over this trip while Alpha Des Obeaux could emerge as the biggest danger.

The Mouse Morris-trained gelding was second to Supreme Hurdle winner Douvan here in January and looked booked for the runner-up spot at Aintree when falling at the last. Thistlecrack went on to win the race and finished a close second here earlier in the week.

Nichols Canyon @10-11 Skybet

Grand National Blog – Déjà vu for Punters at Aintree

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Aintree Day 1 Report

The last flight fall of Arctic Fire in the Aintree Hurdle was strangely reminiscent of last month’s demise of odds-on favourite Annie Power at Cheltenham. Once again it was the Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh combination seemingly set to strike a blow for the punters before disaster struck at the last hurdle.

His departure left the race at the mercy of Jezki and Tony McCoy but the best news was that both horse and rider escaped unscathed. McCoy would later be in the wars himself when Ned Buntline came down in the sixth race. The champion jockey was immediately back up on his feet and able to fling his helmet to the ground in disgust.

It was a day of mixed fortunes for punters with Nina Carberry never giving her supporters an anxious moment when taking the Fox Hunter Chase with On The Fringe. Silviniaco Conti was preferred in the market to Holywell and duly reversed the Cheltenham Gold Cup under Noel Fehily. Punters could have ended the day in profit had Call The Cops held off the late thrust of Taglietelle in the closing handicap hurdle. Bookmakers had little to complain about in the other races with Clarcam (5-1), All Yours (16-1) and Surf And Turf (33-1).

Grand National Latest

There has been little activity worthy of note in the Grand National market with Shutthefrontdoor a general 7-1 favourite ahead of Rocky Creek and Balthazar King at 10-1 and The Druids Nephew at 14-1. Gordon Elliott will certainly be growing in confidence ahead of Cause Of Causes run in Saturday’s race after a first day double courtesy of Clarcam and Taglietelle.

A few late jockey bookings for the National include Brian Hughes on Ely Brown, Brendan Powell on Royale Knight, Tom Cannon on Wyck Hill and Liam Treadwell on Monbeg Dude. The four reserves have only until 9am tomorrow for any of the top forty to come out.

Special Offers

The best Grand National offers at present are each-way down to sixth place from BetVictor and half of your stake back as a free bet for Bet365 customers (applies to all each-way bets on the National up to a maximum of £125 per customer). If you are intending opening a Coral account, they will pay out on the Grand National winner at treble the odds for new customers. Full details on their respective websites.

Aintree Thursday Preview

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The Betfred Bowl is one of four Grade 1 races in the opening day of the Grand National meeting at Aintree.

Tony McCoy is re-united with Jonjo O’Neill’s Holywell after being claimed to ride Carlingford Lough in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Holywell briefly looked threatening four from home but could only plug on at one pace into fourth behind Coneygree. That was still a fine effort, particularly as the rain-softened ground went against him.

He is a real spring horse with all of his seven career victories having come between January and April. He had won at the previous two Cheltenham festivals and also won here last year when slamming Don Cossack by ten lengths in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase. The obvious danger is Silviniaco Conti who was a disappointing favourite in the Gold Cup. He bounced back to win this race last year and I expect to see Noel Fehily adopt more positive tactics than at Cheltenham.

Cheltenham form is also tested in the Aintree Hurdle at 3.25 when Arctic Fire lines up against Jezki. We tipped Arctic Fire at 25-1 for the Champion Hurdle so were delighted with his run in second place behind Faugheen. He holds Jezki on that form and McCoy’s mount is prone to pull too hard for his own good. The only question mark is whether Arctic Fire stays this longer trip but his style of racing suggests that he will.

McCoy should have register a victory in the McManus colours on Hargam in the Juvenile Hurdle. He was third in the Henderson-dominated Triumph Hurdle and was ten lengths clear of Devilment in fourth place. The green and gold colours have several chances on the card, notably with On The Fringe and Ned Buntline.

On The Fringe was always travelling best in the Foxhunters at Cheltenham and Nina Carberry has a great chance of landing the double here. He has yet to tackle these fences and a huge field of thirty is always a worry. If he settles over the first few fences, he is capable of following up. Ned Buntline gets a handy pull in the weights with Next Sensation for Cheltenham. He was fancied to give Tony McCoy a winning send-off but the ground was too soft for him.

Call The Cops is up 7lbs for his Pertemps Final victory but that may not be enough to prevent him from following up in the last. Vibrato Valtat tried to go after Un De Sceaux in the Arkle and had nothing left in the closing stages. He will be ridden with more restraint in the opener where he clashes with Josses Hill.

Vibrato Valtat 1.40 @9-4 Ladbrokes

Hargam 2.15 @Evens Bet365

Holywell 2.50 @15-8 Skybet

Arctic Fire 3.25 @2-1 Bet365

On The Fringe 4.05 @4-1 Bet365

Ned Buntline 4.40 @8-1 Ladbrokes

Call The Cops 5.15 @7-1 Ladbrokes

Cheltenham Preview Tuesday 10th March

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The Cheltenham Festival gets under way on Tuesday with the bookmakers braced for a Willie Mullins onslaught. He saddles four hot favourites with Douvan, Un De Sceaux, Faugheen and Annie Power. 888Sport are offering 20-1 about all four winning and there will be plenty of takers.

We like to search out a little bit of value where we can find it and there are plenty of special offers on the first race. The pick of them is from William Hill where all losing bets are refunded as free bets up to £25. L’Ami Serge has done nothing wrong for Nicky Henderson and the form of his Newbury win in November looks pretty smart with Kilcooley and Violet Dancer both claiming valuable prizes since. If there is to be a shock, it could come from Seedling who has been carefully prepared for this race all season by Warren Greatrex.

If you’re betting on the Arkle, Paddy Power will refund your stake as a free bet if Un De Sceaux wins. That makes Vibrato Valtat a very tempting proposition at 6-1. I had wondered if he was keeping a bit to himself in his races but he strode clear at Warwick last time impressively.

The Festival Handicap Chase should give the bookies a bit of relief from the big hitters. I’ll be interested to see how Monbeg Dude gets on here as he is one of our Grand National hopes this year. I don’t think the going will be soft enough for him to win but hope to see him run on into fourth or fifth. Connections have decided against running Mendip Express in the National this year but they may live to regret it if he comes up the hill impressively here.

We have covered the Champion Hurdle in detail and Arctic Fire is a hopeful each-way selection in small field. I’m not convinced that Faugheen is a specialist two-miler but the same applies to The New One who looks his biggest threat. Annie Power looks difficult to beat in the Mares Hurdle and the 7-1 with Skybet looks a generous offer for new customers. As an each-way alternative, try L’Unique at 20-1 for Alan King providing that there is no significant overnight rain.

In the National Hunt Chase I am siding with Cause Of Causes who was unlucky not to peg back Spring Heeled last year. I respect the chances of King’s Sego Success and Very Wood will be popular if Mullins has already enjoyed a field day. The closing handicap looks tricky but Tony McCoy will surely be among the winners this week at some point and Bold Henry has course form.

1.30 L’Ami Serge @7-2 William Hill*

1.30 Seedling @16-1 William Hill* (each-way)

*Stakes refunded as free bets on all losers

2.05 Vibrato Valtat @6-1 Paddy Power** Stakes refunded as free bets if Un De Sceaux wins

2.40 Mendip Express @16-1 Paddy Power (each-way)

3.20 Arctic Fire @20-1 Totesport (each-way)

4.00 Annie Power @7-1 Sky Bet*** New customers only – max. £5

4.00 L’Unique @20-1 Coral (each-way)

4.40 Cause Of Causes @8-1 Paddy Power (each-way)

5.15 Bold Henry @12-1 Ladbrokes (each-way)

Special bet – Willie Mullins four-timer Douvan, Un De Sceaux, Faugheen, Annie Power @20-1 888Sport

Cheltenham Champion Hurdle Preview

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The highlight of the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival is the Champion Hurdle at 3.20 with just eight runners set to go to post. Here is our runner-by-runner guide.

Faugheen (5-4 Betfair)

Unbeaten winner of last year’s two and a half mile novices’ hurdle and an impressive winner at Ascot and Kempton this season. His jumping has not always been fluent and there is a concern that Ruby Walsh may have to make his own running in this small field.

Bertimont (200-1 Racebets)

On the face of it, the grey is outclassed but he was only beaten two and a half lengths by The New One in heavy ground at Haydock. Dan Skelton has ruled out the prospect of the son of Slickly making the running and there will be a few each-way optimists tempted by odds of 200-1.

Arctic Fire (20-1 Stan James)

The third string for Willie Mullins but a decent each-way chance on his recent runs behind Hurricane Fly at Leopardstown. He never really threatened to challenge in the Irish Champion Hurdle but may be ridden slightly closer to the pace on Tuesday.

Hurricane Fly (9-1 Totesport)

The winner here in 2011 and 2013, he is bidding to join Hatton’s Grace and Sea Pigeon as the oldest winners in the race’s history. He has beaten Jezki three times in a row this season and is difficult to beat in these tactical races.

Jezki (9-2 Coral)

Although seemingly held by Hurricane Fly on recent form, he had a very similar build-up last year only to come out on top when it mattered most. Tony McCoy’s last ride in the race but needs everything to fall into place.

Kitten Rock (33-1 Bet365)

Has not beaten anything of this class but deserves to take his chance after four consecutive victories. He was impressive in a Grade 2 at Gowran Park last month but it would be a major surprise if he proves good enough to win.

The New One (7-2 Coral)

The apple of Nigel Twiston-Davies’s eye and bidding to make up for an unlucky run when third last year. He was stopped in his tracks by the fall of Our Conor but there is still a suspicion that he  is better over further. Has one short burst of acceleration and his jockey will be playing the waiting game.

Vaniteux (33-1 Bet365)

No match for The New One here in December and beaten by Rock On Ruby on New Year’s Day. A good third in the Supreme last year but does not look good enough.

Verdict

Tactics are going to be crucial here and Faugheen is likely to there to be shot at from some way out. That could play into the hands of The New One while Hurricane Fly and Arctic Fire both have solid place claims.

  1. The New One 2. Faugheen 3. Arctic Fire 4. Hurricane Fly

Champion Hurdle Ante-Post Preview

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The Champion Hurdle is the feature race of the opening day of the Cheltenham festival and the betting market suggests that a new champion will be crowned on March 10th.

Faugheen has been at the head of the market all season and remains unbeaten in eight races for Willie Mullins. The gelding won the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle last year over two and a half miles and has won his trials at Ascot and Kempton this season. The form of both races is open to question, particularly the Christmas Hurdle where Irving and Sign Of A Victory both ran way below expectations.

When we think of the greatest hurdlers such as Sea Pigeon, See You Then and Istabraq, we think of their brilliant hurdling technique as well as their speed. Faugheen has not been entirely convincing at his hurdles this season and this will be his first real test at two-mile championship pace. Odds of around 5-4 look decidedly skinny.

Plenty of people will be hoping to see the old warrior Hurricane Fly win the race for a third time having been successful in 2011 and 2013. It would be truly remarkable to reclaim his title for a second time but it is by no means impossible. He has beaten the reigning champion Jezki three times this season and yet is still available at 8-1 with most firms. Hatton’s Grace (1951) and Sea Pigeon (1981) are the only horses to have previously won this race at the age of eleven and there is no doubt that he is in their class.

Jezki has had a similar campaign to last season when everything fell right for him on Champion Hurdle day. He looked held when being brought almost to a standstill at the final flight at Leopardstown and may be better suited by being held up at the back of the field. He was passed on the run-in by another Mullins runner in Arctic Fire and he could easily be good enough to sneak into the frame.

He was just beaten in the County Hurdle last year but has gone up nearly a stone in the official ratings since. He tracked Hurricane Fly’s run through last time and similar tactics could see him finish in the money at Cheltenham. The New One has won all five races since his unlucky run here last year when hampered by the fall of the ill-fated Our Conor. Like Faugheen, he won the two and a half mile novice at this meeting and is arguably a better horse over that distance.

Arctic Fire @16-1 Stan James

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3 (Non-runner – no bet)