The latest declaration stage has at least whittled down the numbers for the opening day of the Cheltenham festival on Tuesday. The highlight of the day is the Champion Hurdle and JP McManus has dug into his deep pockets to supplement 13-year-old Captain Cee Bee.
It says a lot for the horse’s constitution that he is still fast enough to set the pace for Champion hurdlers. He was only beaten around three lengths when setting the pace in the Irish Champion Hurdle by Hurricane Fly and Our Conor. The injury scare over My Tent Or Yours seems to have been overcome so the race is set up for a sprint finish. I shall be fascinated to see who kicks for home first with The New One also best held up for a late run.
The Champion Hurdle does not strike me as a betting race and I’m more interested in the Arkle Chase. 18 have been declared for the two-mile novice event and I’m sure that Champagne Fever is vulnerable over this trip. He has won at the past two festivals and full credit to Willie Mullins if he has got the grey in tip-top shape again.
I wouldn’t be backing him at the current prices and much prefer the claims of Dodging Bullets. He suffered his first defeat over fences when just caught by Module in desperate ground at Newbury. Bookmakers were un-moved by that performance but I felt it marked him out as a serious chaser. Module ran a stinker on his previous start at Huntingdon but was only beaten a head by Somersby on his seasonal debut.
Raya Star was two and a half lengths back in third, closer than he had been at Cheltenham in November. The going was good that day and the ground seems to be drying out and may even be good to soft by Tuesday. Dodging Bullets looked very smart when seeing off Grandouet by ten lengths in December, especially when you consider he was conceding 6lbs.
I cannot have Grandouet here on level weights and yet he is only a couple of points longer than Dodging Bullets in the betting. Nicholls also runs Hinterland who beat Grandouet by a neck at Sandown. I don’t think there is much doubt that Nicholls regards “Dodger” as the better of the two and he looks worth a bet at 6-1.
Dodging Bullets at 6-1 Bet365
