Tag: Champion Chase

Cheltenham blog – Dodging Bullets wins Champion Chase

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

After the excitement of the Willie Mullins big four on Tuesday, there was a more relaxed mood at Cheltenham on Wednesday. The highlight of the day was the Queen Mother Champion Chase with three former winners up against the promising Dodging Bullets.

The race was robbed of one key ingredient when Champagne Fever was withdrawn and, with all due to respect to Dodging Bullets, it turned into a bit of an anti-climax. There had always been a big question mark as to whether or not Sprinter Sacre could recapture his best form and he was never travelling with his usual zest.

He was eventually pulled up by Barry Geraghty while Sire de Grugy also ran very flat, running on at one pace into fourth. All credit to Dodging Bullets who has done exactly what Sire de Grugy did a year before, winning the key trials and confirming his status as the best two-miler of the season.

Nicholls had earlier won the Coral Cup when the French import Aux Ptits Soins held off Zabana, Activial and Taglietelle in a driving finish. Don Poli ran out a comfortable winner of the RSA Chase but I don’t imagine that there will be a stampede to take the miserly 6-1 offered about him for next year’s Gold Cup. He looks a bit of a character and was continuously pricking his ears up the home straight. Kings Palace once again failed to fire on the big day and finished a remote sixth for David Pipe.

Nicholls went on to complete a 1430-1 treble when Qualando won the Fred Winter Hurdle from stable companion Bouvreuil. Bookmakers will probably deny it but they ought to be well ahead on the second day with only two successful favourites. Many of their big race offers were on Sire de Grugy and Sprinter Sacre and they will all stay firmly in their satchels.

Coral New Customer Offer

Coral are offering new customers 5-1 about Vautour finishing in the first three in Thursday’s opening race. This is limited to a maximum stake of £10. He looks likely to start at around the 9-4 mark as he bids to add to the Mullins winning tally.

Market Movers

Thursday – Edeymi (Pertemps Final) 8-1 Bet365

Thursday – Un Ace (Festival Plate) 10-1 William Hill

Friday – Quick Jack (County Hurdle) 10-1 Sportingbet

Queen Mother Champion Chase Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The feature race on day 2 of the Cheltenham festival is the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham at 3.20. With three former champions in the field, this looks like producing the race of the week. Here is big race guide.

Sprinter Sacre (100-30 Betway)

Nicky Henderson’s Sprinter Sacre had the chasing world at his feet after winning here two years’ ago. He suffered his first defeat over fences when pulled up with a fibrillating heart at Kempton in the Desert Orchid Chase in December 2013. Every precaution was taken to make sure that he was fit to return to action in January when second to Dodging Bullets. If he is back to his best he will be crowned champion chaser for a second time.

Sire de Grugy (100-30 888Sport)

Gary Moore’s Sire de Grugy filled the void left by Sprinter Sacre last year and was a thoroughly deserving winner of this race. His season got off to a disappointing start when unseating his rider at Newbury but he bounced back with a comfortable victory at Chepstow last month. He is usually held up in his races and Jamie Moore will be keen to tuck in behind Sprinter Sacre before delivering a late run.

Dodging Bullets (11-2 Paddy Power)

Paul Nicholls has won this race four times already and Dodging Bullets has every chance of providing him with a fifth success. He has disappointed at this meeting in the past and does seem to finish his races better on flatter tracks like Ascot, although he came up Sandown’s testing finish well enough to win the Tingle Creek. He had a clear fitness advantage over Sprinter Sacre last time but deserves to take his chance.

Champagne Fever (6-1 Boylesports)

Champagne Fever was narrowly denied a festival hat-trick when beaten in the Arkle Chase last year. Willie Mullins has still not decided on the best distance for the grey but he is likely to be ridden aggressively here. His jumping has been questionable in the past but he put in a good round last time and has every chance.

Mr Mole (9-1 888Sport)

Paul Nicholls has a useful second string in Mr Mole, unbeaten in his last four races over fences. He enjoyed a facile success at Newbury following the departure of Sire de Grugy but is yet to prove that he is up to this class.

Simply Ned (20-1 Coral)

Nicky Richards runs Simply Ned who finished in front of Dodging Bullets at Cheltenham in November. The heavy ground was against him at Leopardstown last time but it would be a major surprise if he were good enough to win this.

Sizing Europe (50-1 Bet365)

Sizing Europe won this race in 2011 and has finished runner-up on two occasions since. He is now thirteen years of age and was no match for Champagne Fever at Clonmel in November.

It is difficult to see any of the remainder getting into this. Special Tiara beat Balder Succes at Kempton in December but has much more to beat here. Clarcam is stepping out of novice company while Somersby is past his best and Savello is a decent handicapper.

Verdict

  1. Sire de Grugy 2. Champagne Fever 3. Dodging Bullets 4. Sprinter Sacre

Cheltenham blog – Top 3 offers and ante-post roundup

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Only four more sleeps to the start of the Cheltenham Festival! We at Betcirca aim to keep you right up-to-date with the latest news on market movers, runners and riders and special offers.

Most bookmakers went “non-runner – no bet” on all 27 races from the start of this week following the lead set by Bet365 on February 20th. If you placed a bet after that date with them, you will get a full refund so please be careful before you throw away those betting slips!

Our Top 3 Cheltenham Special Offers

Paddy Power – If Douvan wins the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, all losing bets up to a maximum of £50 per customer will be refunded as a free bet. The same applies should Un De Sceaux win the Arkle Trophy. Both races are on the opening day which promises to be one of the biggest betting days in the history of the Cheltenham Festival. Willie Mullins could saddle as many as five favourites and bookmakers fear a monster pay-out.

William Hill – Back any horse in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and, if you do not win, you will get your money back as a free bet up to a maximum of £25 per customer.

Coral – NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY. Join Coral now and get odds of 5-1 against Ruby Walsh riding a winner at the Cheltenham Festival. This offer applies only to a maximum £5 but should pay out an almost instant £25 profit. Ruby not only has Douvan and Un De Sceaux on Tuesday, he also rides Champion Hurdle favourite Faugheen and the odds-on Annie Power.

We have already previewed several of the big races in detail with some ante-post each-way tips. Click the links below:

ARKLE TROPHY – Vibrato Valtat @5-1

CHAMPION HURDLE – Arctic Fire @16-1

CHAMPION CHASE – Champagne Fever @6-1

RYANAIR CHASE – Johns Spirit @9-1, Hidden Cyclone @10-1

WORLD HURDLE – Saphir Du Rheu @5-1, Whisper @14-1

TRIUMPH HURDLE – Top Notch @16-1, Pain Au Chocolat @20-1

CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP – Lord Windermere @14-1, Djakadam @16-1

Latest News

The going at Cheltenham is reported to be good to soft, good in places. There is some rain forecast over the weekend but it seems unlikely that the going will be worse than good to soft by Tuesday. Foxrock will run in the Ryanair Chase instead of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and he is generally an 8-1 chance.

Sire de Grugy even money for Game Spirit

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Sire de Grugy began last season as a 25-1 outsider for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham. The betting for the race was turned upside down when Sprinter Sacre was pulled up in the Desert Orchid Chase and Gary Moore’s chestnut went on to win both races.

The much-awaited clash between the two could take place at the festival in March following Sprinter Sacre’s return at Ascot last month. If Sprinter Sacre was in a different league to his rivals in 2013, Sire de Grugy was a pretty good substitute. He was unbeaten in his last five races, winning the Clarence House Chase and the Celebration Chase without being seriously tested. All ground seems to come alike to the nine-year-old but he has also had his training problems.

A minor injury has kept him off the track since April and there is bound to be some anxiety as he steps out for his prep race in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on Saturday. Moore has issued an up-beat bulletin and expects him to run well on Saturday, although he admits that he has left something to work on. He has 11lbs and upwards in hand of his rivals on official ratings and Betfair have installed him as the even money favourite.

I opposed Sprinter Sacre on his comeback with Dodging Bullets and fitness proved decisive for the Paul Nicholls-trained runner. The Ditcheat trainer has Mr Mole and Vibrato Valtat entered on Saturday but I’d be very surprised if the latter took his place in the field. He is also entered in the Kingmaker Chase at Warwick and I believe that Nicholls would rather keep him in novice company on his way to the Arkle Chase at the festival.

Mr Mole has improved this season and won a handicap at Sandown off a mark of 147, beating subsequent winner Brick Red by two and a quarter lengths. The handicapper now rates Mr Mole at 155, some 17lbs below Sire de Grugy.

Uxizandre would look the most likely threat on his Cheltenham form in November when beating Simply Ned by a length and a quarter. Dodging Bullets was a head away in third but it was a combination of fitness and the Cheltenham hill that found him out that day. Uxizandre blotted his copybook when jumping out to his left on several occasions last time out. Upsilon Bleu is on a hat-trick for Pauline Robson but is only rated 150 while Karinga Dancer looks outclassed.

Sire de Grugy 3.00 Newbury Saturday @Evens Betfair

Sire De Grugy 25-1 for Champion Chase

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Champion Chase Ante-post Preview

Occasionally you see a price chalked up that is just too good to refuse. Admittedly the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham is still the best part of three months away but Sportsbet are still showing 25-1 about Tingle Creek and Desert Orchid Chase winner Sire De Grugy.

Of course the market has been left wide open by the doubts over Sprinter Sacre who was pulled up with an irregular heartbeat at Kempton over Christmas. We are all hoping that he recovers fully and is able to defend his title but there must be some doubt as to whether Nicky Henderson will risk running him again this season.

The latest prognosis was that the problem had righted itself after the race but that the horse will undergo stringent tests before any decisions are made. The welfare of the horse will be the first priority and if Henderson has any doubts at all he will surely not risk his champion chaser.

Gary Moore, trainer of Sire De Grugy, had previously doubted the wisdom of taking on Sprinter Sacre at Cheltenham but his horse is currently the best around over two miles. He did not receive the acclaim that he deserved for winning at Kempton but he looked a class act when winning The Tingle Creek at Sandown and it usually takes a good horse to win that event.

The most famous case of an irregular heartbeat in recent times was Denman who returned to run some magnificent races so all is not lost. I would be surprised if we see Sprinter Sacre this season and that makes the 25-1 a ridiculous price for Sire De Grugy.

His comprehensive defeat of Somersby and Captain Conan at Sandown was on ground faster than ideal, although he does seem far better on a flat track. He did seem to tie up disappointingly when beaten by Kid Cassidy but he had put in some awkward leaps that day and may simply have tired after the last.

Moore had been tempted to miss Cheltenham altogether and perhaps take his horse over to France but he must surely reassess that opinion in light of Sprinter Sacre’s likely absence. At one-quarter the odds a place 1,2,3, this is surely worth a punt. I am sure that those odds won’t last long so take it as a late Christmas present from Sportsbet!

Sire de Grugy at 25-1 Sportsbet.com.au