Tag: Cheltenham

Cheltenham Friday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Channel 4 is screening four races live from Cheltenham on Friday with plenty of competitive racing. Possibly the most informative race regarding the Cheltenham festival takes place before Channel 4 come on air with Oscar Whisky and Wonderful Charm meeting in the opening novice chase.

Oscar Whisky has his detractors but there is no denying that he was a seriously good hurdler. Things did not work out well for him over fences here last time when forced to make his own running. There was no pace whatsoever in the early stages and Oscar Whisky was all over the place with his jumping until Geraghty gave up the ghost and kicked on.

He was eventually run out of it by Taquin Du Seuil but that was no disgrace and he should strip fitter on Friday. I am a great fan of Wonderful Charm and I can see him going for the RSA Chase in March. I just wonder whether he will be able to concede 8lbs to such a smart horse as Oscar Whisky on good ground over this trip.

The Hennessy Gold Cup did this column a huge favour when Triolo D’Alene gave us a 25-1 winning tip and the form comes under the microscope tomorrow. The third home was Colin Tizzard’s Theatre Guide, a promising six-year-old with decent novice form last season. He didn’t run well at all here previously but connections believe that he is a different proposition this season so he’s worth supporting.

There are some familiar names in the field including Welsh National winner Monbeg Dude and formerly smart Burton Port. I fancied the latter for the Grand National a couple of years ago but he missed the race and has not recaptured the form that saw him finish fourth in a Gold Cup. Monbeg Dude has not had his favoured soft ground yet but has been running well and Aintree is his long-term objective.

Nicky Henderson saddles Fourth Estate and Livius in the handicap hurdle and everything seems to point to Fourth Estate. He finished second to Ranjaan at Kempton and will be better suited by this track.

Paul Nicholls could hardly believe his eyes when Southfield Theatre and Salubrious were both overhauled by Return Spring at the last meeting here and goes in search of revenge. His horses are running much better now and I take Southfield Theatre to come out on top with a small pull in the weights.

Finally, keep an eye on Garde Le Victoire in the last. His hurdling needs some work but that could be down to the fact that he has outclassed the opposition in his last couple of races. He looks Cheltenham novice material and can remain unbeaten.

12.30 Oscar Whisky Even money BetVictor

1.40 Fourth Estate 9-4 BetVictor non runner

2.10 Theatre Guide 5-1 888Sport

3.15 Southfield Theatre 4-1 Bet365

3.45 Garde Le Victoire 11-4 BetVictor

December Gold Cup Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Sire De Grugy and Unioniste kept out heads above water last weekend with impressive victories. The former is unfortunate to be racing in the same era as Sprinter Sacre but it was nice to get his chance of Grade 1 glory on Saturday. I was also impressed with Unioniste who confirmed himself as a stayer of some potential at Aintree.

Paul Nicholls had five big winners across the card and it will be interesting to see how he shuffles his chasing pack. I’d love to have seen Hennessy Gold Cup runner-up Rocky Creek go for the Welsh National but the trainer has indicated that the Lexus Chase is his Christmas target.

This weekend it is the The December Gold Cup at Cheltenham. Its official sponsored title is simply bizarre so I’m not even going to mention it! Anyway, the race looks set to revolve around the form of the Paddy Power Gold Cup over course and distance last month.

Johns Spirit came out on top on that occasion for Jonjo O’Neill, beating Colour Squadron by three-quarters of a length with Attadale fourth and Easter Meteor falling two out. The general consensus was that Colour Squadron would have won but for being hampered when Easter Meteor crashed out at the second last.   It is true that he had to do a pretty nimble side-step and made up a lot of ground from the last, but I’m not convinced that it is as simple as that.

Johns Spirit seems to travel easily in his races and then pull himself up in front. He did the same at the last meeting and he was in front a long way out in the Paddy Power.   I was impressed with Easter Meteor and he again ran well when chasing home Cantlow at Newbury last time. It’s impossible to say where he may have finished had he stood up at Cheltenham but the handicapper hasn’t exactly ignored him, putting him up 8lbs for two defeats.

The gamble of the race is Grandioso who caught the eye when third in Cantlow’s race. Nicholls has made no secret of the fact that a lot of his runners have needed their first outing and expects this one to improve considerably. That would certainly give him a chance but he doesn’t offer great value at 7-1 having been more than twice that at the start of the week.

I find it hard to look beyond the Paddy Power form and recommend splitting stakes between Johns Spirit and Colour Squadron.

Colour Squadron 6-1 Bet365

Johns Spirit 13-2 888Sport

Cheltenham Saturday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Balthazar King (2-1) kept our noses in front on Friday with a game display in the cross country race at Cheltenham. I was a bit concerned after an early mistake but he’s as tough as old boots and just refused to be beaten.

Our ambitious ante-post wagers on the Paddy Power Gold Cup still stand with Kumbeshwar (40-1) and Astracad (33-1) hoping to sneak some place money in a wide open race. The more I look at this race, the more confused I become! Confidence seems to have evaporated in Johns Spirit who is back out to 8-1 and I’m just wondering if he’s up to this class.

With so many good horses available at big odds, I’m going to add Battle Group to my team of long shots at a very generous 25-1 with Stan James. He has a reputation as a bit of a rogue but you cannot argue with back-to-back wins at Aintree and a win in a valuable race at Haydock. He was heavily backed in all three races and I can see him running a lot better than his odds suggest tomorrow.

Scottish National winner Godsmejudge makes his return to action on the same card and looks fair value at 15-2. Wayne Hutchinson rides him superbly and trainer Alan King reports the horse to be in fine form at home.

African Gold did well to win over hurdles, let alone chase home At Fishers Cross at the festival meeting. He’s a big strapping sort with a future over fences and he makes his chasing bow tomorrow in the 1.15. He has a certain AP McCoy to beat on Shutthefrontdoor but I can see African Gold making up into an RSA Chase candidate this season.

Timesremembered looked an above average hurdler when winning at Chepstow last time out and he can extend his winning sequence to three in the 3.35 race. This is a much tougher race but I think that he will start shorter than 11-4.

African Gold 2-1 BetVictor, Sportingbet

Godsmejudge 15-2 Stan James

Battle Group (each-way) 25-1 Stan James

Timesremembered 11-4  Stan James

Cheltenham Friday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Friday is the first of three cracking days of national hunt racing at Cheltenham. All eyes will be on Oscar Whisky as he embarks on his new chasing career and he should not be too severely tested with just three rivals. If he can convert his hurdles form to the bigger obstacles he will be an exciting prospect this season.

Of course, he isn’t really a betting proposition on Friday but there are plenty of competitive races to look at. Standing Ovation is likely to be all the rage in the opener after running out a clear cut winner of the Badger Ales Trophy at Wincanton. That was achieved off a mark of 120 and he has been raised to 127 tomorrow. David Pipe is a chip off the old block when it comes to taking horses through the handicap and it would be no surprise to see this one make it five on the bounce.

Conor O’Farrell has ridden him to all of his recent victories but amateur Mr S Clements takes over on Friday. He runs in the colours of the late David Johnson and it would be a poignant winner on the day of the Memorial race named in his honour. David Pipe has a fancied runner in that event with Top Gamble who is on a hat-trick after wins at Ffos Las. He must have a good chance but there are several promising types in opposition including Upswing, Whisper and Atlantic Roller.

I’ve never really been a fan of the cross country races but Balthazar King doesn’t seem to mind them and he looks a good bet at around 2-1 in the 3.15. He was only second here last year behind Uncle Junior but that one is getting a bit long in the tooth whilst Balthazar King continues to progress. It was a decent handicap that he won here in October and this looks like a drop in class.

Standing Ovation 13-8 Stan James

Balthazar King 2-1 Skybet, William Hill, Paddy Power

Greatwood Hurdle Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The second big prize of the Open meeting at Cheltenham this weekend is the Greatwood Hurdle on Sunday. The favourite is a horse that was a rare failure for the Nicky Henderson stable last season who failed to go on after finishing runner-up behind Olofi in this race.

Cash and Go revives painful memories as I had backed him at Ascot for the Ladbroke Hurdle on the strength of his performance in the Greatwood. Barry Geraghty is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished jump jockeys around but I think even he would admit that he got it all wrong on that occasion. He took a pull early on and practically left his horse blinded towards the rear of the 21-runner field. I’m sure that he was guessing at his hurdles and it was no surprise when Geraghty slid out of the side door after a mistake at the fourth.

The fact that he is favourite this year owes nothing to his subsequent efforts so I can only presume that he has been showing a lot more at home. Pine Creek won the William Hill Hurdle at Ascot last time out and certainly cruised into the race in good style. He did not win quite so easily as seemed likely and I’m not convinced that it was the greatest race. Neither of the front two makes any appeal at odds of around 6-1.

I have much more time for Sametegal at nearly twice the price, trained by Paul Nicholls. On the face of it he has a tough task under 11st 7lb having beaten Bayan by only a neck here last month. However, he had previous winner Handazan stone cold with half a mile to go and would have been more impressive with a stronger pace. He was a respectable third in the Triumph Hurdle and should run well.

My second selection is Kashmir Peak. He was beaten a mile in the Triumph but that was as a result of an early mistake and he is better judged on two meetings with Sametegal last season. He beat that rival by a length at Doncaster and was set to do so again at Musselburgh before unseating his rider four out. His four races on the flat have resulted in three placed efforts including a fine head second to Thomas Hobson at Newbury last month. If he transfers that improvement to hurdles he must have a good each-way chance.

I am also adding a second long-shot to my Paddy Power Gold Cup selection in the form of Astracad. Nigel Twiston-Davies has stated that he will run as long as the ground doesn’t turn soft and he also looks generously priced at 33-1.

Paddy Power Gold Cup Astracad (each-way) 33-1 888Sport

Greatwood Hurdle Kashmir Peak 12-1 Ladbrokes, BetVictor

Greatwood Hurdle Sametegal 10-1 Coral, Bet365

 

Paddy Power Gold Cup Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Conduct (8-1) overcame a wide draw to win the November Handicap by five lengths on Saturday, ensuring that we ended the flat turf season on a winning note. Cheltenham’s Open meeting should get the pulse racing this weekend and the Paddy Power Gold Cup has attracted a good quality entry of 28.

Not for the first time, David Pipe is deliberating long and hard before committing Dynaste to this race. It is very much a case of Grands Cru revisited. Dynaste looked the best three-mile novice in training last season but was diverted to the two and a half miler at the festival at the last moment. He was beaten there but returned to his brilliant best at Aintree. He has the potential to make up into a Gold Cup contender this year so you cannot blame Pipe for being cautious. Likewise, I wouldn’t risk a penny on him until he is declared a definite runner.

Nicky Henderson has three entries with Finian’s Rainbow, Rajdhani Express and Nadiya De La Vega. The first two look to have a tough task at the weights on their seasonal debuts but Nadiya De La Vega is actually 5lbs lower than when third here a year ago. The seven-year-olds form is a bit in and out and has not been the safest conveyance in the past.

One of the best backed horses is Jonjo O’Neill’s Johns Spirit, an easy winner here at the last meeting. Whilst he looked a good bet at 14-1, he makes less appeal at a miserly 6-1 when you consider that he has been raised 10lbs and this is a much tougher race. Martin Keighley’s Champion Court has run well here in the past, notably when second to Sir Des Champs at the festival in 2012. The trainer reports him to be in great shape and admits that he has targeted this race for some time.

There are question marks about Salut Flo, Ballynagour and Katenko. Salut Flo has not raced since winning at the festival in 2012, Ballynagour has two ways of running and Katenko would probably like it softer. The latter also has to contend with a lengthy absence. Irish raiders are rare in this race but Hidden Cyclone and Texas Jack could be interesting at long odds. Texas Jack was up with the best staying novices last season and Hidden Cyclone is reportedly on course for a big run.

One horse that looks overpriced is Alan King’s Kumbeshwar at 40-1. He was staying on strongly behind Somersby at Exeter and Wayne Hutchinson is booked for Saturday. He is a tentative each-way selection at this stage and we’ll take another look when the final declarations are made.

Kumbeshwar (each-way) 40-1 Ladbrokes, Coral