Tag: L’Ami Serge

Cheltenham Preview Tuesday 10th March

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

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

William Hill money-back offer on Supreme Hurdle

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Cheltenham Special offers are coming thick and fast now with William Hill announcing a great money-back offer on the opening race of the meeting.

Paddy Power are offering money back on losing bets in the Supreme Hurdle and the Arkle Chase if the Willie Mullins-trained Douvan or Un De Sceaux prove successful. The offer applies up to £50 per customer.

William Hill are also focussing on the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle but will refund ALL losing bets, irrespective of the result, up to maximum of £25 per customer. The stakes will be refunded as free bets in your William Hill account and the offer starts from 8.30am on Friday.

You need to bet via mobile or online to claim back the £25 which must then be staked within 24 hours. Betting shop customers can claim a refund of £10 which must be invested in the following race at the meeting, the Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Chase.

The Supreme will be a very significant race for bookmakers this year, even more so than usual. Mullins, top trainer at the meeting for the past two seasons, saddles 7-4 favourite Douvan who is the first of four (possibly five) favourites for the stable on the opening day. There will doubles, trebles and accumulators in their thousands resting on the shoulders of Ruby Walsh in the opener.

The big danger is Nicky Henderson’s L’Ami Serge who would be favourite in a normal year. He won the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown by 14 lengths and is unbeaten in three races since arriving from France. There was no disguising Henderson’s confidence in the horse at his recent media day at the Lambourn stables and there will be plenty willing to take the 4-1 on offer with a money-back guarantee!

Although there are currently 83 entries for the race, there are relatively few serious contenders. Several have entries in the other novice races at the meeting but Jollyallan will have his supporters with Tony McCoy likely to take the ride. Harry Fry’s gelding is owned by JP McManus and was just beaten by Garde La Victoire in a Listed race last time. You can currently get 9-1 about Jollyallan with William Hill.

Remember, the refund only applies up to a maximum of £25 per customer or £10 to retail customers. (Open to win and each-way bets)

Latest William Hill prices; 7-4 Douvan, 4-1 L’Ami Serge, 9-1 Jollyallan

Paddy Power Cheltenham money-back offer

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Paddy Power have come unstuck in previous years with their generous money-back offers at Cheltenham and they are at it again this year!

In 2012 they offered refunds on all losing bets in the Arkle Chase if odds-on favourite Sprinter Sacre won. Nicky Henderson’s star chaser made short work of his rivals and the following year is was Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle. Last season Vautour romped to victory in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with Paddy Power refunding bets on the placed horses.

The firm are to refund all losing bets as a free bet on two races at this year’s festival. Willie Mullins is responsible for the favourite in each with Douvan in the Supreme and Un De Sceaux in the Arkle. With the former currently 7-4 favourite and Un De Sceaux the shortest priced favourite of the meeting at 4-7, it is probably a way of generating some interest in the other runners. The offer applies to all bets up to £50/€50 per customer per race.

The offer will be of particular interest to punters who fancy those closest to the favourites in each race. There is a lot of confidence behind Nicky Henderson’s L’Ami Serge in the Supreme and he is currently trading at 9-2 with the Irish firm. The French import remains unbeaten and was particularly impressive when winning the Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown last time out.

The market is similarly lopsided in the Arkle Chase with Vibrato Valtat offered at 5-1 with 10-1 bar. Paul Nicholls trains the grey who has won his last three races over fences culminating in the Kingmaker Chase at Warwick earlier this month. He cruised clear to beat Top Gamble by four and a half lengths to follow up his win at Kempton in December.

He is available at 11-2 elsewhere but the 5-1 with the refund offer should Un De Sceaux fluff his lines is well worth considering. L’Ami Serge is generally 4-1 with other firms so the 9-2 will make plenty of appeal to supporters of Nicky Henderson’s star novice. There does not appear to be much depth to the field for the Supreme and the market currently revolves around the two horses. With non-runner – no bet also applying, it could be a good time to get on the second favourites.

L’Ami Serge @9-2 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

Vibrato Valtat @5-1 Arkle Chase

*Paddy Power special terms apply

Sandown Tolworth Hurdle Day Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Splash Of Ginge was one of three winners for us at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and attention now turns to the Tolworth Hurdle card at Sandown on Saturday.

The feature race has a very disappointing turn-out of just four runners, one of which pulled up at Plumpton on his most recent outing over two years ago. That is a pretty abysmal entry for a £22,000 event and the odds-on favourite is Nicky Henderson’s L’Ami Serge. He was very impressive at Newbury but was presented the race at Ascot last time when Emerging Talent fell two out. It was too early to say whether he would have won but L’Ami Serge is clearly an above average novice.

I have followed the career of Aurore D’Estruval with interest and John Quinn’s five-year-old should have the class to win the 12.40. The only question mark is the distance as she steps up to two and a half miles for the first time. I would be more concerned if the going was heavy but she can take this at the expense of the consistent Mischievous Milly.

William’s Wishes was a smart chaser a couple of seasons ago for Evan Williams but has obviously had his problems since. He showed that he may be on the way back when a respectable sixth in the Tingle Creek last time out. He has Mr Mole and Brick Red to beat, first and second at Exeter last month.

I like the chances of Song Light in the 3.00 despite a hefty 10lbs hike in the weights. The gelding was a close third in a very competitive race at Cheltenham in November and was never going to get caught at Huntingdon last time. Kevin Jones rode him in both races and takes a valuable 7lbs off here, allowing him to race off just 10st 5lb. I fear the Paul Nicholls-trained Bouvreuil most of all, a French import at the foot of the weights having his first run for the yard.

The closing race looks no easier to solve but it may be worth sticking with hat-trick seeking Bertie Boru. Not many meetings go by without a Philip Hobbs winner and this eight-year-old has got up late in both of his starts this season. He looked to have no chance jumping the last at Newbury but wore down Phone Home in the shadow of the post. The runner-up ran moderately last week but Bertie Boru should give us a run for our money.

Aurore D’Estruval 12.40 @5-4 Ladbrokes

William’s Wishes 1.50 @7-2 Coral

L’Ami Serge 2.25 @1-2 Bet365

Song Light 3.00 @6-1 Paddy Power

Bertie Boru 3.35 @9-1 BetVictor