Tag: Whisper

Aintree Grand National Day Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

We are about level with the bookmakers after the first two days but now for the big one! We have four ante-post bets on the Grand National with Shutthefrontdoor (20-1), Cause of Causes (33-1), Spring Heeled (33-1) and Monbeg Dude (33-1). Of those, only the latter has lengthened in price after a poor prep race and the going does seem to have gone against him.

If I had to name the horse that I fear most it would have to be Rocky Creek. He was very impressive at Kempton, has course experience and the Nicholls team have already struck with three winners this week. He is currently a best priced 10-1 and may be worth a saver, particularly if he goes to 12-1 between now and race time.

The Nicholls bandwagon can kick off Saturday’s card with a winner in As De Mee. He looked pretty average earlier in the season but has really improved on his last two starts and is proven over this trip. The same cannot be said of the majority of these while the Neptune form could be vulnerable.

Un De Sceaux’s late withdrawal from the second race has left a modest bunch for a Grade 1. God’s Own is the form choice but I don’t think he is much value at around 7-4 and I’d rather take a chance on Gary Moore’s improving Traffic Fluide.

Nico de Boinville must still be basking in the glory of his Cheltenham Gold Cup win and he can add the Liverpool Hurdle aboard Whisper. Nicky Henderson’s gelding was a real star for this column last season, winning at the festival and following up in this race. Like Saphir Du Rheu, he aborted his first tilt at chasing and the move can pay off.

Buywise looks to have a favourite’s chance in the Handicap Chase prior to the National. He stuck on really well up the hill at Cheltenham last time and most of  his rivals look out of form. Henderson’s return to form can continue with One For The Guv’nr in the next to complete a double for he and De Boinville. He has not been extended to win small races but looks to have been let in lightly here.

Alan King saddles three in the finale and preference is for Miss Crick, the mount of Wayne Hutchinson. She won well at Newbury and the Berkshire course usually throws up some decent bumper winners.

As De Mee 1.30 @14-1 Boylesports

Traffic Fluide 2.05 @5-1 Bet365

Whisper 2.50 @5-1 Ladbrokes

Buywise 3.25 @5-2 Betfair

Rocky Creek 4.15 @10-1 William Hill

One For The Guv’nr 5.10 @9-2 Betfair

Miss Crick 5.40 @12-1 Bet365

Cheltenham Preview – Thursday 12th March

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The World Hurdle takes centre stage at Cheltenham on Thursday with Paul Nicholls hoping to add to Wednesday’s impressive haul. The Ditcheat trainer interrupted the domination of Willie Mullins by firing a 1430-1 treble including Dodging Bullets in the Champion Chase.

His World Hurdle hopes are Zarkandar and Saphir Su Rheu and I just prefer the claims of the latter. He progressed through the handicap last season and narrowly beat Whisper in the Welsh Champion Hurdle. That horse went on to win the Coral Cup and followed up in the Aintree Hurdle. Nicky Henderson has endured a miserable two days but I am hoping that Whisper can give him something to smile about.

The action starts at 1.30 and Coral are offering 5-1 about the favourite Vautour finishing in the first three here (new customers only). If you don’t already have a Coral account it may be worth considering to a maximum £10 stake. I think Ptit Zig looks the more attractively priced at 4-1 and he could provide Nicholls with his fourth winner of the meeting. He was unlucky to fall at Ascot last time but has jumped around here safely before and should go well.

The Pertemps Final looks wide open and there has been good money for Edeymi and Call The Cops this week. It does not usually pay to back horses that win handicaps impressively on the eve of the festival so Henderson’s horse might not be great value despite carrying only a 5lbs penalty. I am going to side with Big Easy although the handicapper keeps putting him up for being beaten. The Cesarewitch winner has a touch of class and could make the frame.

Johns Spirit loves it round here and looks worth a bet at 11-1 with Paddy Power in the Ryanair Chase. Don Cossack and Balder Succes are the pick on form but Johns Spirit can cut them down late on if Richie McLernon does not go too soon.

The last two races look almost impossible to solve but David Pipe’s Monetaire has a chance in the Kim Muir. He has only raced twice since arriving from France and did well to finish third here after a couple of mistakes on his first run. Lucinda Russell could give Scotland a winner in the last with Clondaw Knight who lost a shoe when beaten last time.

1.30 Vautour @5-1 Coral to finish in first three (new customers only – max. £10)

1.30 Ptit Zig @4-1 BetVictor

2.05 Big Easy @12-1 Totesport (each-way)

2.40 Johns Spirit @11-1 Paddy Power (each-way)

3.20 Saphir Du Rheu @6-1 Paddy Power

3.20 Whisper @11-1 William Hill (each-way)

4.00 Monetaire @8-1 Betfred

4.40 Clondaw Knight @20-1 BetVictor (each-way)

Cheltenham World Hurdle Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Paul Nicholls served up a big-race double at Cheltenham on Wednesday with victories in the Coral Cup and Queen Mother Champion Chase. That sets him up perfectly for Thursday’s Grade 1 World Hurdle where he saddles the first two in the betting, Zarkandar and Saphir Du Rheu. Here is our big race guide.

Zarkandar (5-1 888Sport)

Zarkandar won the Triumph Hurdle here in 2011 and was trained for the Champion Hurdle for the following two seasons. He did finish fourth to Hurricane Fly in 2013 but ran as though already needing a greater test of stamina. Since moving up in distance he has won in France and finished a close second to Reve de Sivola at Ascot. Many observers felt that he downed tools on the run-in that day and Noel Fehily will be keen to arrive as late as possible here.

Saphir Du Rheu (5-1 Paddy Power)

Nicholls had intended running Saphir Du Rheu in the RSA Chase but a fall at Kempton persuaded connections to put his chasing career on hold. A victory in the Cleeve Hurdle suggests that they made the right decision and he looks to have a major chance.

Whisper (11-1 Ladbrokes)

It has not been a great week so far for Nicky Henderson but he could receive a tonic if Whisper recaptures his best form here. He was a game winner at the festival last year in the Coral Cup before winning the Aintree Hurdle. The ground should give him every chance of staying this extended trip and he looks good each-way value.

Lieutenant Colonel (9-1 Ladbrokes)

The Gigginstown House Stud colours are carried by the six-year-old Lieutenant Colonel, trained by Sandra Hughes. He has got the better of Jetson at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown and has been backed at big prices in recent days.

Un Temps Pour Tout (12-1 Ladbrokes)

David Pipe’s Un Temps Pour Tout has not quite lived up to his enormous reputation but was not beaten far in the Cleeve Hurdle. He looks like a future chaser in the making and would probably have appreciated a little more cut in the ground.

Monksland (14-1 Ladbrokes)

Noel Meade’s Monksland has shown all of his best form in deep ground and renews rivalry with Dedigout after losing out by a short-head at Gowran Park. It should be close between the pair but both may be tapped for toe in the closing stages.

Nicky Henderson also runs Blue Fashion who would have an outstanding chance on his run behind Champion Hurdle winner Faugheen in November. He has yet to race beyond two and a half miles while At Fishers Cross is tried in blinkers for the first time after some disappointing efforts. Reve De Sivola was fourth in this race in 2013 but will do well to improve on that here.

Verdict

  1. Saphir Du Rheu 2. Whisper 3. Zarkandar 4. Lieutenant Colonel

World Hurdle Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The World Hurdle is the big staying hurdle of the Cheltenham festival and looks wide open this year. Big Buck’s dominated the event for Paul Nicholls between 2009 and 2012 but has now been retired while More Of That is not able to defend his title due to injury.

Annie Power remains favourite with some firms but looks virtually certain to run in the Mares’ Hurdle instead. Willie Mullins is presumably leaving her in here until the last moment in case of any calamities in the earlier race. Nicholls could easily start with the two joint-favourites here in Saphir Du Rheu and Zarkandar.

Saphir Du Rheu did this column a couple of favours last season when winning at Kempton and Chepstow. His excursion over the bigger obstacles did not go to plan and connections wisely decided to revert to hurdling after he failed to complete for the second time in three starts. He only had a neck to spare over the gallant Reve de Sivola at Cheltenham in the Cleeve Hurdle but he travelled like the winner throughout.

Zarkandar won a valuable race in France over three miles earlier this season and looked set to follow up in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot. He found very little off the bridle from the last and allowed Reve de Sivola to get back up and beat him. He was probably just idling but you can be sure that Noel Fehily will be delaying his challenge until as late as possible here. Of the Nicholls duo, I just prefer Saphir Du Rheu who looks a straight-forward ride.

If you fancy Saphir Du Rheu, it is very difficult to ignore the claims of Whisper at 14-1. Nicky Henderson’s gelding won the Coral Cup last season to give us a 28-1 winning ante-post tip. He showed that he was better than a handicapper when winning the Aintree Hurdle and he is another one who did not take to fences. He could still be improving and must have each-way claims.

Rock On Ruby has been winning over two and a half miles but is yet to show that he stays this trip. The Irish pair Monksland and Dedigout surely need plenty of cut in the ground and that seems unlikely at present. There is even talk of the possibility of watering during the meeting. Un Temps Pour Tout would also appreciate some give in the ground and looks more of a chaser in the making.

Saphir Du Rheu @5-1 Bet365

Whisper @14-1 William Hill

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

Cheltenham Day Two Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Day One of the Cheltenham festival did not exactly go to plan! Irving carried our hopes in the first but never looked like getting involved at any stage. It looked as though Glens Melody was going to save the day for us when striking for home in the Mares’ Hurdle but Quevega would not be denied a sixth consecutive victory in the race.

The low point of the was the tragic death of Our Conor following a heavy fall in the Champion Hurdle. I hope there is no repetition of this during the week as the ground dries out. For ground officially given as good to soft, it seems odd that a new course record was set by Vautour in the first. There was always a risk that the form book would be turned upside down after the horses have been running on soft ground for months.

We are already heavily involved in day two and Sire De Grugy’s performance in the Champion Chase could determine whether we are in profit this week. We snapped up 25-1 months ago about him and he is likely to off at around 5-2. I really don’t fancy anything else in the race so let’s hope he can keep his form.

We are also on at big odds in the opener with Faugheen at 10’s and Red Sherlock at 20’s. Either would give us a tidy profit. Space Ship didn’t get into the Fred Winter but we have our stake returned on the NR – no bet terms. That race looks impossible but we’ll re-invest in the Coral Cup.

Calculated Risk gives us a long shot at 40-1. The going has gone against Kaylif Aramis but I’m optimistic for the chances of Whisper. Nicky Henderson had three runners-up on the opening day and a third so his horses are obviously in flying form. A bit of each-way on Whisper with Nico de Boinville taking off 5lbs seems a wise move.

Modus takes on team Mullins in the Champion Bumper at 5.15. He should improve for the better ground and should also give us a good run.

Wednesday

Coral Cup – Whisper at 18-1 Bet365

Ante-post

Neptune – Un Temps Pour Tout 25-1, Red Sherlock 20-1, Faugheen 10-1

RSA Chase – O’Faolains Boy 16-1

Coral Cup – Calculated Risk 40-1

Champion Chase – Sire De Grugy 25-1

Fred Winter – Space Ship 16-1

Champion Bumper – Modus 10-1

Coral Cup Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The picture for the Coral Cup is as clear as mud at the moment with 88 entries. As only 28 can take part, it seems sensible to concentrate on the top half and that leaves several fancied runners out of the reckoning.

The two horses that I have had an eye on for this have problems. Firstly, Nicky Henderson’s Whisper has 11st 11lb. That is only 1lb more than carried by Medinas last year so it can be done but I generally don’t like backing top weights in handicaps. He is also up 6lbs for being beaten by Saphir Du Rheu in the Welsh Champion Hurdle.

The problem for Ascot winner Kaylif Aramis are is the going. He’s a far better horse in soft ground and almost certainly won’t run if it dries up. Un Temps Pour Tout has been touted for this race since romping home at Ascot but I’d have thought he’d have more chance in a novice race. I’d be looking at the Neptune or the Albert Bartlett but his trainer is already strongly represented in both.

I won’t have Dunguib at any price with his weight (11st 12lb) while most of the Paul Nicholls entries are well exposed. The possible exception is Lac Fontana who was taken out of the Imperial Cup at Sandown in favour of a festival run. Bayan is yet to prove that he stays this trip and still holds an entry in the County Hurdle.

Meister Eckhart was second in this race last year when beaten by stable companion Medinas and then finished third at Aintree after looking certain to win. His chasing career was put on hold after a disastrous run at Wincanton and he battled on to finish second to Kayf Moss at Fontwell. The form of the Fontwell race is suspect with Saphir Du Rheu running poorly and there may be better handicapped horses.

I’m going to take a chance on 40-1 shot Calculated Risk here after a win at Sedgefield. That may not sound like Cheltenham form but he was a fair performer on the flat and had acquitted himself well at Sandown on his previous start. He was beaten only four and a quarter lengths by Deep Trouble when finishing sixth after staying on promisingly in the Greatwood Hurdle.

John Quinn has entered him in three races at the meeting so I’m not sure if this will be his first choice. If it is, 40-1 is a good price and Cheltenham is NR – no bet on all races.

Calculated Risk at 40-1 Bet Victor, Coral

Non-runner – No bet