Tag: World Hurdle

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

Cheltenham blog – Top 3 offers and ante-post roundup

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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.

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)