Cheltenham Chat - 8 days to Go

8 Days to go!

4 legendary horses survey the scene from Cleve Hill (Photo from Channel 4)

Its getting seriously close now to the Cheltenham Festival...almost 1 week to go till arguably the single greatest day in jumps racing with 4 Grade 1 races on the opening day of the Festival and plenty more to come throughout the week. In this blog I'll round up some of the action and chat from this week, some good gossip and some of the best bookie offers for us punters to lap up!

Preview Night Gossip

Always take information you hear at these preview nights with a pinch of salt; they are great fun and you hear all sorts of chat but a lot of the time the pundits do play to the audience! Still here are a few lines I've heard from the last few days:

• Apache Stronghold is Paul Carberry's best ride of the festival in the JLT Novices
• Harry Skelton reckons Value at risk has a massive chance in the Albert Bartlett, going on to say he worked very well this morning (26th Feb).
• One man who wants to oppose Faugheen is Dougie Costello, who says 'I don't think Faugheen is champion hurdle class. His jumping isn't good enough over 2m'
• Philip Hobbs rates his bumper horse Wait for Me very highly. He nominates Big Easy (in the Pertempts Network Final) and Duke of Lucca (Cross country) as his two best chances though in an interview with the Times.
• Warren Greatrex says that Paint the Coulds, current favourite for the Foxhunters, could be better than a hunter chaser and is in superb form ahead of the race. He also reckons Cole Harden is a rock solid e/w proposition for the World Hurdle after a wind operation
• Not sure how much we should believe this but JP McManus, when interviewed by Nick Luck at a preview night in Dunraven, says of Mr Mole "He may carry your money but he won't carry mine!"
• Talking of reputation Jonjo O'Neil thinks that Goodwood Mirage (in the Coral Cup, Martin Pipe and County Hurdle), so often put up in this blog for handicaps this season, has a live chance at Prestbury Park in a handicap if the ground comes up good. Jonjo reckons he is on a winnable mark granted his prefered ground and will go to Cheltenham with a live chance.
• Nick Scholfield rates Aue Ptits Sen as his best bet of the festival; this one goes in the Coral Cup. He was entered in at Fontwell in the Game Spirit but wasn't favoured by the weights so was withdrawn and comes straight here.
• Simon Claisse says the ground is predominantly good-soft (what a surprise!), bits of soft on Old Course and cross country course though. Forecast for wintery showers this week but dry at end of it, a decision on watering will be taken mid week.
• One final shout out for the London Racing Club preview night on Tuesday the 3rd March. 3 hours of Cheltenham chat, a 50 quid matched bet, a 57 page betting guide and a bloody raffle! Incredible! I'll see you there if you decide to go!

General Cheltenham News

Now some general info and chat about horses, riders and races at the festival

• Vautour, Djakadam and Un De Sceaux worked after racing on Saturday at Leopardstown, with the former 2 apparently working very well and Mullins expressed his delight with all three, but especially Vautour.Gordon Elliott also ran his entire Cheltenham string and said he was happy with them all, especially Don Cossack who looked 'a million dollars'. 
• Shocking news as Danny Cook, the jockey, tests positive for cocaine and will miss Cheltenham after accepting an interim suspension pending a full inquiry into the test. Young Cook will now miss a few rides for Brian Ellison at the Festival.
• Paul Nolan is keeping his fingers crossed Festival winner Noble Prince makes the cut for the St James's Place Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham. Noble Prince has some great form at the course, he's a previous winner of the JLT after all, and his class could shine through if he gets into the Foxhunters.
• With only 1 run over fences Sgt Reckless certainly lacks a bit of experience over the larger obstacles and connections are wondering whether to allow him to run in the Arkle or send him over hurdles at the Festival. Sgt Reckless needs good ground, which has seen him miss a few runs this season, so will only run at all if the going is good.
• Noel Meade, who posted his best January/February strike rate in the last 5 years (21%) in 2015 sends six or seven horses across the Irish Sea: Road To Riches, Apache Stronghold, Very Wood, Wounded Warrior, Ned Buntline, Snow Falcon and Ipsos Du Berlais (for the cross country) are all confirmed. Waxies Dargle and Couleur France could also go.
• Bryan Cooper rates Don Cossack, Road To Riches and No More Heroes as the rides he is most looking forward too at Cheltenham. He also reckons Outlander will go down the Neptune route.

Remember back in 2013 when Bryan Cooper burst onto the Cheltenham scene with a treble?

• Top Irish amatur jockey Jamie Codd has been booked for Cause of Clauses in the National Hunt Chase, as well as Vital Plot in the Foxhunters. Vital Plot has undergone a wind operation since last being seen and Codd will be hoping he can add to his 2 festival wins so far.
• Boylesports have reported 'substantial support' for Sprinter Sacre in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, a race which his trainer,Nicky Henderson, thinks he has an 'oustandingly good chance' of winning. Sprinter is Boyle's biggest loser in their book by some distance and the firm have cut him into 11/4 from 3/1 today.

Bookie Offers

• Keep an eye out on the Paddy Power horse racing guys on Twitter; they are tweeting some great offers at the moment and nice enhanced prices using the hashtag #Cheltmental. Have a little look now and again this week to see if Paddy can tempt you in with anything! Sunday say Faugheen and Sprinter Sacre both to win (NRNB) at 9/1 so if that attracts you be sure to check out the Paddy Power site.
• Boylesports are doing an incredible money back offer' money back on Un De Sceaux if he fails to win the Arkle Chase on the opening day of the festival! The same firm are also offering money back if your horse finishes 2nd to the SP favourite on all RTE and Channel 4 races, another great offer.

That'll do for now. I'm sure I've missed plenty but there is just so much news coming think and fast that I've tried to pick out a few bits that sound interesting, hopefully you can use these to your advantage!

Cheers for reading

Alex