Unfortunately, or probably fortunately for my wallet, I don't blog full time so have had to condense my fancies for the remaining days of Cheltenham into one post. So here we go...
Neptune Novices Hurdle
Unless Let's Dance goes for this, with the absence of Finians Oscar, Neon Wolf will be a fairly strong favourite. He is unbeaten in 4 races, including a super impressive win the last day at Haydock, and boasts an impressive blend of speed and stamina. However, Willoughby Court, a winner of his last 2 races over this distance, comes here with stable confidence reportedly very high and is a much more backable 12/1. Take him e/w
Cross Country
The classy horse in this race is Cause of Clauses, and he is the selection. He has past form at Cheltenham, albeit not over these unique fences, but last year he did win the Kim Muir under Jamie Codd, who will take the ride here. An excellent booking, and Cause of Clauses has reportedly schooled over these type of fences recently. He has plenty of stamina under his bonnet, and coupled with his classy pedigree (he has been contesting much better races than this) he is the selection to overcome Cantlow, the favourite who does not always put it all in at the finish.
Fred Winter
Here I like the chances of Project Bluebook who is trained by John Quinn, a master trainer of these young juvenile hurdlers. I believe Quinn had earmarked this one fro the Triumph but his lenient mark has tempted him down the handicap route and we should take the hint. Brian Hughes gave him a shocker of a ride last time out, and he has admitted as much on the preview circuit, but prior to that he has been upwardly mobile and at least that defeat has ensured his mark is more fair. Brian gets a great chance to make amends and I expect the top jockey in the North to give the selection a far better ride this time! Overpriced as an e/w chance
Stayers Hurdle
I love Jezki for this race, and I am more than willing to take on one of the bankers of the festival here. Jezki is pure class, he has won a Champion hurdle but looking at his breeding he really should appreciate this 3 mile test, especially considering his advancing years. Last time out the ground was shocking bad, and he may well have bounced, so ignore that and focus on the very impressive comeback the time before. He has the speed to sit in and pounce if the race gets tactical, the stamina (he is a 3 mile winner already) if it is an out and out test and at 7/1 he looks an e/w steal.
Brown Advisory Plate
Diamond King heads the market having won the Coral Cup at the fez last year off a 1 lbs lower mark. However, he is well short enough and I'll put up another who has been heavily tipped on the preview circuit in Sizing Codelco. He hasn't been a massive success so far this year, but he did only narrowly go down to Top Notch, fancied for the JLT 2 runs ago before finding 26 furlongs much to far a trip last time out. He has since been put away and his handicap mark protected for this race, and is actually 1 lbs lower than he started the season. Sneaky from Mr Tizzard and I expect him to make the frame.
Mares Novice
If Lets Dance turns up here have the lot on. She is an absolute class apart and would have given the boys a race if she were allowed to take her chance in the Neptune. But with trip fine and this opposition not a patch on her take Lets Dance to make it 5 wins on the bounce. And Willie Mullins' love for these Mares only races will grow even more.
Kim Muir
I really like one here, and that horse is Mal Dini. A winner here last year, important festival form, he has not been in the same form this season. BUT.....The tongue-tie he wore to victory in the Pertemps Final last season hasn't been seen this season but is crucially seen now, and he also has not had some good ground which he likes. Again he gets his ground. For me has been crying out for a step up in trip....which also arrives here. Excellent jockey booking, this really looks like a plan coming together for me. Awfully tempting
Triumph Hurdle
I can see the Irish kicking off Gold Cup day with a winner in the shape of the Gordon Elliott trained Mega Fortune, fresh off the back of a win last time out when Elliott finally gave up trying to get him a handicap mark for the Fred Winter. We saw just how much talent this horse has when winning at Leopardstown last time out, showing stamina that will prove crucial here and reversing form with Bapaume. This race is usually run at a fair lick, and I can see Mega Fortune staying on up the hill and winning this.
Gold Cup
This is still a really interesting race, even without Thistlecrack. Cue Card will bring the house down if he wins where as Native River stays as long as the mother-in-law at your house. But the one I actually fancy is the runner up in the previous 2 Gold Cups in Djakadam. He has been beat by Coneygree and Don Cossack in the blue riband event, so clearly loves the track, trip and test the Gold Cup throws up, and for my money there is nothing that good in the race this year. Djakadam will be ridden by the masterful Ruby Walsh, is the subject of hugely positive vibes at home and looks set to finally give Willie Mullins the Gold Cup he craves. A smashing bet at 4/1, cannot see him out the frame. People will point to his 2 defeats the last twice, but he has come to the Gold Cup a very young horse, grown up in it and now finally I think it is his time to shine.
Grand Annual
I'm putting up a former Champion Chase winner who is tumbling down the weights and looks on a very attractive mark. Dodging Bullets is my selection for the final race of the festival - he goes well at Cheltenham, will love this ferociously run 2 miles and I think with these conditions in his favour, and his confidence coming back according to Sam Twiston-Davis, he can bounce back to form and send us packing with a winner.
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