Author: Joel Roberts

2m  Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2)  (4yo) I reckon COVENTRY is overpriced at 16/1 with good ground likely to suit. He’s a full brother to US Army Ranger, who I once put up when second in the 2016 Epsom Derby, and looked useful last time out when winning a…

6f  Al Quoz Sprint Sponsored By Azizi Developments (Group 1) (Turf)  (3yo+) One day the Americans will win this race and they’re almost always value to hit the frame. This year I like the consistent three-year-old COWAN for Steve Asmussen with form figures 22222 in his last five starts, including a never…

2m1f  (2m179y) (New) JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)  (Class 1) (4yo) He’s by no means my most likely winner but ADAGIO is a ridiculous price for the Triumph. This is a very good renewal with a strong Irish hand and Tritonic also looking high class, but there’s only one of them with Cheltenham…

2m1f  (2m179y) (New) McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) (GBB Race)  (Class 1) (5yo+) He’s got plenty of weight but I fancy there’s loads of improvement in CAYD BOY on good ground, particularly as he’s so lightly raced. Mark Walsh has chosen to ride him and I loved the way he travelled and jumped…

3m2½f  (3m2f70y) (New) WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)  (Class 1) (5yo+) If I would have taken one winner for the whole week it would be A PLUS TARD in the Gold Cup. I was very sweet on him for the Ryanair last season but it rode like a two mile chase…

2m4½f (2m4f127y) (New) Ryanair Chase (Registered as The Festival Trophy) (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) This looks wide open and last year’s winner Min is worth taking on after a very disappointing effort at the Dublin Racing Festival. The stand out price is two-time Festival winner SAMCRO at 12/1, who gets good his…

2m1f (2m179y) (New) Parnell Properties Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered as The Dawn Run) (Class 1) (4yo+) Heaven Help Us’s runaway win in the Coral Cup rubberstamped the form of TELMESOMETHINGGIRL for the in-form Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore. She has to be the bet in this race now as she placed third…

2m5f  (Old) Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) (GBB Race)  (Class 1) (4yo+) I’ve been backing MONTE CRISTO for this race for months. He was super impressive over Christmas round Kempton but was slapped with a 12lb rise to 145, which is hardly generous yet perfectly fair. We’d be banking on him improving again…

2m½f (2m87y) (Old) Weatherbys Champion Bumper (A Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race) (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4-6yo) We’ve little evidence to go by but THREE STRIPE LIFE looks a good bet in the bumper at 8/1. He impressed on the clock at Navan and it’s telling that Jamie Codd put him up…

2m½f (2m87y) (Old) Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) This is looking the race of the week as all the big guns are turning up and there are a few unexposed angles to keep things spicy. I had a 1pt each-way selection on Silver Streak all written up and…