A mixed week for our ante-post selections, with a couple seemingly dead in the water along with some good news, too. Camping Ground didn’t stay the three miles in the Cleeve Hurdle and whatever form claims he had over Thistlecrack before, those are now firmly reversed and trainer Robert Walford says…
1pt win Frodon @7/1, 16:10 Cheltenham
The finale on Cheltenham Trials day may not be the highlight on the card, but by no means does it look any less competitive. It represents an intriguing little contest with several unexposed entrants sent handicap hurdling for the first time. Solstice Star goes in search of a five-timer with…
0.5pts each-way Baden @20/1, Cheltenham 15:00
A top renewal worthy of its status as a trial for the Neptune at the Festival. Let’s start from the top of the betting where Yanworth and Shantou Village dispute favouritism after unbeaten seasons and easy Grade 2 victories apiece. Yanworth steps up in trip and hasn’t come off the…
1.5pts win Camping Ground @11/4, Cheltenham 15:35
This year’s renewal of the Cleeve Hurdle looks top-class with first and fifth in the World Hurdle betting – for which it’s a trial – out to strengthen their claims. We really like both, having tipped the odds-on favourite Thistlecrack to land the Long Walk Hurdle in December and having…
1pt win Acapella Bourgeois @7/2, Leopardstown 13:20
Two leading fancies for the first day of the Cheltenham Festival take centre stage today for Willie Mullins, his champion hurdler Faugheen and ante-post Arkle favourite Douvan. The latter is long odds-on for the seemingly straightforward task of following Un De Sceaux’s hoof prints in winning the Irish equivalent today, though Faugheen…
1pt each-way Minella Reception @14/1, Ascot 15:35
Minella Reception looked to be ahead of his mark on his seasonal reappearance at Haydock when falling three out. He had been jumping very smoothly for Nigel Twiston-Davies and Ryan Hatch, and look destined to be in the mix at the finishing line when going the best before he came…
1pt each-way Aurore D'estruval @8/1, Ascot 13:50
This is a big test for the prolific Vroum Vroum Mag, who has won all seven of her Irish starts and has so far been kept against her own sex. She’s another in the familiar Rich Ricci silks from the Mullins yard, and Ruby has made the trip to Ascot,…
1pt win Sire De Grugy at best morning price, Ascot 15:00
No Sprinter Sacre or Dodging Bullets, but a top-class renewal nonetheless with the much-hyped Un De Sceaux arriving from Ireland for the all-conquering Mullins yard. He’s up against 2014 Champion Chase winner Sire De Grugy as well as Haldon Gold Cup winner Vibrato Valtat, Simply Ned and Traffic Fluide. Now, I’m…
Cheltenham Festival ante-post update
As the media noise around the Cheltenham Festival bubbles and the form book gradually takes shape, ante-post prices fluctuate and we’re keeping a keen eye on the prices of our selections. Tombstone @20/1 (now 16/1), Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, Tuesday 15th March As predicted, the 20/1 didn’t last too long and he’s…
1pt win Sceau Royal @16/1, Triumph Hurdle, Cheltenham 18th March
One Festival market that’s not really taken shape yet is the Friday’s Triumph hurdle, where the well-named Ivanovich Gorbatrov trades ante-post favourite for the latest O’Brien to the training ranks, ex-Irish champion jockey Joseph. After a solitary facile success in a Leopardstown maiden, his horse trades a 7/2 favourite whereas it’s…