Sandy Beach is favourite for this primarily due to his trainer Colin Tizzard. The jolly returned to action to comprehensively beat weak opposition on his seasonal reappearance, and receives an 8lb penalty for that win. He could be progressive, and you can understand his position at the top-of-the-market, however, the…
0.5pt ante-post each-way Sceau Royal @33/1, Champion Hurdle
With nine weeks to go, it’s about time we got our hands dirty in the busy ante-post markets for the Cheltenham Festival. Every man and his dog seems to be playing the long-term game these days and, as such, value can be hard to come by with even the remotest…
0.75pt each-way Old Guard @14/1, 15:10 Cheltenham, New Year's Day
Nine go in the feature race of Cheltenham’s New Year’s Day card, the Relkeel Hurdle, and there’s rain forecast to potentially change the unseasonably good ground at the track. That could potentially upset the betting market where Lil Rockerfeller shades favouritism from 2015 World Hurdle winner Cole Harden. The latter…
1pt each-way Carole's Destrier @8/1, 0.75pts each-way Firebird Flyer @16/1, 14:40 Tuesday, Chepstow, Welsh Grand National
The Welsh Grand National was run in arguably the most disastrous conditions that you could ever run a jumps race in last season, and just about went ahead in January, having been postponed from its usual spot on the 27th December. Mountainous prevailed in that slog, and is guaranteed a…
1pt win Beltor @8/1, 14:55 Kempton, Tuesday
The dual-code BELTOR looks a good bet in the 14:55 handicap hurdle at Kempton on Tuesday – a track he seems to love. An impressive winner of the prestigious Adonis Hurdle at Kempton as a four-year-old, he was a well-backed and impressive winner on the all-weather recently when giving weight and…
1pt win Josses Hill @14/1, 15:15 Kempton, Boxing Day
That last season’s Kauto Star Novices’ Chase victor Tea For Two is priced 22/1 for another Grade 1 victory on Kempton’s famous Boxing Day card speaks volumes for the betting public’s opinion that this year’s King George VI Chase is a match between the two Colin Tizzard-trained beasts at the…
1pt win Frodon @4/1, 14:05 Kempton, Boxing Day
One of three Grade 1 races on Kempton’s famous Boxing Day card, the three-mile Kauto Star Novices’ Chase is notoriously tricky to call and this year looks no different. It must be a decent betting heat with Anibale Fly trading a 3/1 favourite – the Tony Martin-trained J P McManus-owned…
1.5pt win Ch'tibello @10/1, 14:40 Kempton, Boxing Day
There’s no Vroum Vroum Mag but we’ve still got a strong field for the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle on Kempton’s Boxing Day card, run over two miles. My Tent Or Yours somewhat fortunately won this in 2013 when The New One clattered the last, and both horses re-oppose three years…
1pt win Eduard @8/1, 1pt win Irish Saint @8/1, 15:00 Ascot Saturday
Go Conquer heads the betting in the market and is respected to put in a career best in the Silver Cup at Ascot. He does need to improve for the longer trip of 3m, and must beat a number of horses with superior chasing form already in-the-bag. He is favourite…
0.5pt each-way Wolf Of Windlesham @16/1, 15:35 Ascot, Saturday
I’m in no mood to abandon WOLF OF WINDLESHAM in the newly-named Wessex Youth Trust Handicap Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday, after he was twice a winner at big odds for these pages last season and was traveling like a dream when coming down two out in the Greatwood Hurdle…