Mala Beach rates a worthy favourite for the Bobbyjo Chase with his second place in the Thyestes at Gowran Park behind My Murphy. That gives him strong claims, if in the same mood and appears to be some of the best recent form on offer, with plenty of holes in…
1pt win At Fishers Cross @9/2, 14:05 Haydock
Reve De Sivola looks up against it trying to give 8lbs away on heavy ground in this Grade 2 stayers’ hurdle. He ran a blinder behind Thistlecrack at his favourite track – Ascot – earlier in the season, before reconfirming his dislike for fences when fifth last month here at…
2pts win Drumacoo @9/4, 13:50 Ascot
Only six go to post for this Grade 2 over just shy of three miles at Ascot. All known form points in the direction of DRUMACOO, who in receiving 4lbs from his closest market rival has to be the bet at 9/4. That rival is Onenightinvienna, who recently got to within three lengths of RSA…
25/1 Black Hercules to win the RSA Chase
It’s less than a month until jump racing’s biggest week, the Cheltenham Festival, and most of the betting markets have taken shape. Many horses remain in multiple races and there’s often plenty of value in guessing where they end up, as that uncertainty keeps the prices out. Some punters avoid the fancy…
1pt win Sternrubin @9/1, 0.5pt EW Agrapart @20/1, 0.5pt EW Matorico @33/1, 15:35 Newbury
Previous winners of Europe’s richest handicap hurdle race have included My Tent Or Yours, Zarkandar, and Get Me Out Of Here – two of which were owned by JP McManus. He enters no fewer than five runners including the 7/2 favourite, and Geraghty’s pick of the crop, Blazer. Mullin’s French…
Cheltenham Festival ante-post update, 8th February
A pretty good week for our ante-post selections. Triumph Hurdle favourite Ivanovich Gorbatrov was well beaten in the Grade 1 juvenile event at Leopardstown on Saturday, and drifted accordingly. AP McCoy spoke publically about the risk in ruling out his chances, pointing towards improvement on better spring ground, so he’s…
0.5pt EW Warriors Tale @12/1, 16:30 Musselbrough
Cup Final returns from over 400 days off the track to tackle the longest trip of his career over 3m2f. He may very well be able to tackle an extra half a mile in comparison to his latest win for Nicky Henderson. That was his first victory in six starts…
1pt win Delusionofgrandeur @8/1, 15:30 Musselburgh
Four go to post for this trial for the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival and the betting suggests it’s a match between O O Seven and Fagan, who both have strong form claims and trade around the evens mark despite both making the big step up from two miles to three.…
1pt win Black Thunder @6/1, 15:30 Sandown
I’m not a fan of tipping handicaps, but seeing my hard earned go the way of the bookies in the Welsh Grand National when my horse finished first past the post has put revenge on the agenda. That horse was Black Thunder and the caveat is his rider wasn’t with him…
33/1 Cheltenham Festival 'Banker' Fourfold
Accumulators at the big spring festivals are a lot of fun, so in this piece I’m putting forward the horses that – in my opinion – look as close to certain winners at the Cheltenham Festival as is possible in the sport of horse racing. Faugheen – Champion Hurdle His…