Rebecca Curtis arrives mob-handed as she attempts to win back-to-back West Wales Nationals at Ffos Llas, where she has four out of the seven runners represented. Bob Ford returns on a 13lb higher mark than when he was successful here last year, and has to give weight all-round. He did…
1pt win Native River @7/2, Wetherby 14:45
Wetherby hosts the Grade 2 Towton Novices’ Chase on Saturday, where seven go to post and the ground is soft. Native River looked a bit unlucky at Kempton when third behind Tea For Three in Grade 1 company at Christmas, as he jumped left throughout and never got into a rhythm.…
1pt win Maximiser @14/1, Sandown 14:25
A good renewal of the Grade-1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase with seven going to post, though the betting market has this as a match between Tea For Two and the five-year-old Bristol De Mai. Both look too short around the 6/4 mark with class and potential behind them in the…
0.5pts each-way Last Encounter @11/2, Clonmel 14:25
A cheeky bit of Grade 3 action at Clonmel this afternoon, where seven go to post over 22 furlongs. Gigginstown have three runners and retained rider Bryan Cooper opts for Willie Mullins’s Stone Hard over Roman Gold and Arkwrisht. There seems to be money for him as well, though the…
Cheltenham Festival ante-post update, 3rd February
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…