You won’t see many Willie Mullins-trained pink-silked Grade-1 runners during Festival week going off double-digit odds, but THOMAS HOBSON looks likely to buck the trend in the Albert Bartlett. Well-fancied stablemates Vautour, Douvan, Djakadam, Min, Limini, Annie Power and Vroum Vroum Mag are all skinny prices for their respective assignments, and…
Cheltenham Festival Ante-Post Update, 1st March
A lot has happened since our last update, and the media clues are in full flow. Let’s get the bad news out the way first, as there’s plenty of good. Simonsig, Killultagh Vic, Faugheen and, most painfully, Ar Mad are all out through injury. Rotten luck, as it can happen to…
0.5pt each-way Camping Ground @25/1 NRNB (various), Champion Hurdle
Injuries to Faugheen and Arctic Fire and the retirement of dual-winner Hurricane Fly means none of the placed horses in last year’s Champion Hurdle will re-compete. In fact, the only likely runner from last year’s race is The New One, whose trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies has been in bullish mood in recent weeks…
1pt win Pilansberg @7/1, 14:00 Kempton
Alan King’s Gibralfaro has been given a lofty rating of 151 ahead of his tilt at the Triumph Hurdle, for which this Grade 2 juvenile hurdle has provided a few winners in the past. If such a rating is to be believed, he’s very well-in at the weights with St…
1pt win Oceane @14/1, 15:05 Kempton
Alan King saddles two for this two-mile novices’ hurdle at Kempton, with Barry Gerraghty taking the ride on Winter Escape in the McManus silks. He was last seen a few weeks back easing home on the bridle to record back-to-back successes at Doncaster. Bookies and punters alike seem to see…
1pt win De Kerry Man @6/1, 0.5pt EW West Wizard @12/1, 16:35 Kempton
Cernunnos went down by a nose at Doncaster last December, when he appeared to slightly idle with the race at his mercy. He probably improved on that effort as he discovered the winning thread in a fairly ordinary looking handicap at Leicester just over three weeks ago, but is landed…
0.5pt win West Approach @100/1, Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, Cheltenham 18th March
We’ve been closely following Colin Tizzard’s WEST APPROACH this season, twice backing him at Cheltenham with exactly nothing returned. It’s his breeding that appeals, as he’s by the same sire as reigning World Hurdle champ Cole Harden and out of the same dam as the ante-post favourite for his crown, Thistlecrack.…
1pt win Silviniaco Conti @4/1, 15:35 Ascot
Its close proximity to Cheltenham Festival gives this Grade 1 a false feeling – nevertheless, a quality field has assembled containing a dual-King George and Aintree Bowl winner, a Ryanair winner, a Hennessy winner and an ex-Champion Chaser. The obvious place to start is SILVINIACO CONTI, a serial Grade 1 winner…
1pt win Baie Des Iles @5/1, 15:25 Fairyhouse
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…