At The Races


Guide to the Cheltenham Festival

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STABLE TOUR

Alan King
"He would be my main hope for the Coral Cup which has been his target for a long time. Once we started to rev him up I was always happy with him and his recent work has been very good."
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Battle of the Booth

Battle of the Booth

 
  • 13th Mar 2009
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Tony Ennis leads the battle of the booth going into the final day with a profit of £35.45. Sean Boyce is still in striking distance on -£15.21 whilst Matt Chapman needs another Silver Jaro to come to his rescue as he trails the trio on -£121.61.

Sean Boyce

13:30 - Triumph Hurdle

Master of Arts and Zaynar look terrible value to me and of the front view only Walkon would make any appeal at all but even he is a tad short I’d say. STARLUCK on the other hand is possibly slightly overpriced and if the name next to his on the racecard was ‘Pipe’ or ‘Henderson’, ‘King’ or ‘Mullins’ he’d be a pretty warm favourite. His performances are the pick of what’s on offer and there’s still a bit of an edge left in his price.

SELECTION: £10 each-way STARLUCK

14:05 - County Handicap Hurdle

DAVE'S DREAM is on paper exactly the kind of horse I’d want to take on. He’s full of fizz, burns up loads of energy and should in theory set the race up for the finishers. If he was trained by anyone other than the master that is Nicky Henderson I probably would take him on but Henderson might just pull this extremely unlikely double off. When he won the Greatwood, the trainer said the horse was ‘barely ready to run’ and there’s a chance that his scintillating Sandown spin may take enough edge off him that Geraghty will find it a little easier to ride a race on him. He looks a short price and he looks a lay given his style of racing but my faith in Henderson and Geraghty means I’d rather be with him than against him as it’s more than likely that there is even more to come.

SELECTION: £10 win DAVE'S DREAM

14:40 - Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

Cape Tribulation, Pride of Dulcote and ALPHA RIDGE have shown ability a cut above their rivals and of that trio the one that makes most appeal, not least because he’ll be the biggest price of the three, is Paul Nolan’s Alpha Ridge. He’ll be there to be shot at coming up the straight I expect but it will take something a bit special to get by him and he should go close.

SELECTION: £10 each-way ALPHA RIDGE

15:20 - Cheltenham Gold Cup

There’s a slightly surreal air to this years race, with such a big question mark over the reigning champ Denman, and the lingering memory of the total eclipse of previous champion Kauto Star in the race last year. In all the talk about Denman’s comeback run the fact that MADISON DU BERLAIS beat him by more than twenty lengths seems to have gone somewhat unnoticed. Some have even remarked that ‘if you take Madison out of the Kempton race, Denman beat Alberta’s Run by 25 lengths’. Well, call me stupid but doesn’t that also mean in fact that Madison du Berlais (already an impressive winner of the Hennessey) beat Albertas Run by nearly 50 lengths! The big problem with assessing Madison du Berlais is that there seems to be no logical explanation for the apparently exponential improvement in a horse who’s had 30 starts over fences. I have no explanation for what we’ve seen but I do know that we have seen it. He did win the Hennessey well and he did absolutely obliterate Denman and destroy the others at Kempton. Maybe, just maybe, he’s as good as he now looks.

SELECTION: £20 win MADISON DU BERLAIS

16:00 - Foxhunter Chase

I’m going to keep this simple. Last year’s winner AMICELLI is still showing ability, still a good age and still ridden by a very capable pilot. He’ll go very close to repeating with a clear round.

SELECTION: £5 each-way AMICELLI

16:40 - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle

PENN DA BENN has been mentioned so often by so many people connected with Alan King’s yard that he simply has to go into my list for today. It’s odds-on of course that the Pipe team will win this race but I’ve no idea which horse so I’ll stick with Alan King’s charge instead.

SELECTION: £5 each-way PENN DA BENN

17:15 - Grand Annual Chase

Chapoturgeon was simply devastating yesterday. He absolutely tore it up and showed so much class that this drop back in trip is unlikely to inconvenience him. He’ll only run if connections are happy with him and if they’re happy I’m happy, he looks nigh on unstoppable.

SELECTION: £10 win CHAPOTURGEON

Matt Chapman

13:30 - Triumph Hurdle

What a week: Binocular, Kasbah Bliss and Voy Por Ustedes all beat and Willie Mullins without a horse in the frame in the bumper - and still the bookmakers complain! The only consolation was Boycey going for both short price favourites yesterday and both getting beat! I will take years to get over the defeat of Kasbah Bliss. Years! Obviously there is no way I can't tip EBADIYAN in this race. The battle of the booth matters to no one, but Oliver Brady's fight against cancer and work done for his charity is invalubale. Up Monaghan!

SELECTION: £15 win EBADIYAN

14:05 - County Handicap Hurdle

Last year we had a great result in this race but I doubt Silver Jaro going in again! I'm going for a novice in COCKNEY TRUCKER, who was below form behind Mad Max last time but is surely better than than. The master trainer has always liked him and he could be well weighted.

SELECTION: £10 win COCKNEY TRUCKER

14:40 - Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

ALPHA RIDGE's ability has always been underestimated and he might well take a bit of pegging back from the front. A strong stayer who has form with some of the best novices in Ireland, Alpha Ridge is a really exciting prospect. I am a huge fan of Cape Tribulation as well, and if he beats me I will be gutted!

SELECTION: £10 win ALPHA RIDGE

15:20 - Cheltenham Gold Cup

One horse has the class to win this race and he's a big price which is what I need - DENMAN. Yes, it's mad I know, but the tank is back and while everything tells you he can't win on the back of the run at Kempton, as far as this competition is concerned I need a big-priced winner. Go on the tank and Sam Thomas.

SELECTION: £25 win DENMAN

16:00 - Foxhunter Chase

AMICELLI was 33-1 when winning this last year but I doubt the horse will be that price this time! I love this race and have found it profitable over the years. On ratings Amicelli has a great chance and at least we know he stays, loves the track, and has a bit of class.

SELECTION: £10 each-way AMICELLI

16:40 - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle

I was hoping Arthur Moore would have a runner in this race as he told me a while back he was desperate to win it to get a prize off Martin Pipe. Unfortunately no Moore runner! I'll go with Big Eared Fran, who should take all the beating if recovered from his hard race at Sandown just the other day.

SELECTION: £10 win BIG EARED FRAN

17:15 - Grand Annual Chase

Everytime I have interviewed Paul Nicholls or Andy Stewart on Get On they have said POQUELIN is the nap of the meeting and if they think that then I would be mad to go against them. Good lucky everyone and I hope you have had a great Festival. Yeeehaaaa!

SELECTION: £10 win POQUELIN

Tony Ennis

13:30 - Triumph Hurdle

1.30 After a frustrating day of second places yesterday I’m hoping to start the day with a winner in the shape of WALKON. I must admit that the temptation was there to desert him with the evidence suggesting it might just not be the week Alan King was hoping for. However Walkon’s powerful displays of galloping at Chepstow and here at Cheltenham suggest he is the pick of his age group over hurdles. The grey was defeated by Zaynar at Newbury but is seven pounds better off today and has thrived since.

SELECTION: £15 win WALKON

14:05 - County Handicap Hurdle

It just seems wrong having the County Hurdle as race two on the card and hopefully it will be restored next year to it’s rightful position as the final chapter of the meeting. Anyway, that’s my moan over now to finding the winner. Dave’s Dream will be popular to complete the Imperial Cup/County Hurdle double but I think we have probably missed the boat with him. Tony McCoy has been relatively quiet since Tuesday but looks to have an outstanding chance here on SUNNYHILLBOY. The son of Old Vic looked good at Sandown in December and has been kept fresh for this.

SELECTION: £5 each-way SUNNYHILLBOY

14:40 - Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

Ruby Walsh has a rather poor record on likely favourite Pride Of Dulcote having failed to complete each time they set out as a partnership including when Ruby picked up some severe injuries here in November. Although horse and jockey have been irresistible this week I will look towards Cape Tribulation as the likely winner. Malcolm Jefferson’s star looked awesome at Doncaster in January and can give jockey Phil Kinsella his biggest career success.

SELECTION: £20 win CAPE TRIBULATION

15:20 - Cheltenham Gold Cup

Paul Nicholls holds the key here with former winners Kauto Star and Denman but I predict we will have a new champion in the shape of NEPTUNE COLLONGES. The grey atoned for his Lexus chase mishap by running his rivals in to the ground back at Leopardstown in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup and that form looks more than good enough here. Christian Williams has looked like the finished article this season and the young welshman can land his biggest career success on this tough genuine galloper.

SELECTION: £10 each-way NEPTUNE COLLONGES

16:00 - Foxhunter Chase

AMICELLI can repeat last year’s victory in the Foxhunter’s Chase. He was a smart hurdler in his youth and despite taking a tumble in a point-to-point last time out is normally a solid jumper.

SELECTION: £10 win AMICELLI

16:40 - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle

David Pipe saddles a third of the field here in the race named after his illustrious father. The pick of the eight could well be MAMLOOK who went in to many notebooks after his excellent fourth behind Serabad at Ascot.

SELECTION: £10 win MAMLOOK

17:15 - Grand Annual Chase

Paul Nicholls has made no secret of the fact that he has had this race in mind for POQUELIN for some time and with the Ditcheat team in rude health this week look no further, he can cap a memorable week for Ruby and Paul. Win,lose or draw it’s been a fabulous four days sport and I hope you enjoyed the racing as much as I did, roll on 2010!

SELECTION: £15 win POQUELIN

The Race Centre

Festival Preview Programme

Neptune Management Novices' Hurdle

Can the rapidly-improving Rite Of Passage give Dermot Weld another Festival triumph? Or will Nicky Henderson end his drought in the race with Finian's Rainbow? Luke Harvey, Mick Fitzgerald and Andy Gibson analyse the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle. Includes stats and video form.

MY FESTIVAL BANKER

JOHN HUNT - ATR Presenter
Long Run
RSA Chase (2.40 Wed)
"Long Run can prove a genuine star in the RSA Chase. The only thing that can stop him are the fences! Jumping as badly as he did at Kempton and still trotting up means he has to be a class act."