The feature race of the Cheltenham Festival is today’s Gold Cup and if his stamina holds I hope to see Cue Card become the first 11-year-old since Mandarin in 1962 to win the Blue Riband of jump racing although it should be noted that What A Myth was a year older when scoring in 1969.
Cue Card came down three out when going every bit as well as the eventual winner Don Cossack in the corresponding race last year but would he have got home up the Cheltenham hill? One thing is for sure he has been a credit to connections and I wonder whether Colin Tizzard could have even dreamt that seven years on from saddling the horse to win the Bumper at the Festival back in 2010 he would be back with a leading chance in the big one.
No Don Cossack to worry about but stablemate Native River will ensure a true test of stamina. The Hennessy/Welsh National winner he has never scored in three starts at Cheltenham and blundered his way around in the 4m NH Chase before finishing a remarkable second last year. The winner Minella Rocco (3.30) re-opposes this afternoon and looks a cracking price each-way against. He will have Noel Fehily in the plate, and looks sure to go well alongside stablemate More of That.
Nicky Henderson has been telling all-and-sundry that Charli Parcs (1.30) is in a different class to Wednesday’s Fred Winter runner up Divin Bere and he looked very impressive when scoring on his British debut at Kempton over Christmas. If his subsequent fall two out behind Master Blueyes back at Kempton has not knocked his confidence he must go close under the excellent Fehily.
BetVictor are ¼ odds 5 places in the County Hurdle and it will be interesting to see if the market speaks in favour of Ivanovic Gorbatov for Joseph O’Brien – if it does, I suggest we take the hint. Dan Skelton saddled the County Hurdle winner (Superb Story) twelve months ago and I expect to see a bold show from North Hill Harvey but he is 8lbs higher than when winning the Greatwood Hurdle back in November when he had Winter Escape (2.10) well down the field.
I refuse to believe, however, that was the lightly-raced gelding’s true form and he looked a potential star when winning his first three starts on decent ground. Alan King’s runners have, at the time of writing, run well in defeat so far this Festival and Winter Escape has avoided the winter ground in recent months and should enjoy underfoot conditions.
Death Duty (2.50) is reported by many of the Irish as their banker of the meetinng and he can not be opposed for the in-form yard of Gordon Elliott. The yard have enjoyed five winners already at the festival and Death Duty, a winner of all four starts over hurdles, should maintain his yet unblemished record over timber.
Jamie Codd takes over from Nina Carberry (in foal) on the great On The Fringe (4.10) in the Foxhunters’ and he cannot be opposed in his hat-trick attempt. Taking 11/8 in a 24-runner event might not sound like value but he is likely to drift out to something near the 2/1 mark and that would be a decent price.
Tim Vaughan has acquired the services of the excellent Harry Cobden for his Dadsintrouble in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockey’s event and he must go close given he has looked a progressive sort in winning his last two starts at Haydock albeit over slightly further on soft ground.
The vote, however, goes to No Comment (4.50) who has won his last three starts and has been taken slowly-slowly by leading connections. His ability to handle this big field must be taken on trust but he did win a 24-runner Punchestown Bumper back in April and is thoroughly unexposed over hurdles. The selection is 6/1 with BetVictor and I will be disappointed if he is out of the frame.
The Festival finale is the Grand Annual Chase and Dandridge looks a worthy favourite but I have always thought there was a big race in Rock The World and this might be the day. The selection finished third in the corresponding race in 2016 and there is little between him and likely favourite Dandridge at the revised terms. He must go close alongside fellow Irish raider Velvet Maker (5.30) with the latter marginally preferred at his current price of 14/1.
Selections
1.30 Charli Parcs
2.10 Winter Escape
2.50 Death Duty
3.30 Minella Rocco
4.10 On the Fringe
4.50 No Comment
5.30 Velvet Maker
For all your sporting odds check out BetVictor.com
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