Time to get out the Big Bucks

Are you ready? Sat comfortable? Be prepared, because finally the greatest show on turf has arrived. For me, and many others like, this is the most exciting time of year, I heard Paddy Power describe it as ‘Christmas for grown ups’, and that is probably the best way of understanding it. We have 27 races spread over four days, and I shall be concentrating on days two and three for highlighting my best chances for the festival.

A horse who I have been following since his Cheltenham win at the 2009 festival is the Willie Mullins trained MIKAEL D’HAUGENET. The seven year old was fantastic two years ago when winning the Neptune Novices Hurdle when going off 5/2 favourite, and beating a very good group of challengers in doing so. Grade 1 winners such as Diamond Harry, China Rock, The Nightingale, Karabak and Realt Dubh. He followed that up with a win at the Punchestown Festival, beating another good field that day including the perennial Irish superstar Cousin Vinny. He has been unlucky since switching to fences after a near two year absence. He fell at the last when seemingly cruising in his reappearance, before running flat when being turned out just two weeks later. He was then badly hampered by the falling Quel Esprit in The JP Moriarty Chase, when going seemingly well, and if he can keep lady luck on his side, he has a great each way chance. Ruby Walsh has chosen to ride him over the Paul Nicholls trained Aiteen Thirtythree.

The absolute banker of day three is the Irish Champion, and current Champion Chaser, the Colm Murphy trained BIG ZEB. He was awesome when winning this race last year, cruising round the course before taking it up before the last fence. He absolutely loves good ground, and thrives on it. His form on good ground is 22111 and his only losses came in twenty plus runner fields, losing to Captain Cee Bee in a bumper and Sizing Europe in a Novice Hurdle. He has had a superb 18 months, being crowned Irish horse of the year, on the back of his Champion Chase win last year, beating the Arkle first and second from the year before Forpaddytheplasterer and Kalahari King, with Master Minded only in fourth. He won four Grade 1 races in a row before being turned over by Golden Silver last year, and even then, his defeat isn’t that much of a negative. The horse was jumping that well, that Barry had difficulty restraining the notorious hold up horse. He has had a perfect preparation, has a great jockey and perfect ground, the horse should be cherry ripe for the day, and his current price of 3/1 is huge.

The final selection is the current best horse in training; the Paul Nicholls trained BIG BUCKS. He has won the last two renewals of the World Hurdle, and was devastating last year, when winning pretty much on the bridle. The horse he beat, Time for Rupert, has come out, winning 2 from 2 impressively over hurdles, and is now favourite for the RSA Chase. Big Bucks is the best horse in the race, he has won his last ten races, 9 of which in graded company, and although Grand Crus has improved beyond recall so far this season, Big Bucks is the benchmark, and will win his third World Hurdle.

Selections:

Big Zeb – Champion Chase 3/1 – 5pt Win

Big Bucks – World Hurdle 5/4 – 5pt Win

Mikael D’haugenet – 12/1 – 2pt EW