Cheltenham - Day Four: Friday 16th March 2012

The final Cheltenham curtain is drawing ever nearer and with every winner, every fairytale, story and emotion, whilst every winner is celebrated, comes the knowledge that with every rush of adrenaline it’ll be a whole twelve months before we are back again.

Friday is often the most difficult day of the festival, with the blue ribbon event, the Gold Cup, not being my best betting race. The County Hurdle and the Martin Pipe have large fields with plenty of handicap plots, and could be something of the unknown.

The Triumph Hurdle was a terrific race last year when it featured Grandouet, Zarkander, Unaccompanied, Third Intention and Molotof. This year’s race looks wide open, and with no obvious winner on paper, we must delve deeper into the formbook.

Saddlers Risk leapt to favouritism after a Kempton novice hurdle win in January but was easily dispatched by Cheltenham novice hurdle winner and subsequent Adonis Hurdle winner Baby Mix. Baby Mix was himself soundly beaten when running against Pearl Swan and Grumeti in the Triumph Hurdle trial at Cheltenham towards the back end of January. Further down the field Hollow Tree for the Donald McCain stable was soundly beaten and can be overlooked as well. Pearl Swan won the race, but caused interference and lost the race in the stewards room to GRUMETI for the Alan King stable.

He went on to frank the form with a tough, gritty defeat of Dodging Bullets at Kempton in the Dovecote Hurdle and he looks to have the pick of the form. His only defeat came when falling when 10 lengths clear in a decent looking Newbury juvenile hurdle. He is the pick of the British runners in my view.

The last Irish winner was in 1994, and with no powerful claims, it rests with Gordon Elliot and SHADOW CATCHER to offer the each way value. He ran a terrific race when second behind fellow contender Hisaabat in the Sprint Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown, and would have won if held up, hitting the front too soon. With Paul Carberry on board (there is no better jockey when it comes to hold up tactics) he may provide an upset.

The County Hurdle is one of the most notoriously difficult handicap hurdles of the season, let alone the festival, and has had some memorable finishes, Final Approach beating Get Me Out of Here on the line, in a thriller last year. The spoils could remain with the Irish with the Jessica Harrington trained CITIZENSHIP looking to have excellent claims. He creeps in at the bottom of the weights and has a great chance.

A lively outsider could be LOCAL HERO for the modest Steve Gollings yard, and it comes back to the Triumph Hurdle form from last year. He was a 20/1 outsider but ran very gamely to finish eight, only beaten by ten lengths, behind subsequent Grade 1 horses. He ran with credit on his comeback at Kelso behind subsequent Neptune Hurdle winner Simonsig, his first run of the season, and that should have brought him on no end for a spring campaign, starting here.

The Albert Bartlett Hurdle is for novices over the three miles on the new course, and has been a great betting heat for punters. I have already dipped my toe in the ante post pool, and have invested on Mount Belbuben, Sea of Thunder and Boston Bob at significantly bigger prices, and the value seems to have dried up. Willie Mullins has indicated that BOSTON BOB could be one of the horses of a lifetime and he has done nothing but progress this season. The strapping seven year old looks to be a potential Gold Cup horse but has already shown tremendous ability over hurdles, winning consecutive Grade 2’s on good and heavy ground. He has had the beating of his only main dangers and, barring accidents, should win this. Sea of Thunder could chase him home.

The Gold Cup requires no build up and is the contest that the racing world has been waiting for. Kauto Star, “King Kauto”, has passed all fitness tests and will run, aiming to break yet another record. He is the only horse to regain the Gold Cup, and will go up against last years winner Long Run who has finished second behind Kauto twice, in the Betfair Chase and the King George.

The value looks to be in the betting without the front two, and WHAT A FRIEND makes plenty of appeal. A narrow fourth last year, he has been brought along well, finishing four lengths behind Long Run in the Denman Chase last month. He should appreciate the better ground and, although I hope Kauto wins, I can’t back him, and hope to cheer What a Friend on into a place.

The Foxhunters race is somewhat an afterthought and the phrase ‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’ springs to mind. With two significant absentees in Backstage and Baby Run, the race looks wide open, but the classy CHAPOTURGEON could be the most likely winner. The eight year old ticks all boxes from a trends perspective, and was impressive when beating current favourite Cloudy Lane at Newbury in January after a year off. He is entitled to improve and won the Jewson Novice Chase at the festival three years ago, and is clearly a good horse. MERCHANT ROYAL was impressive for the Dermot Weld stable when winning a three mile hunter chase at Thurles on soft ground, and travelled very impressively. There could be more improvement to come and he is respected.

The Martin Pipe Conditional Handicap Hurdle was won last year in impressive fashion by subsequent Jewson Chase winner Sir Des Champs. A horse already on a promising road is EMPIRE LEVANT from the Paul Nicholls stable. He got within 6 lengths of eventual Champion Hurdle winner Rock on Ruby in a listed hurdle at Newbury, and a line can be written through the Betfair Hurdle, with the slow pace not suiting. Another with a strong chance is TONER D’OUDARIES for Gigginstown Stud and Gordon Elliot. He has been aimed at the festival for a long time, and has been in good heart this season, running behind Steps to Freedom, Unaccompanied, Jetson and Sailors Warn, in a slow steady build-up.

The Johnny Henderson Grand Annual is the final swansong for the 2012 Cheltenham Festival, and is usually the ‘death or glory’ moment for punters chasing the week long losses. This get out of jail opportunity consists of a twenty-one runner handicap chase over the extended two miles. Nicky Henderson, after whose late father the race is named, has had a record breaking Cheltenham so far and he has been plotting this race for months.

Anquetta has Andrew Tinkler on board, and was impressive in a Listed Handicap Chase at Ascot. He has since lost his way though, falling in his subsequent run, and finishing last of ten in a valuable chase at Doncaster and can be overlooked. Novice chaser Eradicate finished his hurdling campaign with a Grade 3 win at Haydock, and in novice chases, has two wins and a nose defeat.

Leading jockey Barry Geraghty has opted for Tanks for That, and he looked to have a bright season on the cards with a win at the Cheltenham Open Meeting in a valuable seventeen runner handicap chase. He has struggled since the 9lb hike in the weights, and prefers running fresh.

Kid Cassidy has AP on board, chosen ahead of Bellvano, but both look poorly handicapped. FRENCH OPERA looks to be on his way back, since returning behind Sprinter Sacre in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury. French Opera is a Grade 2 winning chaser and has a good record at Cheltenham, including two victories. He looks very interesting.

The other fancy is TARA ROYAL for Donald McCain. The stable landed a touch when winning the Scottish Champion Chase with him at Musselburgh and he seemed to appreciate the strong pace and good ground, both of which he will find to his liking at Cheltenham. Ultimate finished down the field that day, and now has a 6lb swing, but the Brian Ellison charge could be out of his depth here.

Tara Royal and French Opera are the two that appeal at the prices.

1.30 Grumeti (Ew) & Shadow Catcher (Ew)
2.05 Citizenship & Local Hero (Ew)
2.40 Boston Bob (Nap)
3.20 What a Friend (Betting without Long Run/Kauto EW)
4.00 Chapoturgeon & Merchant Royal (Ew)
4.40 Toner D’oudaries (Ew) & Empire Levant (Ew)
5.15 French Opera (Ew) & Tara Royal (Ew)

The Yorkshireman – Jack Milner

Ascot Amlin Chase Day and Haydock Betfair Chase Day November 19th.

A feast of jump racing lies ahead this weekend, with terrific cards at both Ascot, where their highlight is the Amlin 1965 Chase with Master Minded defending his crown, and at Haydock, featuring the Grade 1 Betfair Chase, where Gold Cup and King George hero Long Run is scheduled to make his seasonal debut.

Haydock’s Betfair Chase day has a fantastic card. The Betfair Hurdle race is where GRANDOUET can regain his reputation after coming down at Wincanton last time out, handing Celestial Halo the race. He was absolutely cantering in behind when misjudging the second last and would have been a definite winner in my eyes. He is all class this French import, as he showed last year when winning the Irish equivalent of the Triumph Hurdle at Punchestown in May, after decent previous efforts at Cheltenham and Aintree. I think he is a lively consider for this years Champion Hurdle, and is one to stay on the right side of.

Betfair have also sponsored the handicap at 1.55, which has a decent turn out. I am very sweet on the Reveley family’s EYRE SQUARE. He won a novice hurdle on his seasonal beau. He then ran well in a chase, finishing second to a well handicapped horse. The favourite finished third that day and the three pulled 43 lengths clear. Eyre Square rallied and stayed on, and the extended 3 and a half miles should suit this resolute galloper, who has remained on a nice figure of 120.

The Betfair Chase has developed into a jewel in the crown of the National Hunt season and this year’s event looks like living up to that billing. Long Run is the very short favourite, too short for a horse who disappointed in the Paddy Power last season, running after a 241 day absence. The drying ground could prove a worry for Diamond Harry, who loves running fresh and is 2/2 at Haydock.

KAUTO STAR won this race 2 years ago and when the 11 year old is at his best he is still a horse sitting at the top table of British chasing. He has won first time out on both the last two seasons, Down Royal last year, and in this race two years ago. Trainer Paul Nicholls is adamant he has been working like his old self and he could turn out to be significantly over-priced at the current 8/1.

Switching attention to Ascot, and the first race, the novices chase. The Nicky Henderson trained MUSH MIR, who came from James Boyle on the flat, showed at Southwell he is a good prospect. He has made a successful transition to hurdling, and is now 3/3 in novice hurdles. He attempts a step up in class but, as his winning distances of 32 lengths for his three races indicate, he may well have better things ahead of him.

Similar sentiments apply to OSCAR WHISKEY, who runs in the Coral Hurdle, a Grade 2 contest. This Welsh Champion Hurdle and Aintree Hurdle winner is rated 165 and is being aimed at a clash with Big Bucks in the World Hurdle. His only defeats in the last two years have come in the Champion Hurdle to Hurricane Fly (3^rd) and to Menorah in the Supreme Novices (4^th). He should be too classy for the likes of Celestial Halo and Overturn.

MASTER MINDED could be overpriced in the Amlin Chase, largely due to his disappointing reappearance run at Aintree. The 8 year old, who won this same race in impressive fashion last term, appears to need soft ground over 2 miles or 2 and a half miles these days to be shown at his best and he should get his preferred conditions on Saturday.

He has won his second run of the season, using the first as a tune up, on each of the last three seasons, and although the likes of Somersby, who chased him home in the Victor Chandler, and Arkle winner Captain Chris are young guns snapping at his heels, hopefully Master Minded, still no pensioner at only eight, can show he retains plenty class.

12.15 Haydock Grandouet (Nap)

12.25 Ascot Mush Mir

2.10 Ascot Master Minded (Nb)

2.45 Ascot Oscar Whiskey

1.55 Haydock Eyre Square (Ew)

3.05 Haydock Kauto Star (Ew)

The Yorkshireman – Jack Milner