The Cheltenham Festival is upon us once again, so I really should pull my finger out as do some sort of blog. I’m afraid my blogging has taken a back seat along with a lot of other past times, but as a special occasion of four days of amazing Jumps racing is about to start, I’m dusting off the typewriter.
It’s a bittersweet week for me, as for the first time in 7 years, I won’t be attending the Festival. After a busy February and having to have lots of days off work (unpaid holiday – damn you self employment), March is playing catch up month, so hopefully I’ll get to Aintree in April to make up for it.
Anyway, you don’t want to hear about my finances and no Cheltenham sob story, you want to hear which horses I’m going to jinx by backing this year!
And so here we go:
CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2012, DAY ONE.
THE SUPREME NOVICES HURDLE 1.30PM
A race that the Irish love to win, and at a glance the two Irish runners that stand out for me are MIDNIGHT GAME, and the well fancied STEPS TO FREEDOM. The latter has of course won round Cheltenham already, beating a couple of these runners in the process, and looks like the best challenger from over the Irish Sea. The current price available for him seems very big to me, for a course winner who will come into the race fresh. MIDNIGHT GAME looks the best of the Willie Mullins runners and beat home 2 outsiders from this field, but the main man, Ruby Walsh has chosen to partner the oldest horse in the field at 7, PROSPECT WELLS for Paul Nicholls. Could this be a pointer?
A horse likely to start favourite is DARLAN, a lovely horse who’s put in some very smug wins this season and would have won at Newbury last time out if not for giving A.P McCoy a very nasty fall. The price will of course be too short for my Each Way tendancies, as well as the fact that favourites do not have a good record in recent renewals of this race.
MY EACH WAY SELECTIONS:
STEPS TO FREEDOM
PROSPECT WELLS
THE ARKLE 2.05PM
The buzz is all about SPRINTER SACRE, but as a bloody minded sod, partial to cheering on a lively longer priced horse, I’m going to be opposing him, no matter how well fancied he is. He’s still to prove himself around Cheltenham, so like many others I’m backing something else with the tiny doubt that he’s unproven over the course. I’m a bit gutted that the field is reduced to 5, which narrows out my each way bets. For me, this race is still very much open, with AL FEROF, MENORAH, and CUE CARD having fantastic race history around Cheltenham. For me, MENORAH has still got something to prove in regards to his jumping of the bigger obstacles, although reports that he has had some intense jumping tutorials with Yogi is something that might show a transformation. AL FEROF was an impressive winner of the Supreme Novices last year, and unlike Menorah has also proved himself a goodun over fences. A real contender for me, who’ll have no trouble getting up that hill.
CUE CARD, however, has been a favourite of mine for a long time. I adore this horse. Joe Tizzard has reported he’s going to go out and make it, so expect this horse to set a fierce pace out in front, and watch him leave the others for dead as he scampers up that hill after not seeing another horses back end throughout.
WIN BET:
CUE CARD.
JLT SPECIALITY CHASE 2.40PM
THE PACKAGE, missed out narrowly at the Festival last year and comes here this year on a good weight. Although getting on in the years, MON MOME has finished 3rd in a Gold Cup, and was 2nd here in January so at a whopping price, I’ll nibble at him each way.
EACH WAY BETS:
THE PACKAGE
MON MOME @ 50/1!!!
THE CHAMPION HURDLE 3.20PM
Wow, this race is never dull. HURRICANE FLY has to be the dead cert of the meeting for me, but there is some big prices for good horses, so some each way returns are at the ready to be picked at.
Out of his 6 starts at Cheltenham CELESTIAL HALO has only been out of the places once, and has looked back to his best this season. He was beaten by BINOCULAR who also looked like something of his old flashy self, last time, and probably hasn’t come up against any big gun company this year. He’s probably the least fancied of the Nicholls runners, but I’m keeping the faith in the old boy. Yes, I’m all sentimental, which is why I could never be a professional punter!
EACH WAY BET:
CELESTIAL HALO
THE CROSS COUNTRY CHASE 4.00PM
The Cross Country race is shunned by many, but equally as loved by many, and farmed by the Irish – noteably Enda Bolger in recent years, . The trainer is single handed this year, so the each way choice is simple for me. He’s a specialist around this course, as is his jockey, and although this race does seem to be getting more competitive these days surely to rule him out, even at the age of 13, is for a fool.
EACH WAY BET:
GARDE CHAMPETRE
THE MARES HURDLE, 4.40PM
Another race that looks more competitive this year, although the tough mare QUEVEGA is surely untouchable as the winner.
My only antepost bet has been on a horse in this race, who finished 4th last year. ALASI returned successfully to hurdles recently at Doncaster after a dabble over fences, and to me looks like a good each way bet.
EACH WAY SELECTION:
ALASI
THE PULTENEY LAND CHASE 5.15PM
Simply going for a horse that has all the right signs at a big price. FALCON ISLAND. A shorter, yet still decent price is available for BLESS THE WINGS.
EACH WAY CHOICES:
FALCON ISLAND
BLESS THE WINGS
As you can probably tell, I’m pressed for time, so the last race was rather rushed.
Although I’ll be on my sofa instead of in the stands at Cheltenham Racecourse, I’m so excited about that ROAR tomorrow at 1.30PM. That ‘falling in love’ feeling just cannot be beaten.
Good luck to you all!
