What have you got, Prof?
Here we go again. The wait for the racing fan's equivalent of
Christmas is nearly over. The three best bets of the week are -
Altior (nap) in the Champion Chase on the Wednesday. Having
witnessed his race at Ascot it made me feel watching "if it
ain't broke why fix it" as Cyrname defeated him over the longer trip.
Given time to recover by Nicky Henderson we saw the old Altior at Newbury last
time. Hitting his usual flat spot during the race he zoomed up the run in to
win decisively. If he is anywhere close at the last he wins simple!
Pentland Hills (NB) Champion Hurdle Tuesday. Having needed
the run first time at Cheltenham the finish in the Haydock Park trial will long
live a nightmare with me. I have watched that finish maybe twenty times and
don't understand how Ballyandy catches him. Surely it must have been
the ground or Nico going for home too early? Anyway if delivered like in last
year's Triumph Hurdle I expect us to collect.
Santini - Gold Cup Friday. After last year's decent run in
the RSA he always looked a Gold Cup horse. Whilst looking underwhelming at
Sandown first time stepped up markedly on that when defeating Bristol de Mai
next time. He jumped well in the main and seems ground-versatile so hopefully
this rounds off the final day with a victory.
Other bets that may give us an interest -
Nicky Henderson to be top trainer and Nico de Boinville top
jockey (successful last year). Both have a good book of chances during
the week.
Thanks, Prof. That's my best bet landed already, that The Professor's tips are a Seven Barrows whitewash.
Spenno, show us yours.
For me the Irish trained horses look a
step ahead of most of their British counterparts. Hence my top three bets for
the week are all trained across the Irish Sea.
Firstly, in the Arkle, it’s NOTEBOOK.
Unbeaten over fences in 4 starts which include 2 Grade 1’s & a Grade 2.
Trained by Henry De Bromhead, I think it will give Rachael Blackmore her 3rd
festival winner.
Secondly it’s BENIE DES DIEUX in the
Mares Hurdle. Would have won this race last year but for falling, when 3
lengths clear, at the last. Has to be Willie Mullins's banker of the week, and is
indeed my Nap.
Third it’s the Irish talking horse ENVOI
ALLEN in Wednesday's Ballymore Novice Hurdle. Connections were said to have been
considering supplementing him for the Champion itself, the fact they had
decided to go the novice way should be heeded and should give Gordon Elliott a winner
on day 2.
Maybe disappointing prices on their own
but they treble up to just over 13/1, not bad in my mind. I will be a very
happy boy if all 3 win.
My one over the smaller
obstacles, at a bigger price, is Willie Mullins handicap hurdler CIEL DE NEIGE.
Went into my notebook when finishing an unlucky 2nd in the Betfair hurdle at
Newbury. Gone up 3lb for that but I think he is worth a shilling in his chosen
handicap.
Over fences my handicap pick
is SPYGLASS HILL. Another De Bromhead horse who may prove to be better than his
handicap mark and outrun his price in whichever race he contests.
Thank you, Padraig O'Spencer.
You may as well stop reading now. I'm now known as Racetrack Fallguy rather then Racetrack Wiseguy. And Cheltenham is not really the place to get safely back on track. But the darkest hour is just before dawn, it says somewhere (in the Mamas & the Papas Dedicated to the One I Love).
Thyme Hill, in either the Ballymore on Weds or the Albert Bartlett on Friday, has looked fine each time this season and will make for a good priced nap if carrying that form forward. I imagine Philip Hobbs thought he was Cheltenham-bound all along. It might be a good idea to avoid Envoi Allen if we can but I don't mind taking him on if we have to. 'Never be afraid of one horse' was a saying I heard once. Like Frankel, for example.
Benie des Dieux gets her picture on here because she is the only horse to get two mentions. Probably a different class to the other top mares and one to hold a treble together, perhaps, even if she's odds on already. Possibly the only horse one could call a 'banker' all week.
And I'll go with the Tizzard's Copperhead in the RSA on Weds in the hope that the impressive recent win at Ascot wasn't an optical illusion. I don't desert Champ lightly, who was top of the shortlist for races like this from the start, but there are question marks now and stories like calling a horse Champ and them becoming one don't usually happen. Have you read Flying Finish by Dick Francis. Good book.
I'll hope to start with Mr. Henderson's Shiskin on Tues; I thought Vinndication (also on Tues) might be aimed at more than a handicap so maybe he wins this and then goes on to better things next year if he's what he looked like in the Autumn. I might have Thursday off. Allmankind in the Triumph Hurdle on Friday was another long term hope but it will be different here and if there's evidence that Gary Moore thinks he's got a horse in Goshen, and if I'm still in business by then, I'll be on that instead.
With apologies to Fiddlerontheroof and Sporting John who are big dangers to Shiskin and Thyme Hill and, if I were doing this professionally, I'd be having 'savers' on them.
But I'm not. I'm treating the lurid siren call of cash profit with disdain and just having a go.
All the best. I used to say 'see you in Barbados' but I know better by now.
See you in Waterlooville.