Daily Racing Thread Tuesday 10th. March 2020

totally agree - I think Fiddleontheroof each way is one of the best bets of the festival

 

In the Champion Hurdle Epatante is top rated on 166 when taking the weight into account. Sharjah is next on 163 but he's dubious to run to that figure. Depressingly the next best is Supasundae on 160 and he's 10 years old now carrying the moniker of being Apples Jade's whipping boy for a fair time.

It is easy to see the appeal of an each-way 4 places in an open year but some of the "Dark" horses are crazy prices now. Darver Star has to be the worst of the lot at 12/1 now. A 146 rated horse who went up to 158 for being runner up to Honeysuckle last time, it has to be a worry that she runs in the Mares race and won't even be favourite for that. Darver Star is surely 10 lbs short of what it will take to win a mediocre Champion Hurdle. Ballyandy and Silver Streak are decent sorts but lack a bit of class and scope. Cilaos Emery is an appalling price at 13/2 given that he won an egg and spoon race last time as 1/4 Fav. Not So Sleepy is the lowest rated in the field on 143 and he was hopeless last time in a Handicap race. Hard to see him involved and he's likely to be going at it with Petit Mouchoir from the front as the hares and they will surely succumb to the closers.

I felt Fusil Raffles might have a good season but he was less than impressive in the Elite Hurdle before a total bomb behind Epatante at Kempton. That leaves him with a lot to prove, although he is clearly a lot better than he showed last time. Epatante is way too short for me and the vaunted 7 lbs mares allowance sometimes seems overplayed to me. I think Pentland Hills is the Henderson horse to be on. He was pretty slow getting going last season and he surprised me when landing the Triumph Hurdle. He hasn't won this season but I feel he will get the race run to suit and he can pounce from a stronger pace than last time. In any other year I would be dubious but he remains unexposed and could just be cherry ripe for the one day. It would be hard to see him out of the first four places and he looks safe each-way but I'll just play win after losing my Klassical Dream ante-post bet. I reckon if Klassical Dream had improved 5 to 7 pounds this year he would have been a shoo-in but that's racing.

3.30 Cheltenham Pentland Hills 13/2 in an awful renewal.

 

Am a big fan of Imperial Aura

Think he will run a huge race in the Ultima [4.50] and Each Way @ 11-2 with 5 places looks a rock solid play

 

Fiddlerontheroof in the Supreme for me too, 7 places offer looks too good to turn down.

Maire Banreigh in the Arkle. She jumps for fun and I think she is versatile in running style. She seems to have been overlooked in the market and at double figures looks a fair bet.

The Conditional & Cobra De Mai in the Ultima - former was going very strongly in the Warwick race before not getting home and the latter is very well handicapped again and has caught the eye a couple of times this season

Espoir De Guye, could be a handicap blot. So impressive last time and I think the ground is going to suit this one perfectly. Probably the strongest selection on the card for me.

Lord Du Mesnil, similar to the Venetia horse, vastly improved and ground will suit very well. I can see him testing the jumping of the favourite and he is a tough horse to reel in if your jumping isn't slick and fast. Sam rides.

 

Day 1:
Supreme - Abacadabras for me. Form with Envoi Allen is solid, favourite looks a stayer and can't have Shishkin based of what he has done so far. Fiddlerontheroof to place.
Arkle - Notebook. Beautiful jumper, Fakir is 7lbs worse off. Rouge Vif e/w.
Ultima - 2 at bigger prices, Mulcahys Hill, good run in October beating Wholestone here. Burbank for the Henderson/Hemmings combo.
Champ Hurdle - Epatante
Mares - Back at 2m4f I fancy Honeysuckle to beat BDD.
Northern Trust - Hold the note for Mick Channon, won this 2 years ago with Mister Whitaker.
NH Chase - Looks a very poor renewal, his jumping would worry me but can't get away from Carefully Selected.

 

My contact at the forums favourite trainers barn has sent Shishkin but nothing about their CH runners or others.
They fancy Fakir in the Arkle.

 

1.30 - Abracadabras 11/2
3.30 - Coeur Sublime 14/1
4.50 - Galvin 11/2

Elliot/Russell combo for me on the opening day.
Singles and large e/w treble.

Good luck all.

 

Ultima 2.50 Activial ew @ 28/1. Lightly raced 10 year old with some decent festival form including a 6th place in this last year beaten around 7 lengths. Rated 6lb lower this time around. Good luck everyone.

 

Good luck tomorrow lads

 

Epatante is a class above in the Champion Hurdle and she gets 7 pounds, while its nowhere near as good a bet as the 5/1 at Christmas, 3/1 is fair enough given her class advantage. Silver Streak should place again.

 

Away from a certain meeting I also like...

3.45 Southwell-Global Melody

Each Way @ 11-2 [888 Sport]

 

Just don't forget to post them, i've been waiting all year for this!

 

He can turn a phrase, can Alastair



Meanwhile, time to look for horses with form underwater.

 

Keeping it real G1...

Good luck...

 

Best of luck me old muckers
Asterion Forlonge/FOTR Ew Hills offer
Fakir D win
Discorama/ Ceppage Ew
Darver Star/ Couer Sublime Ew
Bennie Win/ Elfile to nab place 33s
Galvin/ Hold the Note
Carefully Selected win

 

I think Nigel Twiston-Davies will have a good day with Conegry and The Hollow Ginge