Cheltenham ’21 – 6 months to go…

Pandemic permitting the 2021 Cheltenham Festival is due to start 6 months today. Given this momentous milestone now seems like the ideal, and I do mean ideal, time to ask the membership who do we think, right here, right now, will win the ‘big 4’ heats??? Plus, who is our top recommendation in one of the meetings other contests – you could choose ‘The Meghan Markle’, ‘The Sir Tony Blair’s’, the ‘Oliver Twist race’ (please, sir, I want some Bally More’), the Ryanair, the Pertemps (‘more plots than an Agatha Christie novel’ and all that. By the way, today is 130 years since the great Dame’s birth), as I’ve done the ‘card commencer’ or, in fact, any race you jolly well like.

Anyway, I’ll stop rambling and say these are my picks –

Champion Hurdle – Maries Rock

Champion Chase – Chacun Pour Soi

Stayers Hurdle – Champ

CGC – Santini

Other selection. Supreme Novices – Flinteur Sacre

In short I think Maries Rock will prove to be this terms Epatante. My regular readers know how much I adore Chacun Pour Soi and I believe he will make up for missing this year’s event with victory in the ’21 Champion Chase. I do doubt if Champ’s jumping will hold up, over the big ‘uns, at open championship level so can see him being redirected over hurdles at some point this season (incidentally had he run in last terms Stayers Hurdle I think he would have won, the event, by half the track). And I think Santini has the ability to go one better in the CGC this time around. There is though an asterisk added to Santini as there is a real ‘elephant in the room’ re him and Cheltenham and that is the Grand National (currently 25/1 joint 2nd fave). His owner loves a pound note (nothing wrong with that, just saying) and if there is a really big prizemoney differential (inflated because of the effects of the pandemic) between the 2 races I wouldn’t be totally amazed to see Santini target Aintree rather than Cheltenham. My ‘bonus’ addition is Flinteur Sacre in the meetings 1st contest. I’ve already detailed why in the excellent main Cheltenham thread but in brief I loved his bumper success, in February at Kempton Park, and can’t wait to see this one over hurdles.

Well, team, that is my picks. Care to add your own???

 

Arkle - Shishkin
Gold Cup - Santini
Mares - Honeysuckle

 

Only 6 months best I start saving, going next year for three of the day's.. hoping for four
then it's a trip to Malta with the wife on the Saturday for a week.
Day One
Mares - Honeysuckle
Arkle - Shiskin
Champion Hurdle- Goshan
National - Fury Road

 

Id rather back Shiskin than I would of fans being able to attend!

 

Yes, Duffle Coat looked potentially decent. 50/1 looks very big to me. May run again at the weekend by the way.

 

Prizemoney and crowds the 2 great unknowns at the min. Although I fear both could be hit big time.

 

Arkle - Shiskin
Champion Hurdle - Abracadabras

then you can spend the final three days with feet up and cigar lit.

Easysland for the XCountry and jobs a good un

 

If it dont happen Nass then so be it, I'll stay indoors and watch it, that is not a big problem and to be honest, I'm not getting into a debate about covid racing and what others thoughts are

 

I expect the festival to go ahead, facilitated by untrained and poorly equipped Covid Wardens, who will be charged with herding punters about in groups of six.

8.00pm curfew throughout the Cotswolds.