Ferny Hollow v Bob Olinger today should be very informative for the novice races in march. Its a great weekend of racing
Galopin Des Champs has been talked up alot by Willie, hes in his 5 to follow. Runs in the 12.47 today.
Ferny Hollow wins by a length to Bob Olinger. Great start by both horses and you would suspect that Bob Olinger will be even better when stepped up in distance. They were miles clear of the rest of the field.
Anyone have any idea which race put the kettle on is going for? Do you think being the first horse to win the mares chase will sway them that way?
Yes, Envoi Allen was always going to be a Gold Cup horse, but he has everything and I'd be tempted to aim him straight at the Gold Cup this year. Having said that, I shouldn't oppose him in a Champion or Stayers Hurdle. He's certainly not lacking speed and always finds more. A fantastic animal all round.
I had written on the previous page that until one or two weeks before the start of the Festival I was not going to make any bets on handicaps, actually even if I wanted to I couldn't do it because I think WH is the only bookie that has odds for all or almost all, but I have seen something that I like. There is a handicap where almost all the bookies have odds, the Pertemps, and that's where I saw a bet that interested me. 2018 was, without a doubt, the best year for Mohaayed. Winning the 2018 County Hurdle Festival and then in December the Ascot Betfair Exchange Trophy which made his mark go up a lot. In both 2019 and 2020 he participated again in the County Hurdle where he was seventh and tenth respectively. His mark has become more realistic again and his trainer this season decided on a drastic change and from running the minimum distance he tested a significant up in trip to see if the horse could do it. So at the beginning of November he ran at Aintree in one of the qualifying races where he was second and therefore qualified. It seems that this race is the plan for this year and despite being one of the most complicated handicaps of the Festival (which it is not), and not at all one of the favourites, its odds catches my attention for a horse that has proven to run well at Cheltenham. Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle Mohaayed 33/1 e/w Ladbrokes (most other bookies 25/1)
Mohaayed runs tomorrow at Cheltenham (3m again, Class 2), currently second favourite, I hope he runs well but doesn't win.
"Tenderly ridden" That could turn out to be an inspired spot Pilgrim - hope they don't put him up much for that. He'd be mustard in the Pertemps final off a mark in the low 140s. I'm sure they are plotting him up for the race. Still 25/1 generally on Oddschecker.
I totally agree. 3rd. Very good race finishing very well. He definitely has the distance. Maybe 2lbs up? Still 33/1 with Lads.
One of the races without a clear favourite for March is The Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle. In fact, almost no horse has confirmed their participation. As far as I remember the only one who has done so far has been Make Good (16-25/1) after his great victory last Saturday in Cheltenham. There may even be horses we haven't seen yet who will end up here. Of those that have already run it might be good to take Holymacapony's side. Very easy winner (6l) of his only Point-to-Point (3m), his debut under rules was in November at Punchestown (2m 4f) where he also won very easily (8l) over the favourite, a W. Mullins horse. Holymacapony runs on Friday in a Grade 2 at Navan with very interesting horses, among others Fakiera and Eskylane (fifth in this year's Bumper Festival). It is a somewhat risky bet, firstly because we don't know if the horse has the level to run at the Festival and secondly because we don't know if he has the distance either and therefore the bubble may burst on Friday but if the horse wins his odds it will certainly not be the same as he has today. Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Holymacapony 16/1 e/w
I notice Energumene is 5/4 fav for the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Boxing day, a race Mullins won with the likes of Douvan, Min and Footpad. There has been a bit of talk about what race Energumene would be aimed at, for me the Arkle was a no brainer and this looks an indication that Mullins is in agreement, an impressive win would see him clear 2nd favourite for the Arkle so the 25/1 looks worth a go although im already on at bigger prices. I called Shishkin as a superstar before the Supreme and he will be hard to beat but he did just get outpaced a bit in the Supreme and I think he is slightly more vulnerable in the Arkle than Envoi Allen is in the Marsh, imo its a disgrace that these two arent taking each other on but thats jump racing. Id scrap the marsh chase and force the good horses to run against each other either at 2 miles or 3 miles.