Ok folks, less than 7 weeks to the big one. This thread seperate for any tips, fancies, value ante-post bets etc. Looks like a cracking Champion Hurdle in prospect and a very open Gold Cup
Really looking forward to it this year. Had a bit of a sickener the other day when Pandorama was pulled out of Irish Hennessy as our syndicate (Themastersfault) is currently 13th in the Tote Ten To Follow Competition with a good chance of being 2nd going into Cheltenham if Pandorama had won on Sunday week. Still we should still be nicely placed going into Cheltenham. Bankers at the moment Big Zeb (Queen Mother) and Quevega (Mares Hurdle). Also I really like Chicago Vic In National Hunt Chase. Tranquil Sea in Ryanair and Time For Rupert of course in RSA. Will be interesting to see how he gets on at Cheltenham again this Saturday. He may end up in Gold Cup yet.
Have Hurricane Fly backed at 8/1 and 5/1 fir champion hurdle. Taking the Wednesday and Friday off. Had a great year last year with four 10/1 plus winners, Imperial Commander as well. Tempted to go but hard to beat watching it on the box.
ha ha, it's better in the flesh, trust me. I really can't understand why people are betting big on hurricane fly ante post. For starters, he hasn't made it to Cheltenham the past 2 years. And he hasn't met the Menorah's, Peddlar Crosses, Binoculars of this world yet either. Not proven up a big hill like Cheltenham either. He has a super cruising speed, and he is in with a chance, but i just don't want to see people getting carried away with him.
Time for Rupert would be my best fancy, in the RSA chase. Only horse to remind Big Bucks that he was in a race in last years world hurdle, and he has really taken to fences.
I really like Midnight Chase in a very open Gold Cup. He's really tough, he stays well, he's improving all the time and he loves Cheltenham. He's been laid out for it so at 20-1 I can see him running into at least a place
I have Hurricane Fly at 5/1 in champion hurdle Midnight Chase is really top horse I'l be doing that aswell and I haerd a fair bit about Time for Rupert so I'l see wat price he is in the RSA
If I had a choice of the 2 think I;d probably take Menorah over HF. Has ran well over the course and distance on a couple of occasions
midnight chase should be alot bigger than 20s in all fairness though its fair to say its an open gold cup. i dont tend to back ante post any more ive lost too much money in the past. 3 horses i like are finians rainbow,somersby if he goes in the ryanair and dare me
big time, i agree. I fully expect menorah to beat hurricane fly. Hobbs' best hurdler since Rooster Booster
Looking to get something booked this week. Thinking of going over Thursday morning and coming back on Saturday. Flights into Bristol not bad on Thursday morning, but mental back on Saturday. For anyone who has went over, where's the handiest place to fly into and best for reasonable accom?
There is a thread on boards.ie Gary with people giving advice on where to fly to and where to stay etc. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056131606
I going with Samain for the bumper it's a Willie Mullins horse it ran on sunday and won went in from 25's to 10's after the win on sunday
MY CHELTENHAM TEAM: PAUL NICHOLLS Denman He worked really nicely with Big Buck's yesterday. I wanted to announce the fact that he had had a wind op today but that got out of the bag last week. He had his soft palate cauterised, which is a minor operation. In England when we do breathing operations we do hobdaying and soft palate at the same time, but over in Ireland they just hobday them. He was hobdayed before he when ran as a three-year-old. I just felt that when he ran in the Hennessy and Gold Cup he was just fading in the last furlong and I said to Paul (Barber) that I was concerned about his breathing. We spoke to Jeff Lane, who had a look and he agreed so we had his palate done which might, and just might, bring out a few more pounds improvement in him. He made no noise at all working up the hill and so that's a positive thing. He ran a cracker at the weights in the Hennessey and we didn't want to run him again before Cheltenham. He looks great in his coat for this time of year, he looks very fit and enthusiastic. Obviously he's eleven now and he's not getting any younger but we're very happy with him. It's a really interesting race this year. We've got the three previous winners of the race up against some really exciting younger horses, but I still feel that the older horses are the ones to beat - Denman, Kauto Star and Imperial Commander. They're tough, professional horses who love the track and if they all get there in one piece then it's going to be a great race. Kauto Star He's a little bit more forward in his coat this year than some of the others and he looks great. I don't need to tell you what he's done - winning two Gold Cups and all those other races - but obviously he was a bit disappointing at Kempton. If he hadn't made a bad mistake then he would have been second, beaten Riverside Theatre who of course was impressive on Saturday. He's by no means a back number and Long Run just looked awesome round Kempton. When we came back from there he had a little trickle of blood in his bucket and a bit of a cold for a week, which is something he's never done before and some of our horses weren't right at the time. I think we can forgive him one iffy sort of run, which wasn't even that bad! I was watching RUK the other night and the Cheltenham highlights and it surprised me, watching it again, just how bad his fall in the Gold Cup was. He was lucky to survive and given that he's older now and has had a couple of falls, you might have thought it would put him off - but not at all. He's back in good shape - hopefully we can give him a racecourse gallop before long - and Clifford (Baker) is very happy with him. We're really looking forward to running him. Big Buck's He had a racecourse gallop with Denman - just to help chivvy him along a bit - and he's the sort of horse who needs plenty of work. He hasn't had a hard race for a while and the last thing I want to do is have him going into the race underdone. I'm very happy with how he looks right now and the way he's going - he's bang on target for the World Hurdle which of course he's won the last twice. Grands Crus looks very good opposition - but we learnt last year that no race is a two-horse race and there are plenty of good horses in the race who could run well - Willie Mullins has two good ones in Ireland. On form he's still the one they've all got to beat and I always thought that when Grands Crus won at Haydock that he'd be very interesting, but this lad at the last day at Newbury never came off the bridle under AP (McCoy) and you just don't know how good he could be. I've always thought that he might get himself beaten one day by being idle and me not doing enough with him at home because he does it all so easy. But it's fantastic that we've got some strong opposition and the way I look at it is if Grands Crus or something beats him then I can persuade Andy (Stewart) to go chasing with him next year, or if he wins again then we can stay hurdling. Grands Crus is obviously a very, very good horse but he'll have to be to beat Big Buck's. I'm very happy with him and I know Ruby (Walsh) can't wait to get back to ride him. Master Minded He did have an entry for the Ryanair but we scratched that - the only race we're interested in is the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Obviously last season was a bit of a damp squib and we had a few little problems with him - the rib and others. He was never at his best and at the end of last season we were at the top of the gallops and he was making a noise. So we had a breathing op and he's been a different horse. He tends to idle a bit when he's in front and at Ascot last time, although Somersby ran a lot better, I'd say he wasn't doing much in front. AP said he was in front far too soon and I don't think he was at his best - I'd trained him quite hard for the two races in the autumn and then I backed off him a bit so he probably wasn't as fit at Ascot last time. He needs to be very fit and very fresh to be at his best. We don't want him to peak in January- we need him to be at his best in March, so I've given him a nice little break and now we're starting to stoke the work into him. He looks really well and I think he's got an outstanding chance in the race - the faster they go the better he'll be with Ruby (Walsh) sitting quietly on him and he's still the one they've got to beat. I'm really looking forward to running him - he's full of confidence and back to where he was before. Woolcombe Folly He's one of the most improved horses in training. He actually had a minor setback which ruled him out of the Game Spirit - he'd coughed a couple of times and he scoped dirty. He had antibiotics so I couldn't run him last week but he's back in full training now. I never thought he'd improve enough to be such a short price for the Queen Mother Champion Chase but he won so well at Ascot and Cheltenham. He's only been beaten once over fences and if the ground comes up good then I'm very much looking forward to running him. Poquelin He's going to run in the Ryanair Chase and he worked very nicely in a racecourse gallop yesterday. He surprised me when he won with top-weight and it was a career-best - the New Course, on which the Ryanair is run, really seems to suit him and I think he's improved this year since he was second in the race last year. He had a great battle with Monet's Garden at Aintree and then obviously his win at Cheltenham last time. He loves to be fresh, and likes nice ground, so he'll head straight to the Festival. We're very happy with where he is at the moment. Neptune Collonges He ran a cracking race the other day when he made all the running. He's not getting any younger or quicker but the intention is to run him in the Gold Cup. By winning the other day he's gone up 8lbs which means he's top weight in the National which I suspect will be unlikely now. We had a little scare after Cheltenham when he pulled up after the line a little stiff - but he's back cantering now though and is in good shape. We might go Punchestown with him after Cheltenham. Aiteen Thirtythree He's a gorgeous horse - one of my favourites. He won his novice hurdle at Cheltenham, and his two novice chases this year and Phil Smith has him rated 159 - that's 8lbs higher than Denman before he ran in the SunAlliance and only 2lbs behind Time For Rupert. That makes him very interesting. He's a big scopey individual who jumps well and gallops all day. He was ordinary last year - a bit babyish- but the other day he was awesome. Both Noel (Fehily) and Nick (Scholfield) have got off him and said he's one of the nicest they've ever sat on. Paul (Barber) thinks that Cheltenham might come a year too early for him but he's coming round to the idea of running him in the RSA - certainly Andy Stewart who part owns him wants to run him. I'm starting to win the argument! If the ground's nice then he'll go there with a great chance. Time For Rupert is obviously very good but you can't be scared of one horse. Give him another summer and my horse could be a real Gold Cup contender. His target in the autumn will be the Hennessey. Ghizao He's vying for favouritism for the Arkle. A lovely big scopey horse who was always going to be better over fences than he was over hurdles. We had a few problems with his breathing last year and we couldn't work out whether he wanted a trip or not. However once we sorted out his breathing we knew we had a good horse. He was nowhere near ready when he was second at Cheltenham - I rushed him a bit. I knew he'd improve tons for that and he won very nicely at the Paddy Power meeting. We then gave 10lbs to Captain Chris at Newbury and beat him on ground that didn't suit - he doesn't want it really testing. He went very well yesterday in a racecourse gallop and he looks fab ahead of the Arkle. He's got loads of speed, loves the track and although he's flat-bred, he has the size and scope to keep on improving. Touch wood he jumps great and I think he's got an outstanding chance in the Arkle. I wouldn't swap him and Aiteen Thirtythree for anything. Al Ferof He's by the same sire as Neptune Collonges, Dom Alco, hence the nickname 'Baby Collonges'. He was second in last-year's bumper and he's won his last two hurdles well - at Taunton and then at Newbury. He's gaining experience all the time. I actually think he would have won at Cheltenham when he fell - he was still bowling along well in front - and then he ran too freely in the fog at Newbury. He doesn't want a slog in the mud - he's got plenty of speed. He's in both the Supreme Novices' and the Neptune Novices' but if the ground is good to soft then he'll probably run on the first day. He's in the mould of Noland - he's a staying two miler jumps very well. Brampour He's not the biggest and we bought him just as a hurdler - he's by Daylami and should like better ground. I'd left loads to work on before he was third on his debut where he was a tad free. He galloped on well when he won at Taunton last week and he'll improve again, especially when he gets better ground. He'll love a fast race and a true gallop which he'll get in the Triumph. He wouldn't want ground too soft and he'll keep on progressing - he'll get two and a half miles in time. Sam Winner He's the opposite to Brampour - strong and full of scope. He's a real chaser in the making - he'll go over fences in the autumn. He won well at Cheltenham, including with a penalty and his beating of Grandouet looks good form. I shouldn't have run him at Chepstow at Christmas - it's always a mistake to run a Triumph horse in the mud at that time of year and I was half-persuaded to run. The ground was deep and he didn't act in it. He's a horse who is a little bit thick in his wind and it was never going to suit him and I wish I hadn't run him. He's had a nice break since, he's fresh and well and working really nicely. He's another who will appreciate a fast-run race and is one who would like a little cut in the ground. He'll make a lovely chaser in time but he'd still be favourite for the Triumph if I hadn't run him at Chepstow and I think he'll run really well. Ruby (Walsh) always says forget January form when it comes to the Festival and we'll see a different horse there where he'll get much better ground. Pepe Simo He's done really well this year after frightening himself at Fontwell first time up over fences. We did loads of schooling with him and then he went to Sandown and won very nicely. He ran well behind Nicky Henderson's mare (Nadiya de la Vega) next time and I think the good ground in March will suit him. He'll run at Sandown on Friday and although he's in the Arkle, the race for him looks to be the Grand Annual. Over hurdles he showed that a fast run handicap suited him best and these small field chases don't really show him in his best light - something like the Grand Annual, with a big field and strong tempo, will really suit him. Fistral Beach He's got a couple of engagements - including the Racing Post Chase at Kempton on Saturday. He had a breathing op in the summer and had been finishing second too many times for my linking, over both hurdles and fences. The operation seems to have improved him enormously as he won really nicely at Wincanton. He was going to run in the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster which unfortunately was off - so the obvious race for him is the Racing Post Chase. He wouldn't want too much rain there, as whilst he loves soft ground, I just have my doubts about three miles in very testing ground. However the track will really suit him and he might head to one of the handicaps at Cheltenham where he'd have a leading chance. Join Together He runs in the Albert Bartlett on the Friday over three miles. He was a winning point-to-pointer in Ireland and ran a nice race first time out at Exeter where we probably didn't make enough use of him. Then he went to Cheltenham and David Cottin rode him - he couldn't speak a word of English and I speak no French - so we got the orders completely wrong! He was supposed to run in a graded race at Doncaster but it was off, so he went to Chepstow and he won by the best part of 25 lengths. He stays forever and with a more positive ride at Cheltenham I think he's got a good outside chance in the race. He's another who will make a lovely chaser next year. Paul Nicholls Festival Double: Master Minded (nap) and Big Buck's
ALAN KING: MY CHELTENHAM TEAM Dave Ord visited Alan King's Barbury Castle stables on Tuesday for the trainer's media day ahead of the 2011 Cheltenham Festival next month. Here King gives us the lowdown on his main hopes for big-race honours at Prestbury Park Medermit He hasn't done a whole lot since Sandown but he's due to do his first bit of work tomorrow. He's in good order and we'll be looking to build him up with a couple of schooling sessions shortly. He'll head straight to the Arkle Challenge Trophy - we've scrapped the Jewson entry - and I think he ticks a lot of the right boxes. He's got a high cruising speed, the strong gallop will suit him in the race and he's proven that he has the stamina to win it. His jumping seems to be progressing with each race as well. We're very excited about him and just hope that we can get him to Cheltenham in the same form as he was at Sandown. Mille Chief One or two people thought he had a hard race at Wincanton but I'd disagree. Yes, "Choc" had to get stuck into him, but it was only after the last hurdle. It's the first proper battle that he's had on the track but he's taken it very, very well, and I think the match practice will have done him lots of good. We're under no illusions with him - he still has a lot to find to become a realistic Champion Hurdle player - but we'll go down that route. He's yet to race on good ground but I can assure you that he'll be a much better horse when he gets it - he's a very good-actioned horse with lots of speed - and all the soft ground did the other day was blunt that asset. I think he's very good, he's progressive and I've had a lovely clear run with him all season, but I think that run will just put him spot on. We're delighted with him - his jumping's very slick as well which is another asset - and we can't wait to run him in the Champion Hurdle. Smad Place He was very impressive on his first start for me at Newbury, beating one of Paul Nicholls. He's not a horse that shows us an awful lot of home so he surprised me that day - he was very impressive. We had a few issues with him afterwards, he scoped dirty a couple of times and we had to a miss a couple of engagements, and although we got him to the Finale at Chepstow we had to nurse him there and he was far from 100%. He still ran a very good race and the form of that is working out very well. He was due to go to Cheltenham at the end of January but again he was wrong but he's pleased us in the last couple of weeks. He did everything asked of him at Wincanton - it wasn't a strong race but the first two drew miles clear of the rest. That didn't tell us anything we didn't know in terms of his ability but it confirmed his well-being and he's come out of the race fine. He'll head straight to the JCB Triumph Hurdle and whilst I'd be concerned if the ground came up quick by the Friday, he is such a strong-travelling and straightforward horse that I'd be confident of a good run. Bensalem Ran well on Saturday at Haydock in atrocious ground. He probably got there too soon as he's a horse who only really has one finishing run. We ended up getting dragged into a real slog which wouldn't have suited but it was still a good run. He was a very sick horse in the autumn and he's done well to get back on the track. It (the Haydock run) has made our decision a bit easier and he definitely won't go for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle now - he's in the Festival Chase and the Byrne Group handicap - if it came up testing ground I'd certainly be happy to run him over two miles five furlongs. He was travelling very well when coming down two out last year, and is off the same mark. He hasn't seen a fence this year but we'll do lots of schooling with him and give him a gallop on the point-to-point-course in about 10 days' time. I think he retains all of his ability and I do think you'll see the proper Bensalem at Cheltenham. Salden Licht He was brought down in the totesport Trophy at Newbury when just getting into the race - he was staying on very well. I think he would have been very close to them on Friday as one thing he does do is stay. It was a very rough race even though the field was smaller than the original entry - it got very rough leaving the back stretch and turning in and he was one of the worst sufferers. He suffered a few little cuts but nothing more than that. He's still got an entry in the Champion Hurdle but I think that's unlikely and he'll probably run in the County Hurdle .Obviously off his mark of 158 he'll be right up the top of the handicap, which will be tough, but there's not a lot else for him at the moment. Walkon He disappointed us at Newbury but I think it was just the "bounce factor" - he looked in trouble around halfway. He's come out of the race wonderfully well and whilst he's not certain to head to Cheltenham, he does have entries in the County Hurdle and Coral Cup. It's just possible that he does need two-and-a-half miles these days - the Ascot run was 2m3f - and he wouldn't be the first Triumph horse to need a step up in trip. If we think Cheltenham will come too soon then we'll skip it and head to Aintree - but I just felt that he deserved the entries. He's come out of the race bouncing and I still believe that he's a very good horse. Sir Harry Ormesher He hasn't been out for some time - he had a little setback before Christmas but he's absolutely fine now, in very good form. He has two options - the Coral Cup and the Pertemps handicap hurdle. I'm not sure which way we'll go yet. Ideally he'd want good ground - if it did come up soft then we'd probably skip Cheltenham. He ran very well in the Coral Cup last season - he came from a long way back. He's a talented horse, it won't be a problem if he went there fresh, and I might even put some ear-plugs in with him. Kumbeshwar He won at Sandown on his hurdling debut. He was a very tough horse on the flat, winning three times in 10 days for David Evans before we bought him. He ran a blinder to finish third in the Victor Ludorum, which I think was a very strong juvenile race. The handicapper has given him a mark of 133 this morning and if he's going to run in the Fred Winter then he'll have to run again this weekend in order to qualify so I've given him an entry at Kempton. He seems fine at the minute - we haven't done much with him yet - but he's pretty tough so there's every likelihood that he'll run. He does have an entry in the Triumph and if he ran exceptionally well at Kempton then we do have that option. We might put a pair of blinkers on him just to sharpen him up, as he did wear a visor on the flat. Habbie Simpson An impressive novice - winning his first two at Wetherby and Warwick. He's bumped into Bobs Worth on his last two starts, finishing third on both occasions. I was hoping that Bobs Worth was going to run in the Neptune Novices' Hurdle and that we'd go for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle but the vibes from Mr Henderson's camp is that he's going to step up in trip. He'd be tough to beat but our horse deserves to take his chance and he'll go there fresh and well. He doesn't seem to mind the ground, and whilst he's likely to run well, I'd be worried that he'll find one or two too good. The Betchworth Kid This little lad's been called all sorts of names - enigmatic is a polite one! He was placed in lots of the big handicaps on the Flat and ran a blinder in the totesport Trophy at Newbury, beaten under a length-and-a-half into fourth. He holds entries in both the County Hurdle and Coral Cup - it's debatable which would suit him best but in my opinion a strongly-run race over two miles is probably what he wants. He's come out of Newbury very well and one of these days he'll win a big handicap - but trying to predict which one is hard to say! Oh Crick A previous Festival winner, he's just been coming gradually back to form - he always takes a couple of runs in the autumn just to come to himself. I was very happy with him at Sandown the other day where he finished third and I haven't run him again as a I want to protect his handicap mark. He's only 2lbs higher than when he won the Red Rum Handicap Chase at Aintree and I think he could run very well in the Grand Annual. Spring ground really suits him and I certainly think he retains all of his ability. He didn't win last year because he wasn't quite good enough to take on the best at level weights - he was fifth in the Queen Mother though. We're just stepping his work up again and he's in very good form. Blazing Bailey We nearly retired him on several occasions. We haven't done anything different with him this year but he just seems to have come back to himself and he's not far off his very best. He won at the Cheltenham meeting and then at Ffos Las and he's in the Festival handicap. He'd need soft ground if he's to take up that engagement. He's creeping back up in the weights - into the mid 150's - but it's just been a delight for everyone at the yard to see him back to his best. Jetnova I had said at Wincanton on Saturday that we'd probably skip Cheltenham but I've left him in the Albert Bartlett and put him in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' handicap this morning. He's been raised 8lbs to 136 having won three this year. His only disappointing run was at Warwick on heavy ground - he's by Luso and they tend to like good ground - and "Choc" (Robert Thornton, jockey) said that he was hating the going and won despite the ground on Saturday. On decent ground he could run very well and I might let him take his chance - I haven't decided which race yet though. But he's an interesting horse and he certainly shouldn't be underestimated. Shalone Another horse coming back from injury, like Walkon, and he ran in the same race at Ascot a month ago. I wouldn't say he "bounced" when he ran on Saturday but he probably wasn't quite at his best. That run should put him spot on. He holds entries in the Coral Cup and Martin Pipe handicap and if he pleases us then he'll head for one of those. He seems to have taken the run particularly well. Call Me A Legend She disappointed at Sandown the other day - she found two miles on good ground way too quick for her. We've decided to skip the Grand Annual and she'll have an entry in the Byrne Group handicap over 2m5f instead. She won very well at Warwick the time before last, has only had five runs over fences, and Cheltenham would almost certainly be her last run before she heads off the paddocks. She's on a mark of 133 and the step up in trip will suit her well. Ravethebrave He will head to the Centenary Novices' handicap and if he gets in he'll be on a mark of 128 which would probably be touch and go. He won well earlier in the season, before unfortunately falling at the first at Cheltenham. He put that run behind him with a second at Kempton the other day - that was over three miles and he just didn't see it out all the way - he looks a real 2m6f horse to me. I hope he sneaks into the race as he's quite capable of running a big race - he's been placed around Cheltenham before. Dhaaffer He's in the Fred Winter - again though his mark of 119 is borderline as to whether he'll get in. So I'm going to run him at Warwick on Friday wherehopefully he'll run well and get raised a few pounds. He won at Warwick on his previous start and he's a straightforward horse. He was with William Haggas on the Flat, has progressed well over hurdles and he stays very well. He won't wear blinkers on Friday but might wear them in the Fred Winter just to sharpen him up a little bit and if he got in the race then he'd be at the right end of the weights and he'd run okay. Pantxoa He'll have an entry in the Fred Winter and he was unlucky to bump into a proper horse of Mr Henderson's - A Media Luz - at Sandown the other day. Trying to give her 10lbs was impossible but he ran well enough. He's not certain to run but we'll have a look at the race. He's won twice but he's a very highly-strung horse - we ran him in earplugs at Huntingdon and he was much better, much more relaxed. He's certain to get into the race off a mark of 129 and if he works well before the Festival then he'll probably run. Bygones In Brid He ran in the bumper at Newbury, finishing second to Ericht who I know Nicky Henderson thinks very highly of. He won his bumper at Musselburgh when trained by Karen McLintock and we then bought him at the Hennessy meeting, at the sales that evening. My big worry at Newbury was whether he would settle but he switched off very well and came through to challenge. He was still a little green there but I think it was very strong bumper form and we'll see how he trains - but if he pleases us then there's every chance he'll run in the Champion Bumper.
I see Starluck won first time over fences today. PP have cut him to 8s for the Arkle, Can still be matched on betfair at 19.0 though