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MOM's racing preview - Cheltenham Festival 2019 - Day 2

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  • MOM's racing preview - Cheltenham Festival 2019 - Day 2

    Day one has been and gone. It started with a winner at 6/1 SP in Klassical Dream. Asides from a small win on A Plus Tard backed before the race because of the franked form with Duc De Geneivres, there was to be no more wins. Benie cost me a fair chunk. She was clear, she was cruising and then she fell. At the last hurdle too. Knocks like that are hard to swallow. However, it’s a marathon and not a sprint. Three more days of punting with arguably my best antepost bet running on day 2 - £15 each way on a 9/4 shot at 16/1. I also met one of my favourite people in racing which was great. It isn’t always about the betting. Cheltenham is a spectacle with many twist and turns but it will always be the greatest place on earth. As a betting day, this looks a very good day for punter

    1:30 – Ballymore Novices Hurdle
    I have taken a two pronged approach to the day 2 opener by Dutching the front two in the market. This means to have equal stakes on two horses and often the front two in the market if both look overpriced. For me, this is a good race. But the front two are very very good in my opinion and both look bigger than I would’ve expected. BATTLEOVERDOYEN (4/1) will absolutely love this soft ground and is unbeaten for Gigginstown who know how to get a good one ready for this. The unbeaten six year old won a key Irish trial for this and that Grade 1 form looks solid. With improvement likely on ground he should relish, he must go very close. He can confirm the form with Sam’s Profile who bids for Grade 1 glory for Mouse Morris. He stays all day and if it’s a fast gallop as expected, he could be a lively each way bet himself with the stiff finish likely to suit. Brewinupastorm had Birchdale under pressure at Cheltenham which bodes well but coming straight to the Festival on the back of a fall is a major negative and I couldn’t have him on the back of that. Jarvey’s Plate looked excellent on New Year’s Day but disappointed in the same race Brewinupastorm fell in whilst Galvin is unbeaten over hurdles but this is much harder. The ground may be a bit on the slow side for Easy game but he’s got talent undoubtedly. The second selection to go with Ireland’s apparent best is the leading UK hope for this – CHAMP (7/2). Nicky Henderson’s charge was a decent winner for me on his handicap debut earlier this season before winning a poor renewal of the Challow Hurdle. Whilst he would need to improve to beat the best that Ireland have to offer, he has looked like a horse with plenty of improvement in him when he settles and has a decent pace to aim at. He does look like a classy horse as he has won twice this season when pulling early on in his races. The horse was chosen after three years of waiting for one to be named after Sir AP McCoy so it shows the regard they have for him at home and he could be the answer to this fascinating renewal of one of my favourite races of the season.
    1 – Battleoverdoyen 4/1
    2 – Champ – 7/2
    3 – Sam’s Profile 11/1

    2:10 – RSA Chase
    I can’t help but think I’ve got myself in a great position for this race. I have the 9/4 favourite at 16/1 (£15 each way) to win any race at the Festival and then covered myself with £20 on Santini at 10/1. I’ll be disappointed if neither of them can win with Topofthegame the danger. He was second in the Coral Cup last year and has built on that over fences. His debut second behind Defi De Seuill was remarkable after losing 20 lengths at the start. To get as close to the JLT favourite as he did was a superb performance. He built on that at Kempton on Boxing Day when ahead of Santini after travelling powerfully only to be outbattled by La Bague Au Roi. The worry for him would be that there’s a real chance he will fail to stay this trip on soft ground. Santini bakers will hope he can reverse the Kempton form and this stiffer track will suit. However, his prep has been nothing short of awful for this after missing his planned Reynoldstown engagement due to needing his equine flu jab. Additionally, he lost a shoe last week when having a racecourse gallop and was touch and go whether he’d make it to this. Until then, he was remarkably the bookies favourite based on the hype ahead of DELTA WORK (NAP at 9/4) who has been superb this season. He won the Pertemps over hurdles last year at this meeting before beaten a neck in a Grade 1 at Punchestown. He’s progressed into a fantastic chaser this season and could go into single figures with a big run here for the 2020 Gold Cup which will be the long-term target. He has gears; he handles soft ground; he stays this trip and is a very good jumper. It’s a very good race but I could see him going off 6/4 here and looking imperious coming up the famous hill to victory. On The Blind Side is arguably the best of the rest outside of the big three, although the ground has probably gone for him. Mortal is held on form by Delta Work whilst Mister Malarky has the beating of Now Mcginty and Top Vile Ben based on the prep race Santini was forced to miss at Ascot.
    1 – Delta Work 9/4
    2 – Santini 3/1
    3 – Topofthegame 7/2

    2:50 - Coral Cup
    The price may have gone on URADEL (5/1 E/W) here but the well-punted favourite sneaks in off 10st 10lb and is impossible to ignore. I don’t like punting short priced horses in races such as this but he looks an obvious plot for the race for the connections who won the race last year (Bleu Berry comes back here for this again) after finishing strongly over a shorter trip at the Dublin Festival last time. He may just be too well handicapped to ignore so I’ve played him each way at 5/1 with Coral paying 7 places. I have an antepost ticket at 16/1 for CRACKING SMART (10/1 E/W) for any race from months back, expecting to see him lining up in either the RSA chase or the Stayers Hurdle. To see him line up for his handicap debut, he just has to be backed again here. He has some very good hurdles form as a novice and 11st 9lb is fair for a horse who I believe is Grade 1 quality. He clearly needed the run at Christmas when tailed off after injury but looked much better over this trip last time in a Grade 2 behind Tiger Roll and he would be my strongest fancy for this. Brio Conti leads the UK charge and is improving but this is tougher whilst horses like Wicklow Brave, Killutagh Vic and Apples Shakira have some top class form but have lost their way and a chance could need to be taken to fancy any of those to bounce back to their best. Wicklow Brave does know how to go well after an absence when carrying top weight so he’d be the one of those three for me. The same could have been said for Vision Des Flos but he bounced back at Fontwell last time – deservedly getting his moment in the sun with Grade 2 success. LIL ROCKERFELLA (33/1 E/W) is a crowd favourite who is still only 8 despite seemingly being around for many years and 40/1 is an insulting price for a small each way play. If he bowls along up front as he so often likes, he is a very nice price to make the top 7 here as a lively each way angle.

    3:30 – Champion Chase
    On a day for favourites, jump racing’s biggest star ALTIOR (4/9) will be at the centre of many multiples across the country. He bids for his fourth straight Festival victory and his 18th consecutive win in that time. He’s unbeaten over obstacles and cannot be taken on. I did look for each way value but at three places, even that looks depleted here so, asides from some antepost multiples, it’s a race to saviour as we watch a superstar doing what he does best. These great horses won’t be around for ever and sometimes we ought to just enjoy them whilst we can. He’s been so dominant in this division that he doesn’t get the mentions he deserves – somewhat a victim of his own success in that regard. It would be a major shock if Min doesn’t come in for the forecast. He’s very good himself and would be a Champion Chaser and Supreme winner but for Altior existing and he will likely follow his rival home again as runner-up. The ground has gone for Sceau Royal as an each way proposition whilst this race was an afterthought for Politologue. Gods Own is very consistent and is probably the one for third. Saint Calvados has patches of high class form but he’s racing for third realistically here.
    1 – Altior 4/9
    2 – Min 4/1
    3 – Gods Own 40/1

    4:10 – Cross Country Chase
    The trend for short priced winner’s here will continue with Grand National hero TIGER ROLL (11/8) retaining his Cross Country crown. He won last year when using this as a stepping stone to Aintree whereas this year the Cheltenham race ‘is his Gold Cup’ according to his trainer. He ran a good race over course and distance here when the race was run in handicap form earlier this season (behind act of the Matter) but, off level weights, will win here if replicating last year’s performance or his impressive Grade 2 success last month. This race has been a long-term plan or he would be going to the Stayers Hurdle where he’d have the class to be competitive in that Championship event. Auvergnat is a regular here who knows how to win which is the same case for Josies Orders. Ultragold is an Aintree National course specialist but is an interesting recruit into these ranks nonetheless. Urgent De Gregaine has been out of form this seaso but was second in this last year.
    1 – Tiger Roll 11/8
    2 – Josies Order 9/1
    3 – Auvergnat 8/1

    4:50 – Boodles Handicap Hurdle
    The Fred Winter, now formerly the Boodles Handicap Hurdle, is finally a race where I want to take on the favourite - Band Of Outlaws. He looks talented and could be well ahead of the handicapper (similar to A Plus Tard yesterday) but this is a very competitive betting heat and based on one impressive run, 5/1 is very short for a race of this nature. I’ll still have a small saver bet on him at that price though in case he really is as good as the recent hype for a horse seen as a Triumph contender rather than a handicapper. The way he won last time on heavy ground was very impressive to be fair. LETHAL STEPS (15/2 E/W) is a previous flat horse and I have a ticket at 20/1 each way for him from January for this so I hope he goes very well. He comes into this with strong flat form and has cheekpieces fitted for this which was when he’d run his best races on the flat. The fact they have saved them for this hints that this has always been the plan for him to peak here. Could this be a bit of a plot I have uncovered? This is the exact race for a Festival plot and I would love to see some money come in for him and his price start tumbling. For similar reasons, I have had a small bet on PRAECEPS (28/1 E/W) as well. He will cope with the slow ground and stiffer finish and in a race full of uncertainties, is a stayer who could run above his odds and into the places.
    1 – Lethal Steps 15/2
    2 – Band Of Outlaws 5/1
    3 – Praeceps 28/1

    5:30 – Champion Bumper
    I dare anyone to watch BLUE SARI (3/1) destroy a decent bumper field on his debut for Willie Mullins and not be visually impressed. The way he finished and the way he powered away from that field really impressed me and I took 5/1. He set a good figure on the time figures apparently too and was quickly snapped up for a massive six-figure fee by JP McManus with this race the immediate target. The money for him could be significant and is Mullins’ only runner in a race he has a good record in. Whilst Envoi Allen has clearly got better form with his three bumper wins this season (plus a point to point win before being sold for £400,000), I have to bet my gut feeling here from that stunning performance at Gowran and for me, Blue Sari looked special. The only major negative would be that the trends suggest winning this as a four year old is very tough. Meticulous was slightly unfortunate when behind Envoi Allen at the Dublin Festival last time and the likely quicker tempo is expected to suit him better here. Master Debonair won a listed bumper at the track which is valuable experience in a race as tough as this whilst ASK FOR GLORY (8/1 E/W) looked very good on British debut when scoring by 13 lengths and had been bought for a whopping £280,000 prior to that. He would be a lot shorter but the form hasn’t work out at all well. However, he couldn’t have won any more impressively and the lack of substance to that Chepstow win has meant his price is very fair. He must go well and is a very fair price each way. As an each way bet, at 8/1 for four places with Bet Victor, I make it one of the better each way bets of the week. Sempo is another who could outrun his odds with Derek O’Connor on board.
    1 – Blue Sari 3/1
    2 – Ask For Glory 8/1
    3 – Sempo 12/1

    Day 2 bets:
    1:30 – Battleoverdoyen (4/1) & Champ (7/2)
    2:10 – Delta Work (NAP) (antepost any race 16/1) & Santini (antepost 10/1)
    2:50 – Uradel (5/1 E/W), Cracking Smart (antepost any race 16/1) & Lil Rockerfella (33/1 E/W)
    3:30 – Altior (4/9 – multiples only)
    4:10 – Tiger Roll (11/8)
    4:50 – Lethal Steps (20/1 antepost & 15/2 E/W) & Praeceps (28/1 E/W)
    5:30 – Blue Sari (antepost 5/1 & 3/1) & Ask For Glory (8/1 E/W)
    Last edited by Middle_Of_March; 13 March 2019, 07:45 AM.

  • #2
    Good post M.o.M , I have mostly the same horses as you , except , i have Meticulous in the Bumper,
    Brio conte and Canardier in the coral , and haven't done lethal steps ,
    But thinking of adding it in a multi today, Long story short - Top of the game winning ,.
    Would make up for yesterday's upset's ,

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    • #3
      Great post MOM. I really really hope you have good day!

      Comment


      • #4
        Yeah. Top post and good luck for today.

        BDD falling had a silver lining for me as I was on Roksana.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Thomas Shelby View Post
          Yeah. Top post and good luck for today.

          BDD falling had a silver lining for me as I was on Roksana.
          So was I. Not many cheering round me when she went in.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by charlie View Post
            So was I. Not many cheering round me when she went in.
            Me and my mate were about half a furlong from the line when she fell. Stunned silence everywhere. Gutting.

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            • #7
              Best of luck today MOM

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              • #8
                Good write up MOM, hopefully you have a good day

                Comment


                • #9
                  Cheers all. Glad the previews have gone down ok.

                  I posted these previews on here for the first time last year after starting them years ago when I was 15/16 on the Ipswich Town football forum. I still post them on their 5 years later.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Thanks MoM. Good stuff and appreciated. Imagine it helps to clarify your own thoughts writing out in detail

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Middle_Of_March View Post
                      Me and my mate were about half a furlong from the line when she fell. Stunned silence everywhere. Gutting.
                      It was the same when Annie Power hit the deck. Cost me a yankee that day.
                      Last edited by Thomas Shelby; 13 March 2019, 08:15 AM.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Middle_Of_March View Post
                        Me and my mate were about half a furlong from the line when she fell. Stunned silence everywhere. Gutting.
                        Bookies were loving it the bastards. People were proper chasing it yesterday. Saw loads of 500 and 1000 bets in the ring on BDD

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by bobbyvalentino View Post
                          Thanks MoM. Good stuff and appreciated. Imagine it helps to clarify your own thoughts writing out in detail
                          That’s exactly it. It’s like a final summary for myself having to write it out and look through the races one last time.

                          Each preview takes approximately 4 hours. Because I’m usually double checking form etc. It helps me as much as non-racing fans who just want a few tips for the big meetings. So I do it for Cheltenham, Ascot and Epsom.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by charlie View Post
                            Bookies were loving it the bastards. People were proper chasing it yesterday. Saw loads of 500 and 1000 bets in the ring on BDD
                            Discorama was very well backed on course too. I have a feeling that partly came from people chasing.


                            Today looks a card full of punter friendly results.

                            - Champ v Battleoverdoyen in the Ballymore
                            - Delta v Santini v topofthegame in the rsa
                            - tough handicap but a well backed antepost favourite with a strong chance
                            - odds on shot in Altior who surely wins.
                            - short priced favourite in tiger Roll
                            - two antepost favourites both making the race in the Fred winter
                            - blue Sari v envoi Allen v ask for glory



                            Think it’s a very very nice betting card and I can’t wait to get there for day 2 in about 4 hours

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Middle_Of_March View Post
                              Discorama was very well backed on course too. I have a feeling that partly came from people chasing.


                              Today looks a card full of punter friendly results.

                              - Champ v Battleoverdoyen in the Ballymore
                              - Delta v Santini v topofthegame in the rsa
                              - tough handicap but a well backed antepost favourite with a strong chance
                              - odds on shot in Altior who surely wins.
                              - short priced favourite in tiger Roll
                              - two antepost favourites both making the race in the Fred winter
                              - blue Sari v envoi Allen v ask for glory

                              Think it’s a very very nice betting card and I can’t wait to get there for day 2 in about 4 hours
                              Yeh you would expect today for a swing back to some market favs landing

                              Comment

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