Cheltenham Festival Previews 2017

[Can't Catch Me]

Agreed. I really enjoyed it, especially when they were giving Dave Yates stick about CP.

Kevin Blake brings a lot to these previews and I could listen to him talk about racing all day - which is just as well because some of the FFP nearly last all bloody day

Couldn't agree more FM. Thought Blake was excellent, and I too, could listen to him all night. Thought the confidence behind The Storyteller was ominous. Gutted Ive missed the boat, but too short now. Wouldn't be surprised if he's bigger on the day.

[jack1092]

Couldn't agree more FM. Thought Blake was excellent, and I too, could listen to him all night. Thought the confidence behind The Storyteller was ominous. Gutted Ive missed the boat, but too short now. Wouldn't be surprised if he's bigger on the day.

I would be very surprised if he's bigger on the day!use his runner last year as a guide i would think....

[JackieMoon33]

I would not be too worried if anyone has missed the boat on these preview night tips. If you look back at previous years you'll find the majority of these hot pots don't win anyway. Stay strong to your own views and analysis and try not to get too sucked in. The preview nights can be entertaining but if I'm putting money down, I always want to justify my bet to myself through proper analysis rather than a preview night 'tip'. Everyone on this forum is knowledgeable enough to be able to make selections independently so trust yourself. From what I have read, Gordon Elliott will be setting a new record of winning every handicap this year! I know he has the arsenal Nd is one of the best trainers at present, but he can't win them all as I bet every other trainer is talking up horses in their yards for the same races.

[Can't Catch Me]

Haha. Wise words Jackie.

[JackieMoon33]

The preview nights just benefit the bookies and enable them to cut a new batch of horses based on the panel tips. The horses that get put up will have genuine chances but they will now be over bet and the price does not reflect the actual chance anymore.

[Can't Catch Me]

I always look back on my Preview notes after the Festival and its amazing how few winners they actually tip. And invariably the handicap blots that were backed on the day barely got a mention.

So when you hear Davy talking one down, Im more inclined to listen, than when he talks one up.

Henderson was apparently quite negative about Hargam yesterday... probably a positive!

[kinloch brae]

Any thoughts if Ball D'Arc will run anywhere - GE said he had nothing for Johnny Henderson.

I would have expected Ball D'Arc to have a leading chance in the Grand Annual but I think they have mentioned saving him for Fairyhouse.

[Istabraq]

Just the five previews tonight, are any being streamed ?
(Chepstow, Walkabout London, Waterford, Cirencester and N Yorkshire)

[mayo]

Just the five previews tonight, are any being streamed ?
(Chepstow, Walkabout London, Waterford, Cirencester and N Yorkshire)

Waterford usually has a good twitter feed and video after.

Betbright the same. Thought you would be off to hang on Rich's every word Ista

[Istabraq]

Thought you would be off to hang on Rich's every word Ista

Probably for the best that he and I are never in the same room together....

[jono]

Probably for the best that he and I are never in the same room together....

Constantly refreshing the twitter feed it is by the sounds of it tonight then

[jono]

I would not be too worried if anyone has missed the boat on these preview night tips. If you look back at previous years you'll find the majority of these hot pots don't win anyway. Stay strong to your own views and analysis and try not to get too sucked in. The preview nights can be entertaining but if I'm putting money down, I always want to justify my bet to myself through proper analysis rather than a preview night 'tip'. Everyone on this forum is knowledgeable enough to be able to make selections independently so trust yourself. From what I have read, Gordon Elliott will be setting a new record of winning every handicap this year! I know he has the arsenal Nd is one of the best trainers at present, but he can't win them all as I bet every other trainer is talking up horses in their yards for the same races.

Very good post this Jackie

[Old Vic]

Might be something on these

https://twitter.com/StarSports_Bet Lambourn

jerry mcgrath prefers his boss whisper to might bite in the rsa and charli parcs looks set for the triumph after saturdays mishap at Kempton

[Old Vic]

Betbright

Paul Kealy - PK Joe Tizzard - JT Noel Hayes - NH Rich Ricci - RR Nick Luck - NL

Supreme Hurdle:
Rich Ricci not impressed by form of Melon. Says his best novice hurdler is Let's Dance.
NH on Melon (Supreme): "He would be five times the price if he wasn't trained by Willie Mullins. I'd take Bunk Off Early all day."
JT on Finian's Oscar: "He's probably the nicest novice we've had coming through. Neon Wolf is a big threat though."

Mares Hurlde: Rich Ricci "I really fancy Vroum Vroum Mag"
Mares novices hurdle: Ricci - if Let's Dance runs, she wins!

Albert Bartlett:
Joe Tizzard confirms West Approach will run


Paul Kealy: "Peace And Co is stupidly low (we'll handicapped). A mark of 140. He settled in that racecourse gallop. Got to have a chance."

JLT Novices' Chase: Ricci - Yorkhill wouldn't be out of place in the Champion Hurdle, one of the bets of the week!

On #Yorkhill. If there were no rails he would be on x country course at half way. @PaulKealyRP in form. #betbrightpreview

Wherever Champers On Ice goes he's worth a bet..... @PaulKealyRP and then on Genie On Abottle - he's a negative
#betbrightpreview

On Alpha Des Obeaux @JoeTizzard says the bleed is no issue. Rich Ricci is a Might Bite fan against the panel for the #RSA #betbrightpreview

For the Browne Advisory @JoeTizzard has just napped Sizing Codelco for the week #CheltenhamFestival #betbrightpreview


Champion Hurdle:

Ricci on Limini - entitled to run the race but but we want a legitimate chance to win

Rich Ricci on Vroum Vroum Mag: "On the day we supplemented Annie Power last year Willie said I think we're supplementing the wrong horse."

There is still potential she could go for the Champion Hurdle." That sent a shockwave through the crowd!

Just a chance. Not likely.

Ricci on Ruby Walsh: I would have him over anyone going to the last

[Grade1]

From earlier in the week

DAVY RUSSELL is to Cheltenham preview nights what greasy sausages are to a fry-up.

You can have one without him, but it will always feel like the best part is missing. He’s here and he looks fairly fresh. He was at Ffos Las only a few hours ago. Five rides. No winner. No matter.
“Just to warn you about Jack [Kennedy],” he’s off already. “Jack is from Kerry and he . . . taaaaaalks . . . very . . . very . . . very . . . slowwwww-ly. It . . . will . . . take . . . him . . . ages . . . to . . . get . . . out . . . every . . . word.”
Impression number one nailed. He’s right too. Kennedy talks about as quickly as Quixall Crossett used to run.

Russell does a good Roy Keane too, not the biggest surprise given they are both from Cork.
When a mobile phone goes off near the front, he pounces. “Whose phone is that? Whose phone is that? Why don’t you turn it off? Or put it on silent? Have a bit of manners.”

He soon puts manners on Paddy Power’s Rob Catterson too. “How could Melon be your biggest loser? Surely you only took fivers and tenners at the big prices.”

Russell has some advice for Nigel Twiston-Davies too. “They would be off their heads not to run Ballyandy in the Coral Cup with just 10st 13lb.”

This is a night for big, sweeping statements. If you haven’t got a strong opinion that is exaggerated more than a Premier League dive then don’t bother picking up the microphone at all.

That style suits Mark Winstanley as The Couch loves nothing more than a good, old analogy.
From the Tolworth form having more holes in it than St Andrews to Unowhatimeanharry being the biggest certainty since Ben Hur got into the chariot, they just keep on coming. He is even willing to take a bullet if Neon Wolf doesn’t win the Neptune and agrees to start supporting Man United if Petit Mouchoir wins the Champion Hurdle. He has also found the one to complete the tricast in the Racing Post Arkle. “Altior wins by miles, Royal Caviar will be second and the ambulance will come home third.”

Time for a quick straw poll. “Hands up who thinks Douvan would beat Altior if they met?” asks Russell. Almost all of the 200 or so crowd promptly pop their paws in the air. And who’d back Altior? One hand rises. We Irish are very patriotic.

Kennedy thinks Petit Mouchoir will win the Champion Hurdle. Russell thinks he might but wouldn’t put anyone off Yanworth. Brian Flanagan believes Ireland is sending the B team over for it. All agree it is a “very ordinary” renewal.

Andrew McNamara shares a story with the crowd about the day he interviewed Djakadam’s groom live on RTE and only realised after he asked the first question that he didn’t speak a word of English. “Where was he from, Kerry?” replies Russell to roaring laughter from the floor.

The Couch would not back Might Bite with counterfeit in the RSA. Russell, in one of his more serious moments, talks up Whisper, saying: “He is a lovely horse and I am absolutely mad about him.” Brian Flanagan would fancy Coney Island if he turned up here, but has spotted something in the National Hunt Chase. Arbre De Vie (33-1) is the name and we even give Joe Chambers, Rich Ricci’s racing manager, an impromptu call on loudspeaker. “He’s slow and wants extreme distances,” says Chambers. Luckily it’s over four miles.

Yorkhill divides opinion. McNamara labels him big and thick. Russell says he is “his own worst enemy”. Catterson naps him at the end of the night. Make your own mind up.

None of the panel is contemplating defeat for Unowhatimeanharry. “He is as far ahead of these as Douvan is in the Queen Mother,” says McNamara. Death Duty is another who earns unanimous backing from the panel with Kennedy seeing nothing that could live with him.

Mega Fortune is one of Russell’s best rides of the week in the Triumph. “The softer the ground, the better his chance,” he reveals.
Finally, we make it to the Gold Cup. Cue Card is 11 and shouldn’t bother showing up. Outlander might not be good enough claims Kennedy. Russell is not convinced by Native River’s form despite all his winning, but The Couch thinks he is “bombproof”.
Confused? Me too.

THE PANEL’S PICKS

Davy Russell
Unowhatimeanharry (Sun Bets Stayers’ Hurdle)

Jack Kennedy
Death Duty (Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle)

Mark Winstanley
Beware The Bear (National Hunt Chase)

Andrew McNamara
Charbel without Altior (Racing Post Arkle Chase)

Brian Flanagan
Coney Island (JLT Novices’ Chase)

Gavin Cromwell
Death Duty (Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle)

Rob Catterson
Yorkhill (JLT Novices’ Chase)

Denis Kirwan
Defi Du Seuil (JCB Triumph Hurdle)