Cheltenham Festival
There is currently 1 person viewing this thread.
We all know Hurricane Fly, Long Run, Quevega and Big Bucks will more than likely be the ones to beat come March so what of a few bigger priced ones, none under 10/1!
1. Ghizao - twice demolished Captain Chris last season, over 2m at Chelt and then at Newbury when giving him 10lbs and a 4 1/2l beating. Jumping let him down at Cheltenham when just 5th behind that rival in the Arkle. Once more his jumping let him down at Aintree when just one massive mistake at the second last cost him the race when cruising in behind Finians Rainbow. The 2m-2m4f division looks wide open this year and if this one can poilish up his jumping, could land a nice pot or 2 along the line.
20/1 QMCC
2. Fingal Bay - a wide margin bumper winner on debut when easy to back at Exter, no horse has come out and won since but this fella was in a different parish to them winning by 22l but it could have been 50! Made his hurdles debut on sat in the G2 Persian War at Chepstow over 2m4f and could nt have done it more impressively, jumped brilliantly, travelled well and quickened when asked. Looks one to keep on the right side of
14/1 Neptune
3. Wandering Aengus - being kept to bumpers this season. Was backed from 25/1 into 16/1 when making a winning debut last season beating Cheltenian who went onto win at Cheltenham. Needs soft ground
"He's doing very well. He had the summer off and he's back cantering at the moment," said Prendergast.
"He'll have one run in a winners' bumper and then he'll go to Cheltenham.
"He will only go to Cheltenham if there is cut in the ground but are hoping he will go to the Festival.
Unquoted - Cheltenham bumper
4. Time For Rupert - a banker for a lot of people in the RSA last season but never travelled at all or jumped with any fluency. Was found he had burst a blood vessel afterward so it was no mean feat he was only beaten 6l as he was flat out almost all the way! Loves Cheltenham and the RSA run was his only bli there with 3 wins and 2 2nd in 5 runs before that including when 2nd to Big Bucks in the stayers hurdle.
form of 1st 2 Chase runs worked out well with Hells Bay 8l 2nd - winning the G2 dippers Novice Chase beating Medermit
Divers way behind in 5th won the Centenary Novices Chase at the festival
Nto went on to beat Chicago Grey by 8l and that rival went on to hose up in the 4m Novice Chase at Chelt.
Quinz 17l behind in 4th won the Racing Post Chase nto
Take out Long Run and the rest are much of a muchness and if TFR can stay right, looks capable of going close in the GC come March
14/1- Gold Cup
5. Mossley - Disappointed at Aintree last time but numerous horses go onto disappoint at Aintree after runnig at Cheltenham so im willing to forgive that run. Before that he ran a stormer when chasing home his stable mate Bobs Worth in the albert Bartlett and they were well clear of the 3rd. Looked an out and out stayer on that occasion and the switch to fences could suit
25/1 RSA
6. Realt Dubh - 3 time Grade 1 winning Chaser last season beating current 7/1 Ryanair favourite Noble Prince on both occasions. Finished 3rd in the Arkle at Chelt over 8l behind Captain Chris but ran that rival much closer when they met in a G1 at Punchestown going down by just a length and a quarter. Is a PTP winner over 3m and a G1 winning chaer over 2m4f and i would like to see him stay around that trip and take a rattle at the Ryanair Chase.
20/1 Ryanair Chase
7. Montbazon - Was highly touted in debut bumper even though he was taking on hot favourite Cheltenian and lost nothing in defeat when going down by just 1l. Made no mistake next time out when winning easily at Doncaster.
Then went off a well supported fav for the G2 Aintree bumper when once more only finding one too good in the shape of Steps For Freedom - who has won both hurdle starts including a G3 this season.
16/1 - Supreme Novices hurdle
8. Minsk - has improved no end on the flat in his last 3 runs. Was purchased before his last run with the sole intention of goin hurdling but won the Irish Cesarawitch by over 5l on the bridle on his first start for his new owner and his final flat start. Rated 108 from the flat and now gone to Dessie Hughes, to me he looks to have an ideal profile to make into a top Juvenile hurdler.
12/1 - Triumph hurdle
9. Thousand Stars - a wonderfully consistet horse, often the bridesmaid but hopefully a step up to 3m can see that change.
4th in the Champion hurdle at Cheltanham
Just beaten a diminishing nck by Oscar Whisky in the G1 Aintree hurdle over 2m4f when staying on powerfully at the finish
Then went onto be 2nd to Hurricane Fly in the G1 Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown
Then stepped up to 2m6f in France was just touched off once more in a G2 hurdle on very soft ground
Finally got his head in front when stepped u the 3m 1 1/2f in a 150k G1 at Auteuil when winning very well.
Step upto 3m seemed to suit no end and can see this fella rattling up a lot of graded wins in Ire over the winter before getting the difficult task of taking on Big Bucks in March
10/1 World Hurdle
10. Rubi Light - Could be very tough to beat this season over the winter on very soft ground.
2nd to Golden Silver over 2m1f n the G2 Normans Grove Chase at fairyhouse
He was then stepped up in trip when demolishing his rivals in the G2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran
Then on much faster ground finished a very good 3rd in the Ryanair Chase, going down by just 3l when his jumping was nt as good as it had been in previous races.
Very unlucky on his first start this season when having Arkle+Champion Chase winner Sizing Europe very well beat when coming to grief at the last.
Could win a few nice pots throughout the winter and maybe(just maybe) develop into a live GC outsider
40/1 - Gold Cup
All in on the acca 
1. Ghizao - twice demolished Captain Chris last season, over 2m at Chelt and then at Newbury when giving him 10lbs and a 4 1/2l beating. Jumping let him down at Cheltenham when just 5th behind that rival in the Arkle. Once more his jumping let him down at Aintree when just one massive mistake at the second last cost him the race when cruising in behind Finians Rainbow. The 2m-2m4f division looks wide open this year and if this one can poilish up his jumping, could land a nice pot or 2 along the line.
20/1 QMCC
2. Fingal Bay - a wide margin bumper winner on debut when easy to back at Exter, no horse has come out and won since but this fella was in a different parish to them winning by 22l but it could have been 50! Made his hurdles debut on sat in the G2 Persian War at Chepstow over 2m4f and could nt have done it more impressively, jumped brilliantly, travelled well and quickened when asked. Looks one to keep on the right side of
14/1 Neptune
3. Wandering Aengus - being kept to bumpers this season. Was backed from 25/1 into 16/1 when making a winning debut last season beating Cheltenian who went onto win at Cheltenham. Needs soft ground
"He's doing very well. He had the summer off and he's back cantering at the moment," said Prendergast.
"He'll have one run in a winners' bumper and then he'll go to Cheltenham.
"He will only go to Cheltenham if there is cut in the ground but are hoping he will go to the Festival.
Unquoted - Cheltenham bumper
4. Time For Rupert - a banker for a lot of people in the RSA last season but never travelled at all or jumped with any fluency. Was found he had burst a blood vessel afterward so it was no mean feat he was only beaten 6l as he was flat out almost all the way! Loves Cheltenham and the RSA run was his only bli there with 3 wins and 2 2nd in 5 runs before that including when 2nd to Big Bucks in the stayers hurdle.
form of 1st 2 Chase runs worked out well with Hells Bay 8l 2nd - winning the G2 dippers Novice Chase beating Medermit
Divers way behind in 5th won the Centenary Novices Chase at the festival
Nto went on to beat Chicago Grey by 8l and that rival went on to hose up in the 4m Novice Chase at Chelt.
Quinz 17l behind in 4th won the Racing Post Chase nto
Take out Long Run and the rest are much of a muchness and if TFR can stay right, looks capable of going close in the GC come March
14/1- Gold Cup
5. Mossley - Disappointed at Aintree last time but numerous horses go onto disappoint at Aintree after runnig at Cheltenham so im willing to forgive that run. Before that he ran a stormer when chasing home his stable mate Bobs Worth in the albert Bartlett and they were well clear of the 3rd. Looked an out and out stayer on that occasion and the switch to fences could suit
25/1 RSA
6. Realt Dubh - 3 time Grade 1 winning Chaser last season beating current 7/1 Ryanair favourite Noble Prince on both occasions. Finished 3rd in the Arkle at Chelt over 8l behind Captain Chris but ran that rival much closer when they met in a G1 at Punchestown going down by just a length and a quarter. Is a PTP winner over 3m and a G1 winning chaer over 2m4f and i would like to see him stay around that trip and take a rattle at the Ryanair Chase.
20/1 Ryanair Chase
7. Montbazon - Was highly touted in debut bumper even though he was taking on hot favourite Cheltenian and lost nothing in defeat when going down by just 1l. Made no mistake next time out when winning easily at Doncaster.
Then went off a well supported fav for the G2 Aintree bumper when once more only finding one too good in the shape of Steps For Freedom - who has won both hurdle starts including a G3 this season.
16/1 - Supreme Novices hurdle
8. Minsk - has improved no end on the flat in his last 3 runs. Was purchased before his last run with the sole intention of goin hurdling but won the Irish Cesarawitch by over 5l on the bridle on his first start for his new owner and his final flat start. Rated 108 from the flat and now gone to Dessie Hughes, to me he looks to have an ideal profile to make into a top Juvenile hurdler.
12/1 - Triumph hurdle
9. Thousand Stars - a wonderfully consistet horse, often the bridesmaid but hopefully a step up to 3m can see that change.
4th in the Champion hurdle at Cheltanham
Just beaten a diminishing nck by Oscar Whisky in the G1 Aintree hurdle over 2m4f when staying on powerfully at the finish
Then went onto be 2nd to Hurricane Fly in the G1 Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown
Then stepped up to 2m6f in France was just touched off once more in a G2 hurdle on very soft ground
Finally got his head in front when stepped u the 3m 1 1/2f in a 150k G1 at Auteuil when winning very well.
Step upto 3m seemed to suit no end and can see this fella rattling up a lot of graded wins in Ire over the winter before getting the difficult task of taking on Big Bucks in March
10/1 World Hurdle
10. Rubi Light - Could be very tough to beat this season over the winter on very soft ground.
2nd to Golden Silver over 2m1f n the G2 Normans Grove Chase at fairyhouse
He was then stepped up in trip when demolishing his rivals in the G2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran
Then on much faster ground finished a very good 3rd in the Ryanair Chase, going down by just 3l when his jumping was nt as good as it had been in previous races.
Very unlucky on his first start this season when having Arkle+Champion Chase winner Sizing Europe very well beat when coming to grief at the last.
Could win a few nice pots throughout the winter and maybe(just maybe) develop into a live GC outsider
40/1 - Gold Cup
All in on the acca
sort by:
Show
per page
Replies: 10
|
By:
Very good Barry.
A few cross trebles might not go astray  |
|
By:
shur ud nevr know |
|
By:
Very good write up.
Completely agree re Ghizao, Realt Dubh and Rubi Light; all of which are big prices for the races you've mentioned. |
|
By:
gl Bazza
|
|
By:
i really like 5/6 of your horses, will def be bcking them over the season.
|
|
By:
most in my mind at the mo
|
|
By:
great post
|
|
By:
Sorry Barry,
but can we change one of the above to include STEPS TO FREEDOM at 14/1 with PP for the Supreme.  (before he wins the WKD Hurdle at 2pm in Down Royal shortly  ) |
|
By:
woof imo
 |
|
By:
I won't try to come up with 10 or endorse the above apart from Fingal Bay. I would pick 2 which might be outside some peoples box though.
Ace High. Trained by Victor Dartnell for Peter and Jill Emery who also bred him out of Celtic Native. The dam won seven hurdles in a row but this horse was a bit disappointing until his recent step up to 3 miles at Chepstow when he made all against some decent opposition. Long range choice for the NH chase. Araldur. He was a very good novice chaser at 4/5 yo but is a big ungainly horse who was returned to hurdles last season when the yard were below form. Ran really well giving weight to Fistral Beach yesterday until tiring going to the last. Could win a couple of nice handicaps and be a Ryanair contender. |