Darlan

Me E - sorry to hijack your Darlan thread. What's the best Italian in Cheltenham? I've tried one near the bus station a few times which is reasonable but am I missing out on a hidden gem?

There's a couple of crackers.

Bottelino's is a place I've been to twice recently. Really impressed.... good food and really good service.

Zizzi's in Montpellier is much the same. A lovely setting ( church rennovation ) and it is always busy.

My best mate raves about ' Giannis'. Ive never been but he swears by it.

Two things -

1. The plan for this one was always the Betfair the the SN. That was why they went metal about its handicap mark. It wasn't fit that day, and they purposely didn't win well to get a low mark. McCoys comments also have to be viewed in that co text.

2. In the Betfair, it took a terrible fall but the fact that GMOOH ran Zarkander to a length, yet McCoy had chosen Darla. Tells you that that horse would have won or come damn close (in my eyes).

If Zarkander was in this race off levels it would be about evens. It might not win because it's a bloody difficult race to win but it has the best chance IF. It retains its ability and desire from the fall.

One to back with Boylesmaybe as I can't see it out of the first two.

Thanks Mr E - much obliged. Darlan run at Cheltenham in December was very underwhelming though I fully accept he may not have been fully tuned up.

Like marychain said, he was strangled at cheltenham and could had won by ten if he had kicked off the bend.

Not saying its good or bad price for the supreme thou.

it was McCoy that suffered the horrendous fall, the horse got up and ran away immediately seemingly unscathed

can't assume that because the jockey was hurt the horse must have been too

^ good point about the horse; McCoy's fall as you say looked absolutely horrendous.

Judorick - agree with you totally the horse jumped up & ran after the others.

said it b4 on a diff thread but since 1996 no horse which fell lto has went on to win in a hurdle race
at the festival!

Harking back to the Italian food bit, was at Gianni's over Christmas. Excellent food and a lovely little restaurant.

One word also about the pizzas in Botellinos - they're bloody massive! Work up an appetite beforehand!

teewyre - I've been backing this horse since Nov & as you say everything is against it not least the fall there are many other things also. But I have to say the price has done nothing but contract from the day I started, maybe there are a lot more fools like me out there than I thought. But maybe just maybe there are backers who know more than I. Needless to say I'm hoping the 2nd scenario is true?

Haha glossy you are right. Those pizzas are monstorous!