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Good morning to all forumites across the world - I thought it was about time to bring back my annual chelters preview. The weather is set fair, the tweed is on and its time for the greatest show on turf.
My first tip for the week relates to fashion. Chelters will not be as warm as you think, and it is essential to wrap up warm. I would highly recommend some green cords and a pink jumper (today might be suitable for that), a yellow jumper and some blue chinos (tomorrow), an orange jumper and some sky blue cords (Thursday) and some gold moleskins with green jumper (Friday). I would also suggest some shades, everyone looks more stylish in a pair of these and you can disguise yourself from autograph requests.
Naturally, champers will be drunk on plenty of occasions (none more so than when Champagne Fever won the bumper a few years ago) and the choice is always a trappy one when heading to the bar. My favourite is Veuve Yellow Label, but clearly other champagne brands are available. There is always an excellent spread of food available in and around the course but if you are looking for some nice restaurants to attend this week then Le Champignon Sauvage, Curry Corner and Tarragon are all most pleasing.
However, what we all really want to try and ascertain are some winners, and here is my ante post portfolio for this year;
TUESDAY:
SUPREME NOVICES - Melon is a very nice looking horse and was impressive in Ireland on his jumping debut, but I am not sure of the level of his form. Instead, (and he still looks worth backing now), I have backed BEYOND CONCEIT at 25-1. He was very impressive at Newbury after which the Supreme seemed the obvious choice and he followed this success up with a battling victory at Ascot. The fact he was able to win last time despite pretty much everything going wrong early on in the race marks this horse out to be very classy.
CHAMPION HURDLE - I have been following BRAIN POWER ever since he joined Nicky's yard and he has clearly progressed with every outing. I had to take the 20-1 earlier in the year as I think a fast paced race will suit him, and he really could come storming up the hill. His owner always looks happy with life, which is a great philosophy and it would be brilliant to see him win.
MARES HURDLE - The roar could have been heard in Dublin when LIMINI hit the front in last years mares novice at the last, and with lots of uncertainty about who was going to run where earlier in the year, the 7-1 for the mares hurdle looked a very fair bet. Clearly with Ruby now committing to her, the bet looks very nice but it will not be nice to see one of my favourite horses in training Vroum Vroum Mag get beaten. If Limini does get beaten, I certainly hope it is by Vroum Vroum.
WEDNESDAY:
FRED WINTER - DIVIN BERE looked to have all the right credentials to win the Fred Winter after his battling success at Huntingdon and it was very puzzling, albeit pleasing, to see 20-1 being offered for this race after that run. He will get a very fast gallop and can use his excellent staying power to charge up the hill. Clearly he is not quite the blot that Sanctuaire was a few years ago, but he does look very nicely treated.
CHAMPION BUMPER - I thought Carter McKay has looked a very short price all year based on his actual achievements and of all Willie's runners he has always been the most under-priced for me. I am just not sure he has the physique or the right attributes to win the race, but of course I could be wrong. I think Aintree might be the race for him instead. However, two horses who stood out for me are NEXT DESTINATION, who seems a lovely powerful galloper, and for whom 25-1 was ridiculous and a similar comment applies to PERFECT HARMONY, who looked a powerhouse prior to winning at Newbury, form that has since been franked. The 33-1 about the latter looked and still looks very pleasing.
THURSDAY:
PLATE - A day which I always find slightly lower in excitement for me compared to the other three days, but nonetheless a competitive day's racing. ART MAURESQUE has looked tailor made for this race for some time, and the 33-1 that was on offer was a bit big. Hopefully the horse can cruise down the hill before powering away into the straight. Nick Scholfield is the ideal jockey for the horse and hopefully all will go well.
MARES NOVICE - LETS DANCE can use all of her experience to charge to success in this race. After a very decent juvenile campaign, she had clearly strengthened up for her first start this season and looks to have improved all year. The 7-1 has contracted all season and I can almost hear the same roar as happened in this race last year.....
FRIDAY:
TRIUMPH - CHARLI PARCS looked to be a complete aeroplane after his first start this season and I don't understand why he isn't favourite. Nicky's record in this race is phenominal and 10-1 after that debut looked almost too good to be true. After a hiccup at Kempton last time, all seems back on course and we can welcome Nicky into the winners enclosure to replicate the scenes after Soldatino and Zaynar (actually I'm not sure they can ever be repeated after Zaynar).
ALBERT BARTLETT - A forgotten horse of the festival seems to be CONSTANTINE BAY. A graduate of the British point to point scene, he has done nothing but improve all season and his form looks very solid. 33-1 seemed a farcical price and his strong staying power on quickening ground will prove to be a real asset. He could be the next Bob's Worth.
GOLD CUP - It will hopefully all come together this year for DJAKADAM who after a rather interrupted preparation last season was still able to come 2nd to Don Cossack. The 10-1 earlier in the season looked on the large side and fingers crossed the pink and green colours storm up the hill in first place.
FOXHUNTERS - I have been following ASK THE WEATHERMAN since his debut success at Larkhill point to point course and he has got better and better each season. Whilst the drying ground might not be totally in his favour, he has won on good ground before and I don't think it will pose a problem to him. The 16-1 on offer after he won his seasonal debut was too big and fingers crossed he jumps well and stays on strongly after the last.
Good luck to all, its time for some lobster bisque.
My first tip for the week relates to fashion. Chelters will not be as warm as you think, and it is essential to wrap up warm. I would highly recommend some green cords and a pink jumper (today might be suitable for that), a yellow jumper and some blue chinos (tomorrow), an orange jumper and some sky blue cords (Thursday) and some gold moleskins with green jumper (Friday). I would also suggest some shades, everyone looks more stylish in a pair of these and you can disguise yourself from autograph requests.
Naturally, champers will be drunk on plenty of occasions (none more so than when Champagne Fever won the bumper a few years ago) and the choice is always a trappy one when heading to the bar. My favourite is Veuve Yellow Label, but clearly other champagne brands are available. There is always an excellent spread of food available in and around the course but if you are looking for some nice restaurants to attend this week then Le Champignon Sauvage, Curry Corner and Tarragon are all most pleasing.
However, what we all really want to try and ascertain are some winners, and here is my ante post portfolio for this year;
TUESDAY:
SUPREME NOVICES - Melon is a very nice looking horse and was impressive in Ireland on his jumping debut, but I am not sure of the level of his form. Instead, (and he still looks worth backing now), I have backed BEYOND CONCEIT at 25-1. He was very impressive at Newbury after which the Supreme seemed the obvious choice and he followed this success up with a battling victory at Ascot. The fact he was able to win last time despite pretty much everything going wrong early on in the race marks this horse out to be very classy.
CHAMPION HURDLE - I have been following BRAIN POWER ever since he joined Nicky's yard and he has clearly progressed with every outing. I had to take the 20-1 earlier in the year as I think a fast paced race will suit him, and he really could come storming up the hill. His owner always looks happy with life, which is a great philosophy and it would be brilliant to see him win.
MARES HURDLE - The roar could have been heard in Dublin when LIMINI hit the front in last years mares novice at the last, and with lots of uncertainty about who was going to run where earlier in the year, the 7-1 for the mares hurdle looked a very fair bet. Clearly with Ruby now committing to her, the bet looks very nice but it will not be nice to see one of my favourite horses in training Vroum Vroum Mag get beaten. If Limini does get beaten, I certainly hope it is by Vroum Vroum.
WEDNESDAY:
FRED WINTER - DIVIN BERE looked to have all the right credentials to win the Fred Winter after his battling success at Huntingdon and it was very puzzling, albeit pleasing, to see 20-1 being offered for this race after that run. He will get a very fast gallop and can use his excellent staying power to charge up the hill. Clearly he is not quite the blot that Sanctuaire was a few years ago, but he does look very nicely treated.
CHAMPION BUMPER - I thought Carter McKay has looked a very short price all year based on his actual achievements and of all Willie's runners he has always been the most under-priced for me. I am just not sure he has the physique or the right attributes to win the race, but of course I could be wrong. I think Aintree might be the race for him instead. However, two horses who stood out for me are NEXT DESTINATION, who seems a lovely powerful galloper, and for whom 25-1 was ridiculous and a similar comment applies to PERFECT HARMONY, who looked a powerhouse prior to winning at Newbury, form that has since been franked. The 33-1 about the latter looked and still looks very pleasing.
THURSDAY:
PLATE - A day which I always find slightly lower in excitement for me compared to the other three days, but nonetheless a competitive day's racing. ART MAURESQUE has looked tailor made for this race for some time, and the 33-1 that was on offer was a bit big. Hopefully the horse can cruise down the hill before powering away into the straight. Nick Scholfield is the ideal jockey for the horse and hopefully all will go well.
MARES NOVICE - LETS DANCE can use all of her experience to charge to success in this race. After a very decent juvenile campaign, she had clearly strengthened up for her first start this season and looks to have improved all year. The 7-1 has contracted all season and I can almost hear the same roar as happened in this race last year.....
FRIDAY:
TRIUMPH - CHARLI PARCS looked to be a complete aeroplane after his first start this season and I don't understand why he isn't favourite. Nicky's record in this race is phenominal and 10-1 after that debut looked almost too good to be true. After a hiccup at Kempton last time, all seems back on course and we can welcome Nicky into the winners enclosure to replicate the scenes after Soldatino and Zaynar (actually I'm not sure they can ever be repeated after Zaynar).
ALBERT BARTLETT - A forgotten horse of the festival seems to be CONSTANTINE BAY. A graduate of the British point to point scene, he has done nothing but improve all season and his form looks very solid. 33-1 seemed a farcical price and his strong staying power on quickening ground will prove to be a real asset. He could be the next Bob's Worth.
GOLD CUP - It will hopefully all come together this year for DJAKADAM who after a rather interrupted preparation last season was still able to come 2nd to Don Cossack. The 10-1 earlier in the season looked on the large side and fingers crossed the pink and green colours storm up the hill in first place.
FOXHUNTERS - I have been following ASK THE WEATHERMAN since his debut success at Larkhill point to point course and he has got better and better each season. Whilst the drying ground might not be totally in his favour, he has won on good ground before and I don't think it will pose a problem to him. The 16-1 on offer after he won his seasonal debut was too big and fingers crossed he jumps well and stays on strongly after the last.
Good luck to all, its time for some lobster bisque.
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