Vauban wins vintage renewal of the Triumph

The latest headlines from day four of the Festival

Published 3 years ago by Phill Anderson, racingpost.com

Vauban Dominates

Vauban travelled stylishly before asserting in the closing stages of the Triumph Hurdle to give Willie Mullins and Paul Townend another winner in the colours of Rich Ricci.

A switch to the Flat for the Melbourne Cup and next year’s Champion Hurdle are now on the list of potential targets for Willie Mullins.

Gordon Elliott pair Fil Dor and Pied Piper ran with credit in defeat to fill the places and Icare Allen was an eyecatcher, staying on well again to take fourth.

Going Report

After another dry night, the going is officially good to soft on the New course for day four of the Cheltenham Festival.

Non-runners

Falcon Eight and The Real Whacker are both out of this afternoon’s Albert Bartlett.

Zamparelli has been scratched from the 4.10 and Reserve Tank is out of the finale on the card.

Leading Trainer

Vauban extended Willie Mullins’ lead at the top of the Leading Trainer leaderboard for the week and Paul Townend has gone clear in his bid to finish as top jockey with four wins.

Sky Bet offer

Don’t forget you can get £10 back as cash with Skybet if your horse finishes 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th in Friday’s opener (T&C’s apply).


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Each-way double for Friday’s handicaps

Two selections for the competitive handicaps on Friday’s card

Published 3 years ago by Phill Anderson, racingpost.com

Irascible - County Handicap Hurdle

Several of the leading contenders in the Country might not be suited by what could be tacky ground by Friday afternoon but that’s not the case for Irascible whose maiden hurdle success came in similar conditions.

Henry de Bromhead’s charge was in behind Appreciate It thrice last term and given that he wasn’t beaten far in a couple of his Grade 1 outings, he should relish this drop down in class. While the British handicapper hasn’t missed him, shoving him up 5lb higher than his Irish mark, there should be more to come on just his sixth start under Rules.

It’s probably worth putting a line through his reappearance effort at Fairyhouse when making his first start for nearly a year over a new trip. With a return to this distance in his favour, he looks overpriced at 28-1 with Skybet paying eight places.

Langer Dan - Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle

He might be favourite but there is still some juice in Langer Dan’s price of 9-2. The case for him is fairly obvious after he chased home future Grade 1 winner Galopin Des Champs in this contest last year and the two of them pulled nine lengths clear of the rest of the field.


If you take the winner out of last year’s race, Langer Dan could conceivably be rated a stone higher than what he is now and from just 2lb higher than last year’s mark, Dan Skelton’s runner could be very hard to beat if he returns in the same sort of form.


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Our Handy Guide To Each-Way Betting

Each-way bets on bigger-priced horses are part and parcel of the Cheltenham Festival, but how does it all work?

Published 3 years ago by Sky Bet

Message Sky Bet Help here


More Guides

GUIDE Our Handy Guide To Each-Way Betting

Published 3 years ago by Sky Bet

Each-way bets on bigger-priced horses are part and parcel of the Cheltenham Festival, but how does it all work?

Our Handy Guide To Each-Way Betting

GUIDE Runner-by-runner Gold Cup guide

Published 3 years ago by Phill Anderson, racingpost.com

Impressive when winning what looked a strong renewal last year but nowhere near that level in three runs this term. Turned over at short odds by Frodon on his return

Runner-by-runner Gold Cup guide

Runner-by-runner Gold Cup guide

We have picked out four of the top contenders that could have a say in Friday’s feature event

Minella Indo

Impressive when winning what looked a strong renewal last year but nowhere near that level in three runs this term. Turned over at short odds by Frodon on his reappearance and then forced an overly strong pace in the King George before pulling up.

While it was a better run in the Irish Gold Cup last time when staying on well for second, he was still beaten by a horse rated 18lb lower and it’s hard to get away from the fact that he’s not had an ideal preparation.

A Plus Tard

Didn’t get the run of the race last year behind re-opposing stablemate, Minella Indo, but was only beaten roughly one-length.

Found himself at the head of the market for this race after bolting up in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on his reappearance. Didn’t finish his race as strongly as normal when narrowly denied by Galvin at Leopardstown last time but the yard’s runners were not firing on all cylinders at that point and he may be able to reverse that form now.

Should give last year’s leading jockey at Cheltenham, Rachael Blackmore, another good spin.

Galvin

Having his first crack at this race having won the 3m6f Grade 2 novice chase here last year and seems to always run well at Cheltenham.

Has mixed it at the top level this season and stayed on best to deny A Plus Tard at Leopardstown when last seen.

Comes here fresh and has bags of stamina so he’ll be hoping the pace-setters go at a decent clip.

Al Boum Photo

Two-time winner of this race (2019 and 2020) and ran with plenty of credit when third behind A Plus Tard and Minella Indo last year.

Didn’t jump as well as he can in last year’s renewal and may have preferred the ground a bit softer. Has enjoyed his usual ideal preparation this year recording a facile success in a Grade 3 at Tramore on New Year’s Day (fourth win in the race).

Some might say he’s vulnerable to less exposed sorts at the age of 10 but he’s more solid than many of his rivals.


More Guides

GUIDE Our Handy Guide To Each-Way Betting

Published 3 years ago by Sky Bet

Each-way bets on bigger-priced horses are part and parcel of the Cheltenham Festival, but how does it all work?

Our Handy Guide To Each-Way Betting

GUIDE Runner-by-runner Gold Cup guide

Published 3 years ago by Phill Anderson, racingpost.com

Impressive when winning what looked a strong renewal last year but nowhere near that level in three runs this term. Turned over at short odds by Frodon on his return

Runner-by-runner Gold Cup guide

Three pieces of advice to help your multiples pay at Cheltenham

In theory, horse racing is a sport in which you do not need accumulators to win big. Almost every race has viable selections at bigger odds than what you would see in a typical win-lose-draw football market.

Try telling that to most racing punters. Multiple bets are extremely popular, especially on big racedays. Bookies therefore often end up facing big liabilities at the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot.

The most famous recent examples have been jockey-led. Day one of Cheltenham was often called ‘Ruby Tuesday’ because of the book of rides Ruby Walsh used to enjoy in the early races. A last-hurdle fall on Annie Power in the Mares’ Hurdle in 2015, with Walsh on a four-timer, reportedly saved the betting industry millions. More recently, Frankie Dettori sent markets into meltdown when winning the first four races on Gold Cup day at Royal Ascot in 2019.

Of course, the very best time for a lucrative accumulator is ante-post and the prime opportunities there have largely passed. Paul Dean, the punter who was sitting on a £500,000 payout going into day three of last year’s Cheltenham Festival, had placed his once-in-a-lifetime bet the previous summer.

On-the-day accumulators can still win big, but there are a few tips to bear in mind:

Take the prices: Bets at starting price (SP) will generally offer poorer value. This is especially true if you follow a popular multiple, as bookies will move money around to manage their liabilities as they build. Make sure when placing your bet that you are getting the current odds.

Mix it up: Following one jockey is a pure punt. Some bettors follow trainers instead, which is a little more logical as trainer form is generally stronger than jockey form. The smartest multiples bettors are guided by horses, rather than people. The market might suggest otherwise, partly due to multiples punters, but the chances of Blue Lord winning the Arkle do not increase that much if his stablemate Dysart Dynamo were to win the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Cover yourself: The straight accumulator is cheap, but unlikely to come off. If you pick four horses and have three winners, the returns on the treble would still more than likely deliver a bumper payday.

Keep an eye on stakes using this method. For example, with four selections covering trebles and an accumulator makes five bets, which increases to 11 (a Yankee) if you include doubles and 15 (a Lucky 15) with singles. Choose depending on how much you want to stake and the prices of your horses- covering doubles and singles may not be worthwhile if you are backing short-priced favourites.


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Rachael Blackmore’s top 5 rides at this year’s Festival

Rachael Blackmore enjoyed a remarkable four days last year and we analyse some of her best chances for 2022's Festival

Published 3 years ago by Phill Anderson, racingpost.com

A Plus Tard - Gold Cup

A Plus Tard was sent off second favourite for the 2021 Gold Cup, only finding his stablemate, Minella Indo, too good, but there are reasons to think 2022’s ante post favourite can go one better this time around.

The eight-year-old could hardly have been much more impressive when bolting up in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase on his return and was only just pipped by Galvin in the Savills at Christmas. He was caught further back than ideal in this race last year and more prominent tactics could see him reverse the form with his stablemate.

Honeysuckle - Champion Hurdle

Surely Rachael’s best chance of a winner all week. The unbeaten mare didn’t need to be at her best when bolting up to land a tenth Grade 1 at Leopardstown last month and in receipt of the mares’ allowance, last year’s Champion will be hard to beat again.

Coeur Sublime - Arkle

Alan King’s Edwardstone is a worthy favourite at the head of the market after his latest success at Warwick but Blackmore’s ride, Coeur Sublime, appears to have solid each-way claims.

He chased home top-class Ferny Hollow on his first two starts over fences before a facile success down in grade at Gowran last time and you can expect him to progress again on just his fourth chase start.

Telmesomethinggirl - Mares’ Hurdle

This mare was impressive when winning the Grade 1 mares’ novice hurdle last year and she returns with a favourite’s chance this time around.

She built on her return with a good third at Leoaprdstown over Christmas and with the yard now in better form, she’s the one that they all have to beat in what looks a weak renewal.

Journey With Me - Ballymore

This unbeaten prospect was impressive when winning a deep maiden hurdle on debut for Henry de Bromhead and he looks like a fascinating contender for this year’s Festival, particularly if he goes down the Albert Bartlett route.

The six-year-old enhanced his reputation when staying on well to win at Naas last month and he shapes like he will relish a step up in trip at the Festival.


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Sporting John ruled out of the Festival

All the news from the latest round of declarations for the Cheltenham Festival

Published 3 years ago by Phill Anderson, racingpost.com

Just 16 remain in the Turners on day three of the Festival, with several of those still holding entries in other races throughout the week.

Galopin Des Champs and L’homme Presse both hold their ground. The former looks the likelier runner of the two with L’homme Presse expected to take on the likes of Ahoy Senor and Bravemansgame on Wednesday.

El Barra still has two entries for the Festival. Earlier today, he was declared for a beginners’ chase at Limerick on Sunday and while Willie Mullins has a few ahead of him in the market for the Turners, he’s a potentially interesting runner in a race that could cut up.


The big news from the Stayers’ Hurdle is that Sporting John (pictured) will miss the Festival. The Grade 1 winner was around a 9-1 shot for the race and also near the head of the market for the Pertemps. He’s now set to target Aintree after a small setback.

In other news, it’s been revealed that Robbie Power will ride last year’s Gold Cup winner, Minella Indo, in this year’s renewal having schooled him earlier in the week.

Sir Gerhard is looking less likely to run in the Supreme on Tuesday after Cheveley Park’s director revealed they were “definitely leaning towards the Ballymore”.

Finally, watering has commenced on the new course with just a few millimetres of rain forecast after today.


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Trainer report: who to follow at the Cheltenham Festival

With the Festival just around the corner, we’ve picked out some of the leading trainers to focus on at this year’s meeting

Published 3 years ago by Phill Anderson, racingpost.com

Willie Mullins

There’s only one place to start and that’s with the most successful trainer in the history of the Festival. Willie Mullins will be looking forward to unleashing another exciting crop of novices as well as his established stablestars.

The Irish Champion Trainer has a number of solid looking favourites this year with the likes of Galopin Des Champs and Facile Vega but he’s had some big priced winners at the Festival too in recent times including 50-1 mares’ novice winner, Eglantine Du Seuil, and 20-1 County winner, Arctic Fire.

Dan Skelton

The Warwickshire trainer has already enjoyed his fair share of Cheltenham Festival success in a relatively short career with a trio of County wins and a Grade 1 mares’ hurdle victory for Roksana.


The former assistant to Paul Nicholls looks to have his best squad yet for this year’s Festival with the likes of Langer Dan, Protektorat and Shan Blue to name just a few with fair claims. It’s interesting that most of his team arrives fresh for the Festival this time, having swerved many of the big handicaps en route to Cheltenham, and that could give his runners a crucial edge.

Paul Nolan

The Irish famously dominated last year’s Festival and trainer Paul Nolan was a part of that success with Mrs Milner’s impressive win in the Pertemps. The mare comes back for a crack at Grade 1 company this time and the shrewd trainer has a few other interesting runners lurking in the handicaps.

Chiricahua has the right sort of profile for the Coral Cup and former Ballydoyle inmate, HMS Seahorse looks like he could be leniently treated for the Boodles.


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Handicap weights: a closer look at the handicap hurdles

After the handicapper had his say earlier in the week, we take a look at who could be well treated going into this year’s Festival

Published 3 years ago by Phill Anderson, racingpost.com

The Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (formerly known as the Fred Winter) is the first handicap hurdle of the week and the market is dominated by Irish raiders.

The one that catches the eye is Gaelic Warrior. He’s yet to have a run for Willie Mullins but connections have made it pretty clear they think an opening handicap mark of 129 is lenient.

The son of Maxios wasn’t beaten far in his last couple of starts in France on very testing ground. However, there isn’t much rain forecast before the opening day and he’s probably going to face very different conditions here.

The hustle and bustle of a handicap hurdle at the Festival could be a baptism of fire and while there’s every chance the handicapper has underestimated his ability, a current price of 5-2 doesn’t appeal in a race of this nature.

The Coral Cup is always one of the most competitive races of the week and this year’s renewal looks no different.

The general consensus is that the British handicapper has been dropping ratings a bit quicker than usual this year and Nicky Henderson’s Call Me Lord (pictured) has been a notable beneficiary.

He was a Champion Hurdle contender just two years ago and showed he retained a fair chunk of his old ability when hitting the frame in the Lanzarote at Kempton. It’s probably worth forgiving his run at Sandown since when unsuited by a step up in trip and with a mark of 142, he could be very well treated if he turns up in the Coral Cup.

The Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle will draw the curtain on this year’s Festival and it’s unlikely that there will be a horse as well-handicapped as last year’s winner Galopin Des Champs.

However, 2021’s runner-up, Langer Dan, has come in for some lenient treatment from the assessor. He was in need of the run when making his return at Taunton last month and the handicapper has dropped him 3lb for that run. That means he’s just 2lb higher than last year when he was clear of the third by a whopping nine lengths and if he’s in the same sort of form this time, he will be hard to beat from a mark of 137.


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Will the Irish team dominate at Cheltenham in 2022?

To make betting pay at Cheltenham, it is not enough to know that the Irish dominate. Punters should know why that is

Published 3 years ago by Keith Melrose, racingpost.com

Competition between British and Irish trainers has been a long-running trend at the Cheltenham Festival. Across last season, 46 per cent of all Irish-trained jumps runners in Britain were at Cheltenham in March. This is the meeting where Britain and Ireland truly go head-to-head.

Last season the rivalry got a bit less friendly. Of the 28 winners across the week, 23 had come from Ireland with a meagre five being home-trained. The ramifications have spread across the current jumps season and have led to plenty of soul-searching on the British side.

It looks like 2022 will be a case of damage limitation. Ireland are 1-9 for the Prestbury Cup, the trophy given to the country that has more winners across the week. Irish commentators crow about the prospect of Ireland’s champion trainer, Willie Mullins, training more Cheltenham winners than all British trainers combined. He did it last year.

What is interesting is that Britain, a bit like a trailing Ryder Cup team, have front-loaded their order. Nicky Henderson has Constitution Hill and Jonbon in a red-hot Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the Alan King-trained Edwardstone is favourite for the Arkle and the Ultima Handicap Chase has not been won by an Irish-trained horse since 2006. Britain could easily be 3-0 by the time the first ‘Irish banker’, Champion Hurdle favourite Honeysuckle, steps out onto the track.

That is not to say 1-9 is a wrong price. Ireland clearly holds the stronger hand across the week, with not just Mullins runners but Gordon Elliott’s always-powerful Cheltenham squad and Henry de Bromhead, who last year took three of the four championship races. Gavin Cromwell and Joseph O’Brien could also lay claim to a squad that all but a small handful of British trainers would envy.

Ireland are particularly dominant with hurdlers- all five of Britain’s winners in 2021 were in races over fences. In handicap hurdles especially, over the last five years the score has been 19-6 to Ireland. Watch out for Mullins-trained runners in the Martin Pipe and County Hurdle, he has won each race four times, while Elliott’s best record is in the Pertemps Final and Boodles (three wins in each).


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Which favourites are vulnerable at this year’s Festival?

There are set to be more on odds-on shots this year than any previous Festival and we look at which horses at short prices might be vulnerable


Published 3 years ago by Phill Anderson, racingpost.com

Plenty of punters will be trying to find each-way alternatives and some of the favourites have stronger profiles than others.

It’s hard to knock the likes of Allaho and Honeysuckle in their respective races. The former has probably scared off his main opposition already thanks to his domination of the 2m4f division over the last 12 months. The latter contests a weaker renewal of the Champion Hurdle than the race she won last year.


Shishkin (pictured) is another with a solid profile. Arkle winners have a strong record when bidding to win the Champion Chase 12 months later and he had his main market rival in behind when at Ascot last time.

If there’s one to take on at short odds, it might be Bob Olinger. He could hardly have been more impressive when winning last year’s Ballymore but he hasn’t totally convinced with his jumping, despite maintaining his unbeaten record over fences.

It’s conceivable - and arguably probable - that his jumping will improve on just his third chase start but there’s a bigger concern revolving around the opposition. Galopin Des Champs has looked exceptional in the jumping department for a novice and he made easy work of a Grade 1 when outjumping his rivals throughout at Leopardstown last time. If connections decide this is the race he’s going for (also entered in Brown Advisory), then he could be hard to beat at a venue that puts an emphasis on jumping.



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Handicap weights: a closer look at the handicap chases

The handicaps are where big-priced winners can be found at the Cheltenham Festival. Here are some of the most eye-catching runners

Published 3 years ago by Keith Melrose, racingpost.com

The handicap chases were the one area in which Britain and Ireland were well matched last year. There are four such races at the Cheltenham Festival and in 2021 the score was two-each.

The first handicap chase of the meeting is the Ultima on Tuesday, just before the Champion Hurdle. No Irish-trained horse has won this race since 2006, although plenty have gone off favourite or joint-favourite including two in the last four years.


The best record belongs to novice chasers and two such horses stand out in this year’s entries. Corach Rambler (pictured) was about to give Does He Know a race when he unseated his rider five fences from home at Ascot last time and he gets a pretty hefty weight concession from that rival back in a handicap.

Also look out for Kiltealy Briggs. His owner’s company sponsors this race and he has the style of racing, as a bold jumper who races up with the pace, that tends to be well suited to the test. Plenty of his form this season has worked out well.

It looks a really competitive renewal of the Grand Annual Chase on Wednesday. This race can often go the way of exposed older chasers, but a raft of interesting novices look set to take their chance this year. Il Ridoto and Red Rookie are a couple of British-trained runners who look to have been saved for the race, but watch out for former classy hurdler Couer Sublime if he runs here instead of in Tuesday’s Arkle.

The Paddy Power Plate on Thursday is often treated as a re-run of similar handicaps run at Cheltenham throughout the winter, like November’s Paddy Power Gold Cup or the Racing Post Gold Cup. But, like other festival handicaps, novices are the horses to follow: Imperial Alcazar and Adrimel fit that bill. Admittedly, Celebre D’Allen, who is having his first season in Britain and whose owners have won this race twice before, commands plenty of respect so progressive has he been.

There are no handicap chases on Friday so Thursday’s closing race, the Kim Muir, is the last chance to bag a handicap chase winner. Only amateur jockeys can ride in the race (the ‘Mr/Mrs/Miss’ in front of their name denotes their amateur status) and the winner has come from Gordon Elliott’s yard in each of the last two years. Frontal Assault has a similar sort of profile to last year’s winner Mount Ida and is currently clear at the head of the betting.


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Each-way double for Thursday’s handicaps

Two each-way selections for the handicaps on Thursday’s card


Published 3 years ago by Phill Anderson, racingpost.com

Go Another One - Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle

It’s easy to see why Sire Du Berlais and Alaphilippe take up a decent portion of the market but at a much bigger price, Go Another One might be worth chancing.

He wasn’t seen to best effect in last year’s Kim Muir when produced too early and while he’s not exactly thrown in on his recent hurdle form, there are a few reasons to think he could go well at a price.

He’s often shaped like the stamina-sapping New course at Cheltenham will play to his strengths. Furthermore, Kieren Buckley looks very good value for the 5lb he can claim in this contest with an impressive 14% strike-rate this term. An each-way price of 50-1 with Sky Bet paying eight places looks attractive.

Spiritofthegames - The Plate Handicap Chase

The Kim Muir looks like the most competitive handicap of the week on paper so the Plate is the preferred option for the second leg of the each-way double.


It’s quite possible that Spiritofthegames is the best handicapped horse in the line-up. He’s been a fair way below his best so far this term but he was a reliable yardstick last term and a mark of 136 looks very workable.

There were signs of a revival when he was only beaten six lengths at Cheltenham on Trials Day and a price of 20-1 seems generous given that all his best form has been in big field handicaps at Cheltenham.



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Conflated retains place in Gold Cup at six-day stage

All the news from the latest round of declarations for next week

Published 3 years ago by Phill Anderson, racingpost.com

Conflated standing his ground in the Gold Cup field was the big story to come out of the six-day declarations for Friday.

The Irish Gold Cup winner also holds an entry in the Ryanair earlier in the week and while the owner’s reportedly want to go for the intermediate trip, trainer Gordon Elliott has revealed he would rather go for glory in the Blue Riband of jump-racing. “It’s grand to win the Ryanair, but the Gold Cup is the Gold Cup,” Elliot said recently.


A notable absentee from the Gold Cup field was Ahoy Senor (pictured) who now looks set to take on fellow novices on Wednesday in the Festival Novices’ Chase.

Only 13 remain in the Triumph but the three big guns - Vauban, Pied Piper, and Fil D’or - all remain at this stage.

Good Time Jonny was the only supplementary entry for day four. Tony Martin’s seven-year-old is set to run in the Albert Bartlett.

Put The Kettle On will bid to defend her Champion Chase crown. She was the most notable absentee in the Mares’ Chase on Friday where just 10 remain. Last year’s runner-up, Elimay, remains the favourite for the penultimate race of the Festival.


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Each-way double for Wednesday

Two each-way selections for the two competitive handicaps on Wednesday’s card


Published 3 years ago by Phill Anderson, racingpost.com

Call Me Lord - Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle

Nicky Henderson had three welcome winners over the weekend, ending a short drought for the yard and Constitution Hill could hardly have been more impressive in the Supreme on Tuesday.

One of his more interesting runners in the handicaps has to be Call Me Lord in Wednesday’s Coral Cup. The nine-year-old has come in for some lenient treatment from the handicapper this term, despite some creditable efforts in defeat, most notably a placed effort in the Lanzarote just two starts back.

A return to this trip will suit and he has Cheltenham form in the book, having won the International here back in 2019. With a drop back to a shorter distance and a strongly run race likely to suit, he looks capable of outrunning odds of 33-1 in a race that Skybet are paying eight places in.

Poseidon - Grand Annual

A case can be made for plenty of them in the Grand Annual but a Charles Byrne runner catches the eye at a big price.

Poseidon has been unsuited by very testing ground in his last couple of starts but he wasn’t given a hard time when his chance had gone in either of those races and he looks interesting here with conditions in his favour this time.

The eight-year-old has already looked better over fences than hurdles, winning a decent handicap chase at Cork earlier in the season, and he seems to relish coming off a strong pace. That scenario looks likely here, with a host of front runners in a race that is usually run at a frenetic pace and he might be able to pick up the pieces and outrun odds of 20-1.



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Sir Gerhard heads to the Ballymore

All the news and updates from the latest round of declarations on Sunday

Published 3 years ago by Phill Anderson, racingpost.com

Just nine remain in the Supreme and Sir Gerhard’s defection to the Ballymore on day two was the big news from Sunday’s declarations.

Willie Mullins still holds a strong hand in the Festival opener with Dysart Dynamo, Kilcruit and Bring On The Night all bidding to give the Irish Champion Trainer his sixth win in the race in just nine years. Dysart Dynamo now finds himself vying for favouritism with Nicky Henderson’s Constitution Hill and Henderson’s other runner Jonbon next in at around 4-1.


Honeysuckle (pictured) will face nine rivals in her bid for back-to-back Champion Hurdles with all 10 runners standing their ground for Tuesday’s Championship race. Henry de Bromhead’s stablestar puts her unbeaten record on the line against Appreciate It who bids to follow up last year’s Supreme success without a prep run and 2020’s winner, Epatante, who has two Grade 1 wins in the bag already this term.

It is a disappointing turnout for the finale on Tuesday’s card with just seven runners but the two big guns, Run Wild Fred and Stattler were both declared and the race has a competitive look to it, despite the small field, with last year’s Albert Bartlett, Vanillier, also prominent in the betting.


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Each-way double for Tuesday’s handicaps

Two each-way selections for the competitive handicap races on Tuesday’s card


Published 3 years ago by Phill Anderson, racingpost.com

Ben Dundee - Ultima Handicap Chase

An Irish runner hasn’t won this since 2006 but they have a strong hand in this year’s renewal and after last year’s Irish domination in the handicaps, it would be no surprise to see Britain’s stranglehold on this contest relinquished.

Ben Dundee hasn’t won over fences since 2018 but it was a major return to form when narrowly denied in Leopardstown’s Paddy Power Chase at Christmas. The form of that race has already been boosted with the likes of Death Duty and Birchdale coming out and winning two big field, valuable handicaps since.

That could be the form to focus on and the British handicapper has only nudged him up 1lb higher than his revised Irish mark. He looks like an each-way player at around 16-1.

Prairie Dancer - Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

Later on the card, Gaelic Warrior has been all the rage but it’s hard to enthuse about his chance at his current odds and he makes the market for an each-way alternative.

There are plenty of improvers in this line-up, as one would expect for a juvenile handicap hurdle but Prairie Dancer caught the eye in a fairly big way when chasing home a Triumph contender in Icare Allen last time out.


There’s certainly room for improvement in the jumping department with Joseph O’Brien’s (pictured) charge and his jumping put him on the back foot at Fairyhouse last time when shuffled back from the box seat. However, he was a big eyecatcher, finishing quickly and he would have got closer to the winner without significant interference at the last.

His best form on the Flat was on better ground, so he could improve for what should be a quicker surface at Cheltenham and there’s plenty of upside to him at around 18-1.



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Welcome to Cheltenham, the best week of the year

Racing Post betting editor Keith Melrose sets the scene for four days of red-hot action

Published 3 years ago by Keith Melrose, racingpost.com

You might hear Cheltenham compared with the World Cup, or the Olympics. But it is more joyous, more intense than either. When so much of a sport is squeezed into four days, rather than several weeks, the release is incomparable.

Racing fans have been waiting all winter for Constitution Hill to meet Jonbon, which will happen right out of the gates in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Bob Olinger versus Gallopin Des Champs on Thursday is a meeting between a horse that could have won this year’s Champion Hurdle, and one that might well win next year’s Gold Cup. We have already seen Energumene take on Shishkin, but round one left us hungry for more and Cheltenham has filled our plate by throwing in Chacun Pour Soi, Nube Negra and Envoi Allen against the big two in Wednesday’s Champion Chase.


Even if you are just checking in for Cheltenham week, and maybe stopping by for the Grand National and Royal Ascot, the sense of what this week means is impossible to escape. Hear the roar, watch the Racing Posts fly into the air, see the reaction of the jockeys, trainers, owners and stable staff as winners cross the line and enter immortality. This matters.

There are 28 races to come this week. That is 28 chances to find that rush of a winner, with Sky Bet having an offer in every race to make it that little bit sweeter once the first one comes.

Even though Cheltenham flies by, some of us will need patience. No one should pretend betting in the most competitive races of the year is easy, and if you want to be in every race you should start the week by staking as if you are going to have 28 losers. Hopefully a couple of nice results on Tuesday will lay the worst-case scenarios to rest.

Acca punters have plenty to go at this week and can choose between a whole-week approach, which gives more odds-on shots, or a Tuesday bet centred on Champion Hurdle favourite Honeysuckle (3.30) with Edwardstone (2.10), Gaelic Warrior (4.50) and Run Wild Fred (5.30) the other likeliest candidates.


Long-shot hunters have the Ultima (2.50) and plenty of choice in a red-hot handicap. Corach Rambler (pictured) and Kiltealy Briggs would be my two against the 24-strong field.

That leaves a conspicuous gap in the first race, a Sky Bet Supreme for the ages. Constitution Hill, Jonbon or Dysart Dynamo would be favourite for most runnings but they are all meeting here. Sky Bet’s £/€10 money-back offer could hardly have landed in a better race. Choose wisely, let the experts on hand guide you and have a brilliant Cheltenham week.


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