Tuesday 16 March
IRELAND'S EYE
The day of reckoning is upon us and with all roads leading to Cheltenham we will be giving a race by race analysis on Day 1 of the greatest Festival on earth. We will be unearthing the best value on the DAQ and there is certainly plenty of that as there are several big value wagers on the card today – both for win and place backers. We have value bets on the DAQ today at 14.5, 9.0, 7.4 and 62.0 and there is also plenty of value bets in the place markets.
We failed to get on the score sheet yesterday with three of our selections filling the dreaded ‘second berth’. West With The Wind (11/4-9/4), Count Boris (15/8-5/4) and nap Rockwithacaveman (5/6-8/13) all finished runner up while Penny Doc (5-4/1) flattered to deceive till nailed late in the hunter chase at Stratford.
1-30 SUPREME NOVICE HURDLE – 2m 1/2f
The Irish roar should reverberate around the Cotswolds as the Emerald Ireland ‘banker’ DUNGUIB is take to storm up the hill clear of his field here but the value bet is to side with Willie Mullins BLACKSTAIRMOUNTAIN despite his lack of hurdles experience but the Ruby Walsh ridden 5yo can prove the best win and place alternative.
2-05 ARKLE CHASE – 2m
This has been billed as an English/Irish head to head between warm favourite Captain Cee Bee (Edward Harty) and Somersby (Henrietta Knight) but both are less than certain in the jumping stakes and SPORTS LINE who has tended to be keen in the past is tipped in the hope that Ruby Walsh can produce the Willie Mullins trained late to beat Sizing Europe with Emma Lavelles promising Kangaroo Court looking the best place value.
2-40 WILLIAM HILL hc chase – 3m 1/2f
Novices off lower weights boast the most successful record here and the one that gets our nod despite the fact that he has not proved a total natural is the Alan King trained BENSALEM who should appreciate this trip/ground as the 7yo looks to be on a decent mark. Three time chase winner Exmoor Ranger was going well when falling in the Jewson here last year and the 8yo could prove the main danger.
3-20 Champion Hurdle – 2m 1/2f
A fascinating renewal with more questions than answers regarding all the main contenders but though last years race has suffered several knocks in the interim it may prove profitable to ignore those stats and the tentative selection is the reigning champion PUNJABI who will never be popular with punters but the Nicky Henderson runner could set up a 1-2 for the yard with last years hot favourite and close third taken to chase him home once again. Sabrina Hartys One In The Dark comes here in better fettle than last year and with ground to suit the 6yo could run a big rate at long odds.
4-00 CROSS COUNTRY CHASE – 3m 7f
Though it is rarely wise to back horses who are ‘winner rostrum shy’ it is difficult to overlook the claims of the Henry De Bromhead trained SIZING AUSTRALIA who has had to give best to Garde Champetre (chasing three timer in this event) on two occasions in course and distance events in this unique test but at the weights the Andrew Lynch ridden 8yo can finally ‘break his duck’ on a course where he invariably runs well. Michael Hourigans veteran A New Story can provide a decent place bet at a more generous price.
4-40 DAVID NICHOLSON MARES HURDLE – 2m 4f
QUEVEGA comes with some ‘health warnings’ following her injury in France last year but her trainer has been issuing more upbeat reports of late and the Ruby Walsh ridden 6yo can land this contest for the second year running with some doubts about her main danger and now favourite Voler La Vedette over the trip despite the fact that she won over the trip at Leopardstown. The Emma Lavelle trained Easter Legend and Nicky Hendersons dual hurdle winner Caroles Legacy look the best of the home brigade.
ADVICE
BET 2pt win/2pt place BLACKSTAIRMOUNTAIN 1-30 Cheltenham
BET 3pt win SPORTS LINE 2-05 Cheltenham
BET 2pt win (saver) SIZING EUROPE 2-05 Cheltenham
BET 1pt win/1pt place KANGAROO COURT 2-05 Cheltenham
BET lay CAPTAIN CEE BEE to win 5pt 2-05 Cheltenham
BET 4pt win BENSALEM 2-40 Cheltenham
BET 2pt win (saver) EXMOOR RANGER 2-40 Cheltenham
BET 3pt win PUNJABI 3-20 Cheltenham
BET 2pt win (saver) BINOCULAR 3-20 Cheltenham
BET 4pt win (nap) SIZING AUSTRALIA 4-00 Cheltenham
BET 1pt place (saver) A NEW STORY 4-00 Cheltenham
BET 4pt win QUEVEGA 4-40 Cheltenham
BET 1pt win/1pt place EASTER LEGEND
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