Cheltenham Festival

Nearco

youth team player
Joined
Jun 2, 2005
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Preston
Almost here, starts next Tuesday. Most of my bets have already been placed so it's a nervous week hoping and praying the non-runner count doesn't increase.

My major fancies for the week are:
Sizing Europe in the Arke on Tuesday
Kalahari King in the Champion Chase on Wednesday
James De Vassy in the Coral Cup on Wednesday
Karabak in the World Hurdle on Thursday (without the favourite)
Denman and Cooldine in the Gold Cup.

All told I have around fifteen bets lined up.

Anyone been tucking in ante-post?
 
I'm skint so I've got a lucky 15 on for the Tuesday and will use any winnings (if any) to bet on the wed and so on...

1 William Hill Handicap Chase
2010-03-15 17:30:00
Bensalem @ 6/1

2 Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle
2010-03-15 17:30:00
Khyber Kim @ 8/1

3 Irish Independent Arkle Chase
2010-03-15 17:30:00
Captain Cee Bee @ 3/1

4 The Spinal Research Supreme Novices' Hurdle
2010-03-15 17:30:00
Dunguib @ 4/5
 
Binocular @ 8/1 for the Champions Hurdle now after all the chatter at the end of last week.

In case anyone is interested there are some light showers predicted for tomorrow and then again during the middle of next week [Wednesday they say].
 
Selctions for the opening day:


2.05 Sizing Europe
2.40 Casey Jones (each way)
3.20 Zaynar (each way)

I first backed Sizing Europe for the Arkle in September at 22/1 and he is my nap of the meeting. The most talented horse in the race his odds reflect the fact that in his last race he probably would have lost to Captain Cee Bee if the latter had not fallen at the last. But for me SE is a horse who runs well fresh and thus far has jumped all his fences beautifully. He disappointed when favourite for the Champion Hurdle a couple of year's back but he didn't travel over well that year. I've heard that has not been a problem now and he has got course winning form.
Zaynar has drifted for the Champion Hurdle and it is possible to get 10s at Betfair now. That is too big and he drifted last year before winning the Triumph so I'm not too bothered about that. He probably needs further but I think he's a class above the horses who ran in this race last year. The form of that is worthless so Punjabi, Celestial Halo and Binocular have to be avoided. The favourite (Go Native) is the likeliest winner and I have a small bet on him at 6s but he is no price now.
 
Opening Day Selections:

Supreme Novice Hurdle: Oscar Whisky- he's in the "could be anything" bracket, won his 2 hurdles outing on the bridle,jumps well and a championship pace should suit.The form is nothing to shout home about but as I've serious reservations about Dunguibs jumping I'll be looking for some e/w value.

Arkle: Sizing Europe, classiest animal and best jumper in the field and was a huge price at 15/2 for looks like a weakish renewal. I still think 5/1 is value.

William Hill Trophy: No bet for me, but might be tempted on small e/w on Offshore Account if things are going well upto that point.

Champion Hurdle: Khyber Kim, ground might be bit too fast but this is a really classy animal an he will be carrying my money at 10/1. Was running on the flat off 105 and his demolition of Celestial Halo and Medermit reads very well in the context of this race.

Cross Country: Garde Champetre.

Mares Hurdle; Two horse race between Quevega and Volar Le Veddette and will decide on the day if having a bet on it. Quevega won this by half the track last year and might just resemble some value if continuing to drift as she has the past week. The lack of a prep run is a worry though
 
1:30 Dunguib
2:05 Sizing Europe
2:40 The Package
3:20 Khyber Kim
4:00 GARDE CHAMPETRE
4:40 Quevaga
 
1.30 - Dunguib
2.05 - Captain Cee Bee
2.40 - Bensalam
3.20 - Khyber Kim
4.00 - Garde Champetre
4.40 - Quevega
 
Paddy Power will refund all losing winning single bets in the opener if Dunguib takes it.
 
I thought there'd be a bit more life in this thread.

I'm hoping a Dunguib win gives me some money to play with over the rest of the week with Rite of Passage and some others. If not, I'm out.
 
Sizing Europe winning makes the Festival for me. Can't lose now. Magnificent round of jumping.
 
Get Me Out Of Here and Somersby for me thus far.

Character Building and Binocular still to go. Hmm
 
Did a few bets today, so far so good. got Menorah @12/1 had 3ew on it. Had Somersby in the last race another furlong and he'd have won it. Rest of my bets are..

Beat the Boys ew@33/1 240
Zanar ew @10/1 320
fav win @2/1 4.00
 
fearghal said:
Everybody I know had Sizing Europe, how were the odds still so long?
Click to expand...

None of the so called experts fancied him and the general feeling was that Captain Cee Bee would have beaten him last time if he'd not fallen. The odds made no sense as the abilty to jump is obviously crucial. SE was 6s in December and for me he'd done nothing since to justify those inflated odds today.
 
Viper KGB said:
1:30 Dunguib
2:05 Sizing Europe
2:40 The Package
3:20 Khyber Kim
4:00 GARDE CHAMPETRE
4:40 Quevaga
Click to expand...

Well shit balls, Ruby better have a good ride on Quevaga or else my Paddys Day will involve me drinking Tesco's cheapest cider outside the pub with the teenagers.
 
Just made a donation to the bookies retirement fund. :(

I did:

2.05 Somersby (2nd)
2.40 Ogee (3rd)
4.00 L'Ami (2nd)

Unfortunately I did them all to win! Plonker! :(

Tomorrow (with fingers crossed) I shall be mainly doing:

2.05 Rite of Passage
2.40 Weapons Amnesty
3.20 Kalahari King

Good luck to everyone in here that is having a flutter. ;)
 
Wednesday

2.05 Reve De Sivola (each way)
2.40 Long Run and Punchestowns
3.20 Kalahari King (each way)
4.00 James De Vassy (each way)

Nick Williams is the up and coming trainer in NH racing and I decided to follow his stable last year. He hasn't had a Festival winner as yet but Reve De Sivola and James De Vassy should both go well at big prices for him tomorrow. The former can be a dodgy jumper but he ran really well in a very hot Triumph Hurdle last year and he's a daft price (14s) especially as one of his victims in his last win is trading at half his price. James De Vassy runs in the big Handicap Hurdle and he has good form with Kyhber Kim who was second in the Champion Hurdle.
I'm against Williiams best horse in the RSA Chase however. It probably looks weird tipping up both Long Run and Punchestowns as they are first and second favs but I am in a fantastic position in this race having taken a chance on Long Run at 6/1 (when there was a debate as to whether or not he'd go for this or the Arkle) and Punchestowns at 7s (I backed him when there was an injury scare and I figured as the only real danger to Long Run)
If i'd not already played in this race I wouldn't be involved however.
Wednesday's biggest race is the Queen Mother Champion Chase and i'm solidly with Kalahari King in this. A fast ground horse who ran really well in the Arkle last year I think he is well capable of shaking up the hot favourite and should be guaranteed to reach the frame. And each way selection to nothing imo.
 
13:30 - Each Way Odds: 1/4 places 1,2,3
Mobaasher @ 10/1

14:05 - Each Way Odds: 1/4 places 1,2,3
Summit Meeting @ 12/1

14:40 - Each Way Odds: 1/4 places 1,2,3
Punchestowns @ 5/2

16:00 - Each Way Odds: 1/4 places 1,2,3,4,5
Wishfull Thinking @ 12/1



I passed up the opportunity of Master Minded making a fool out of my opposition, which i do fear would happen.
 
Masterminded, Punchestowns and Rite of Passage. Probably in that order of confidence.
 
fearghal said:
Masterminded, Punchestowns and Rite of Passage. Probably in that order of confidence.
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I've taken Punchestown and Rite of Passage, will probably look to double my profits with Masterminded if either comes in. Hopefully I won't be left chasing my original stake.
 
Michael Owen tipped Long Run in the 2.40

Whats the odds the horse pulls up halfway through the race
 
It's an easy tip to make, but that animal is a machine. No sort of price though.
 
Nearco said:
It's an easy tip to make, but that animal is a machine. No sort of price though.
Click to expand...


Which horse? Long Run? Price isn't bad on him. I've opposed him presently but I'm raping the bookies for free bets so might get back involved later in the day.
 
Racing post Pricewise Tom Segal Paper tips

1.30 Becauseicouldntsee 1pt win 11/1

2.05 Summit Meeting 1pt win 33/1

2.40 Non Runner.

3.20 Twist Magic 2pts win 10/1

4.00 Hampshire Express 1pt win 28/1 and Gold Award 1pt win 40/1

4.40 Cross Appeal 1pt win 20/1

5.15 Elegant Concorde 1pt win 8/1
Click to expand...

He had a good day yesterday and isn't too bad of a tipster.

I'm hoping for a Forpadydeplasterer win, word from the yard he's in good form without having run lately. It could be a heart over head choice but worth an EW shot.

Best of luck to everyone today.
 
Tom is an excellent tipper of handicaps. I don't really rate him for the graded/group races though. Twist Magic for example is a poor tip. Yes, he's a high class animal but he has no form at Cheltenham and I can't see him as a value bet.
 
*rips up virtual betting slip*

Sod off Paddy Power!

As an aside, Long Run jumped its way out of contention there.
 
A bad day so far.

I have Quantativeeasing and Deutschland at 4.00

I'm chasing losses badly at this point.
 
Would anybody like a betfair refer and earn code? I'm having a fecking nightmare.
 
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