Day 4

Hard work on the New course and today looks no easier ! The bookies are giving lots of offers - have a good hunt round !

1.30pm
I have backed a 50/1 shot Gassin Gold - a lovely horse from the flat - massive price - Our Conor has best form of the short prices

2.05pm
Ifandbutwhynot was a horse for this race when he won here early this year and he will do - I wouldnt give up on Abbey Lane either if he runs

2.40pm
I am going for Aim to Prosper each way in this jumps great and strong stare of the flat - At Fishers Cross is a superb horse

3.20pm
Sir Des Champs and Bobs worth will be first and second in the Gold cup

4.00pm
Salsify and Cottage Oak for me with Cottage Oak just the pick at the prices

4.40pm
Hard hard race the fav is a good horse but can't figure out why he is 6-1+ but do think he is top class Gevrey Chambertain and also each way on Haventgotascoobydo

5.15pm
Alderwood and if it doesnt rain Oiseau Du Nuit

Day 3

Good day yesterday - even with some very near misses for a few if Rule The World had won and if Ericht had of been 4th not 5th then clover would be the way I would feel !!!

1.30pm
Dynaste top class horse will take a lot of beating Texas Jack e/w

2.05pm
Close House and First Fandango at a hue price !

2.40pm
Cue Card and For Non Stop - very tough race you could pick 5 and not get the winner

3.20pm
I like Solwhit and Getmeoutofhere far more open than usual due to Big Bucks absence - good race in prospect

4.00pm
Get a pin out and put it somewhere in the middle - I like to runa mighty race Divers and Walkon

4.40pm
Galaxy Rock will and should run well on the better ground

5.15pm
Cross Country - no idea !!!

Favs under 7/2 rule
Under 4/1 fav rule

5 Winners
3 Losers

Last 5 years -
67 Losers
23 Winners - (Quevega x5 Big Bucks x4)

Day 2

After giving out a few each way I managed to get the placepot up - !!! paid £10.90 ouch

Very unlucky in places 3 from 4 with MyTent letting me down- so here we go on to Day 2

1.30pm
I think that this trappy for a 4 Miler - and really not sure of a bet, have been told that Buddy Beloro is well fancied

2.05pm
Pont Alexandre is class act another Denman however I am going for two to beat that Rule the World and Chatterbox

2.40pm
Anything and I mean anything can win this - a slow race and long slow finish - can be a right slog - for me Lord Windermere and Goulanes are the slowest stayers so might be worth a go !!

3.20pm
Sprinter Sacre enough said

4.00pm
Love the Coral Cup and have had a many a winner in it - three to run well Fiveforthree,Orsippus and Abbey Lane

4.40pm
Bordoni very impressive last time - great jockey - very tough race !

5.15 The Bumper
Sgt Reckless seemingly working the house down at Mick Channons against top class flat horses however the one for me is Milo Man in another tough race

Favs under 7/2 rule
Under 4/1 fav rule

3 Winners
1 Losers

Last 5 years -
65 Losers
21 Winners - (Quevega x5 Big Bucks x4)

Day 1 - Selections

I am going each way on a few !!!

1.30
Cheltenian 20/1 first 5 with William Hill 1/4 the odds

I think Mytentoryours would be the win selection 2/1

2.05
Simonsig would be win selection in the Arkle with Tap Night at 33/1 the each/way selection in the Arkle

2.40
Each way selections Knockara Beau 16/1 and White Star Line 20/1

3.15
Champion Hurdle - Hurricane Fly at 5/2

4.40
Each way on Alasi 20/1 in the Mares race

5.15
The Druids Nephew

Cheltenham 2013 early thoughts

The once a year Cheltenham blog is here as usual will be keeping my useful favs under 7/2 listing going !

Early thoughts then are

A P McCoy for top jockey, Wayne Hutchinson to ride a winner, David Pipe to have a dark horse week with maybe two + winners

DAY 1: 4 good things on paper or very short ones anyway - Mytentoryours,Quevega,Simonsig,Hurricane Fly I am as always thinking that they can't all win - the bookies won't have it at all - no chance, one will be a loser for them.

I like a few in the first but non more than Melodic Rendevous in the First 5 place market at William Hill. My big thoughts though are that we will be seeing an awfull lot of JP Mcmanus colours through the week, and I think A P will have a blinder.

When the decs are out will update.

Under 4/1 fav rule and final update

Another year over - been battered by the bookies and my inability to get enough goals in my off Cheltenham bets !

1) Big Bucks

What a race and what a talent - best NH horse ever ? Could be - he just does not get Beat and how Voler La Vadette tried - what a ride what a race !

ENJOY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wloWIFTwEg

2) Riverside Theatre

Ride of the week for me - great ride by a top jockey and some guts from the horse. Real shame that this was not the year before where his injury and missed festival probably cost me a place in the top ten of the Tote ten to follow.

3) The Irish
They just never seemed bullish - every day they put up horses trained by non Irish trainers as bankers - it was all rather strange - Boston Bob aside and Sir Des Champs they just did not rate their horses as highly as normal.

Horses to Follow to Aintree and beyond

Sprinter Sacre - Machine and will win many races as will the second in the Arkle - Cue Card

Bad and weak Champion Hurdle and Queen Mother chases

HuntBall - still well handicapped and will keep winning through handicap company - White Star Line will win lots of races

Four Commanders - Jumps like a buck - not very quick could win a National on soft

Simonsig - very good horse and worth watching Close House over 3 miles

Irish Novice Hurdlers - are weaker than normal

Grand Crus - looked narrow at the start - don't think he gets the trip either - Bobs Worth won well - best of the Irish Last Instalment is a better horse

Kazlian - went too fast on the front - great chance going forward

Moscow Mannon - caught out for experience and track - still think he is the best Irish bumper horse

Sir Des Champs - Gold Cup Horse

Champion Court - ideal horse for early season handicaps at Cheltenham next year

Riverside Theatre - great horse - King George type

Glam Gerry - watch for this horse when the money is down

BecauseIcouldntsee - jumps fantastic - could be a Scottish national horse

Synchronised and The Giant Bolster - Both serious horses

Oiseau di Nuit - very unlucky - travelling like a winner when brought down

and my dark dark horse for next year The Druid Nephew



Under 4/1 fav rule
The Under 4/1 Fav rule had the following qualifiers across the 4 days

Sprinter Sacre - Won
Hurricane Fly - Lost
ScotsIrish - Lost
Quevega - Won
Simonsig - Won
Grand Crus - Lost
Sizing Europe - Lost
Vendor - Lost
Sir De Champs - Won
Riverside Theatre - Won
Big bucks - Won
Boston Bob - Lost
Long Run - Lost
Chapoturgeon - Lost
Kid Cassidy - Lost


6 Winners
9 Losers

Last 5 years -
64 Losers
18 Winners - (Quevega x4 Big Bucks x4)

BET365 Lose a million - but are happy with the recovered losses from A P Harding esq

A stable lad belonging to the Nicky Henderson stable has won around £1million in an accumulator bet on five of the yard's runners at the Cheltenham Festival this week, it was reported on Thursday night.

The bet was reported to be have been placed with bet365 late last year, when the odds would have been much bigger, and featured Sprinter Sacre on Tuesday, Simonsig, Finian's Rainbow and Bobs Worth on Wednesday, and Riverside Theatre on Thursday afternoon.

Pat Cooney, spokesman for the firm, was quoted on the Guardian's website as saying: "We're pleased for all our customers who've had a winning day today but we don't discuss individual accounts.

"This one particular customer's had an extremely good time of it."

The BBC's Claire Balding tweeted: "The lad who looks after Finian's Rainbow had a five-timer on Nicky Henderson winners and has won £1million! Says he'll still be at work tomorrow."

On Wednesday, Henderson overtook the late Fulke Walwyn as the most successful trainer at the Festival. He saddles Gold Cup favourite Long Run on Friday.

The trainer told the Daily Mail: "I've just heard about it - it's absolutely wonderful. He's such a lovely lad, one of the nicest you could ever meet.

"He's my top guy and I am absolutely thrilled about it.''