Its that time off year again , the magnificent CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL.
Aintree's festival is good , Punchestown is big , Galways is interesting but this is THE Festival of festivals and we have a good bank of solid looking banker bets in some good races with a very open feel to some with movement and defections causing some ante post mayhem.
DAY 1
RACE 1
An explosive start to the days affair and a very heavy betting race.
MIN the season long Ante Post darling trading at an incredible Even Money just a month ago has now drifted to a more realistic 9/4 however even that looks a shade skinny to me.
This race has for the last three years been dominated by Mullins who has quite frankly dominated everywhere as he built up a powerhouse stable that had no peers and even the mighty Gigginstown took a back seat.
BUT...prior to his mini race revival the 12 years leading upto this saw a double figure priced winner every year and since Kinsman Won at 50/1 we have had winners at 40/1 multiple times at 25/1 , 20/1 and loads at between 10/1-16/1 so for me the winner of this race is usually a slow burner, a one season wonder? but a horse primed to race for all his corn right now with no thought for this becoming a repeat affair.
So i am going to leave the mighty Min a horse of undeniable scope out of my equations.
Who will i look to to get me off to an exciting start, who can lead the way?.
Of course my old friend Hendo, Nicky has two very powerful runners and impossible to split candidates in this, ALTIOR who is all speed and fancy looks and BUVEUR D'AIR who is all muscle and Power and its the latter i fancy here with the withering cheltenham hill able to catch many a smooth traveler out.
Not much splits the pair in the market at 4/1 and 11/2 respectively and a dutch on these two is for me the best bet (Sniper ).
Longbow however as his stock takes them all on as he loves a longshot to fire at and Cheltenham is fair game for having a go and he has a couple of EW heroes to aim at.
Longbow is having an EW Dutch on the Skelton duo , both currently priced at 40/1 these two fine looking sorts seem to have a lot of improvement required to figure however this is the race to improve in and i wouldn't try n put anyone off a Longbow selection...master Archer...will he be master Tipster??!!.
My Formcaster predicts
WIN - MIN - 2nd @ 15/8
LONG - BELLSHILL -
Best EW Bet - ALTIOR - 1st @ 4/1
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Results and analysis to follow.....BooooooM as The SNIPER takes the first Scalp with a well judged Dutch hitting both 1st @ 4/1 and 3rd @ 10/1...Lovely start ;-)
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