Connell’s Good Land won’t let rivals Passe in Ballymore test March 14, 2023 YOU HAVE to go back six years to find the last Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (1.30pm) winner trained on these shores and this year’s race really does highlight the overwhelming strength of the Irish battalions that travel to Cheltenham. Ireland have five of the top six in the betting, with Willie Mullins accounting for four of [...]
Sir Gerhard set to give Colombe a Real Whack March 14, 2023 THIS year’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (2.10pm) looks a competitive heat, with cases to be made for over half the 11-strong field. I’m largely in agreement with the market regarding the first three up the Cheltenham hill, if in a slightly different order. In my opinion, current second-favourite SIR GERHARD is a class above the rest and if [...]
Be Bold in your Endeavours and back Camprond March 14, 2023 YOU DO not get many harder races to find the winner of than the 26-runner Coral Cup (2:50pm). The last two were 50/1 and 33/1 and there have only been two single-figure priced winners in the past decade. You cannot rule anything out, but I must admit that I do find it hard to ignore [...]
Delta can make easy Work of rivals to win second Glenfarclas March 14, 2023 NOBODY who witnessed the aftermath of last year’s Glenfarclas Chase (4.10pm) will ever forget the image of both DELTA WORK and runner-up Tiger Roll being led into the iconic winners’ enclosure together. Both warriors had given their all in a titanic battle up Cheltenham’s famous hill with Delta Work just being that bit more suited to conditions [...]
Thyme feels White for a Sublime Grand Annual Chase March 14, 2023 BOTH Dinoblue and last year’s runner-up Andy Dufresne have clear and obvious claims in today’s Grand Annual (4:50pm). The latter runs off the same mark as last year, while Dinoblue makes just his fourth start over fences and looks ominously well-handicapped. None of this has been lost on the bookies, though, with the two sharing [...]
What’s that coming over the Hill? It is a monster! March 14, 2023 TIMING is a huge thing in sport. Imagine how many more Grand Slams Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic would have won if the other two hadn’t been around. In the aftermath of day one at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, there was plenty of controversy comparing the Supreme Novices’ winner CONSTITUTION HILL with dual [...]
Jon looks a très Bon bet to land the Arkle March 14, 2023 NICKY Henderson and Willie Mullins have won seven of the last 10 runnings of the Sporting Life Arkle (2.10pm) and it will be a huge shock if one of them doesn’t land the prize again this year. The two stables are responsible for the first four in the market and even though Mullins saddles four [...]
Connell set for Nationale service as he shoots for biggest winner as a trainer March 14, 2023 BEFORE analysing the opening Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (1.30pm), I have to declare that I head up the syndicate that owns RARE EDITION, trained by Charlie Longsdon. He has been a dream horse for us, winning four of his five starts under rules, with the second coming last time out in the Sydney Banks [...]
Marie’s looks Rock solid in bid for Mares’ Hurdle repeat success March 14, 2023 MANY are billing this year’s renewal of the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle (4.10pm) as the race of the meeting. Last year’s first and second home are joined by two previous Champion Hurdle winners in Honeysuckle and Epatante, not to mention Grade One winners Brandy Love and Echoes In Rain. Throw in last year’s Mares Novices’ [...]
Snowden’s mare to wear it well in Mares’ Novice March 13, 2023 WITH one of the driest build-ups to a Cheltenham festival on record, it had been widely expected that this year’s meeting would take place on traditional decent watered spring ground. In fact, the watering cans have been out for the last four weeks in an attempt to produce that easier surface. All that has changed [...]
