Visor may just spark Santini back to life on the biggest stage March 18, 2021 ALL eyes will be on the Willie Mullins-trained Al Boum Photo as he looks to land his third consecutive WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup (3.05pm). The nine-year-old has once again been wrapped up in cotton wool since landing the Festival feature 12 months ago with only the one prep race at Tramore on New Year’s Day. There is [...]
Mount the best Plan Of Attack in Kim Muir March 17, 2021 AFTER the meeting they have had already, it will be no surprise to hear that I’m sticking with the Irish when it comes to the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Chase (4.50pm). Normally restricted to amateur jockeys, the new Covid-19 rules surrounding elite sport mean that only the professional jockeys can ride at the meeting. Hold [...]
More Stars on show at Cheltenham March 17, 2021 BOOKMAKERS all over the land will be desperate to get Envoi Allen beaten in the opening Marsh Novices’ Chase (1.20pm) after the successes of Shishkin in the Sporting Life Arkle and Monkfish in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase. The unbeaten Irish superstar is the final leg of plenty of short-priced trebles and I expect the [...]
Porter can floor his rivals in Stayers’ Hurdle March 17, 2021 A LARGE field of 15 is set to line up for Thursday’s highlight, the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (3.05pm), where Paisley Park will bid to join the likes of Big Buck’s, Inglis Drever and Baracouda as dual winners of this race. Emma Lavelle’s stable star won the 2019 renewal impressively but he was a bitter [...]
Take a chance on a Sneaky one in the Coral Cup March 16, 2021 AFTER getting a bit of a bloody nose on the opening day of the meeting, bookmakers will be taking no chances when it comes to Monkfish in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (1.55pm). Many people’s idea of the Irish banker of the entire meeting, Fitzdares are taking no chances offering only 2/5 about the exciting [...]
You must have a few Bob on Olinger in the Ballymore March 16, 2021 WHAT a race we have in store to kick off Wednesday’s card. The Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (1.20pm) has produced some fantastic horses over the years like Istabraq, Hardy Eustace and Faugheen. And one of the best may well turn out to be last year’s victor Envoi Allen – then under the care of Gordon Elliott [...]
Negra looks Champion bet against Chacun Pour Soi March 16, 2021 DESPITE training over 70 Cheltenham Festival winners, Willie Mullins has yet to win the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase (3.05pm) but has a serious chance of rectifying that with Chacun Pour Soi. The nine-year-old was favourite for the race 12 months ago before being ruled out on the day of the race itself. He has [...]
Allmankind has speed to shake-up Shishkin March 15, 2021 PLENTY had billed the potential match-up between Shishkin and Energumene in the Sporting Life Arkle (1.55pm) as the race of the 2021 Cheltenham Festival. Sadly, the news emerged late last week that the latter had met with a set back in training and the duel of the meeting was off, clearing the way for Shishkin [...]
Silver looks a golden bet in Champion Hurdle March 15, 2021 ONLY the 10 runners have been declared for the Unibet Champion Hurdle (3.05pm), but a genuine case can be made for all of them. Not So Sleepy is the rank outsider of the field at 66/1 but could run well if given an uncontested soft lead. The obvious starting point is with the two mares [...]
Remastered to strike for Master of Pond House March 15, 2021 ROYAL Pagaille switching to Friday’s WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup has given a completely different complexion to the Sam Vestey National Hunt Chase (4.50pm). Galvin, recently moved from Gordon Elliott to Ian Ferguson, heads the market at 2/1 with Fitzdares and it’s easy to see why after his impressive performance at Cheltenham in October. Second to [...]
