Skelton’s Sud could pick up the pieces if Maj falters
TODAY’s feature race is the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (4.00pm) where many people’s banker of the Festival, Majborough, is a red-hot favourite.
Willie Mullins’ six-year-old was a breathtaking winner at last month’s Dublin Racing Festival and since then has been a strong favourite.
With last year’s winner of this race, Marine Nationale, not able to defend his crowd owing to injury, Majborough is odds-on for this two-mile test of speed and jumping.
The first-time cheekpieces he wore at Leopardstown last time seemed to sharpen up his jumping, and they may well work again, but it’s hard to forget his two blunders when the heat was on in last year’s Arkle.
He was talked about as being unbeatable then, when being sent off 1/2, and similar comments are being branded around here.
If he gets into a good rhythm he’ll most likely win, but his jumping will have to hold up, and I can’t support him at his price.
L’EAU DU SUD finished just behind Majborough in last year’s Arkle and appeals as an each-way shot to nothing here at around 5/1.
The key to Dan Skelton’s eight-year-old is being fresh, as he proved when beating Jonbon in the Shloer Chase on his reappearance this season.
Sandown’s Tingle Creek, where he lost out to Il Etait Temps, likely came too soon after his Cheltenham win and better can be expected having had a good break since that start in December.
Due to that break, he’s fresher this year than when he arrived for the Arkle, and we know he goes well at Cheltenham, so if the favourite does disappoint, he looks the most likely to pick up the pieces.
The newly named BetMGM Cup (2.40pm) is always one of the most competitive handicaps of the week.
If there’s a horse that could be better than a handicapper in here it might be Storm Heart, who has won his last two, including in Grade Three company last time.
He looks a rapidly improving six-year-old and could well be better than his mark of 151, but he has been well found in the market and I can’t get involved at around 5/1.
I’m keen to hunt out a bit more value and one that caught my eye was Henry de Bromhead’s FORTY COATS.
This son of Diamond Boy finished a good fourth in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at last year’s Festival, behind the likes of The New Lion and Final Demand.
He has only been seen twice this season, but stepped forward on the last of those starts over two-and-a-half miles at Thurles and looks like the sort that could be brought to the boil for the Festival, by a yard that do so well here.
He sneaks in at the foot of the weights, wearing first-time cheekpieces for his first handicap run and on the basis of his form in the Turners, he could be well treated at the weights.
At around 14/1 he is worth chancing each-way.
Nicky Henderson has won this race twice in the last 10 years and his JINGKO BLUE is my second dart in this race.
Despite winning a Grade Two over fences, he didn’t really take to the larger obstacles last season, and has reverted to hurdles this campaign.
Last time out he finished an excellent second to Kabral Du Mathan, who is among the favourites for Thursday’s Stayers’ Hurdle, and he looks a nice each-way bet at 10/1 now back in handicap company.
POINTERS WEDNESDAY
Forty Coats e/w 2.40pm Cheltenham
Jingko Blue e/w 2.40pm Cheltenham
L’Eau Du Sud e/w 4.00pm Cheltenham