Cheltenham Festival Day 2 -Wednesday 13 March 2019 Horse Racing Selections

CHELTENHAM
	WIN	EACH WAY
13:30	City Island	Sams Profile	Ballymore Novice Hurdle
14:10	Delta Work	On The Blind Side	RSA Nov Chase
14:50	Brio Conti	William Henry	Coral Cup Hurdle
15:30	Altior	Politologue	Queen Mother Chase
16:10	Ultragold	Tea For Two	Cross Country
16:50	Dogon	Praeceps	Fred Winter Juv Hurdle
17:30	Ask For Glory	Sempo	Champion Bumper

Lingfield is today’s exclusives meeting

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Cheltenham Festival Day 4 - Gold Cup Day

13:30 TRIUMPH HURDLE

Mr Adjudicator did his best work at the end when winning his last start at Leopardstown and this can help keep his 100% record under Paul Townend

Saldier isn’’t as experienced as the rest of the field but his win at his first attempt can be marked up as he was bothered by loose horses through the race.  He is plenty talented enough to at least run into a place

TRIUMPH HURDLE
WIN	Mr Adjudicator
Each Way	Saldier

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14:10 COUNTY HURDLE

The only reason these two selections aren’t the other way around is that one of the stables aren’t firing on all cylinders at the moment…and it’s not Willie Mullins!  Sandsend won in a game fashion last time out and could benefit from this stiffer course

A Hare Breath reverted to hurdling after running in the Arkle at last year’s festival and runs well fresh (he won a listed hurdle in Dec after an 8 month break) and has won on soft ground

COUNTY HURDLE
WIN	Sandsend
Each Way	A Hare Breath

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14:50 ALBERT BARTLETT NOVICES’ HURDLE

Santini won a Grade 2 here in January and has yet to be beaten.  He’s unexposed with plenty of room to improve even further and his style of running will suit this big field

Chris’s Dream won a 3m hurdle at Clonmel in Feb as easy as you like and won’t mind what the weather does.  With Henry De Bromhead back in the winners circle, he is one of my two top picks

IF THE GOING TURNS HEAVY then Fabulous Saga is one for an each way

ALBERT BARTLETT NOVICES’ HURDLE
WIN	Santini
Each Way	Chris’s Dream

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15:30 GOLD CUP CHASE

Might Bite won the King George on soft and has won over this stiffer 3 miles here in the past.  He has a scary (if you’re backing him!) habit of idling about a furlong from home but Nico knows how him well enough to get him home in front

Definitly Red would appreciate more rain but even if its not forthcoming, he can run well on soft.  He won here in January, storming up the hill in heavy ground and if his jumping holds up then he has a better than good each way chance

GOLD CUP CHASE
WIN	Might Bite
Each Way	Definitly Red

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16:10 FOXHUNTER CHALLENGE HUNTERS’ CHASE

Unioniste won his last two hunter chases more than easily and is ridden by his owner David Maxell (2 wins from 3 when riding).  He has won here on heavy in the past and came 4^th in an RSA in 2013 so has plenty of class and experience

Volnay De Thaix is having his first start for a new trainer after leaving Nicky Henderson’s yard.  He’ll be happy on the ground and should be ok with this distance although not guaranteed (hence the price)

FOXHUNTER CHALLENGE HUNTERS’ CHASE
WIN	Unioniste
Each Way	Volnay De Thaix

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16:50 MARTIN PIPE CONDITIONAL JOCKEY’S HURDLE

Flawless Escape heads the market for trainer of the moment Gordon Elliott and finished ahead of yesterday’s winner Delta Work last time out so it all points to a huge run

Carter McKay is partnered by Jamie Bargary who rode very well to finish 2^nd on Splash Of Ginge in the Festival Plate here yesterday. He is a bigger price than I would have him down for moving into handicaps for the first time and well worth an each way investment

MARTIN PIPE CONDITIONAL JOCKEY’S HURDLE
WIN	Flawless Escape
Each Way	Carter McKay

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17:30 GRAND ANNUAL CHALLENGE CUP CHASE

GRAND ANNUAL CHALLENGE CUP CHASE
WIN	Foxtail Hill
Each Way	Dresden

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Cheltenham Festival Day 3 - St Patrick's Thursday

13:30  JLT NOVICES’ CHASE

Invitation Only can make this Willie Mullins 4^th win in as many years.  He runs Kemboy also but he is at the wrong end of the handicap and our fella has been aimed at this race.  (NB: 6 or 7 year olds have won this race the past 7 runnings)

Finian’s Oscar may not be quite the each way price closer to the off time.  A wind op should help improve him together with first time tongue tie and cheekpieces – with a clear round, he might even get another course win

JLT NOVICES’ CHASE
WIN	Invitation Only
Each Way	Finian’s Oscar

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14:10  PERTEMP NETWORK FINAL HURDLE

Louis Vac Pouch has plenty of staying power which will be needed today and has been saved for this race

Who Dares Wins was 3^rd in the Coral Cup last year, won a Cesarewitch trail in the interim and looks ready for this step up in trip

PERTEMP HURDLE
WIN	Louis Vac Pouch
Each Way	Who Dares Wins

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14:50  RYANAIR CHASE

Nothing needs to be said here about our win selection but should anything go amiss with Un De Sceaux’s race then Cue Card will be the most popular winner that Cheltenham will have seen in years

RYANAIR CHASE
WIN	Un De Sceaux
Forecast	Cue Card

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15:30  STAYERS’ HURDLE

Yanworth reverts to hurdling after a less than stellar foray (relative to his hurdling career!) over the chase course and has the advantage of previous course form (unlike Sam Spinner who has done his winning on flat courses)

Wholestone has an abundance of course form and has never been unplaced here on 7 appearances – he loves this ground too

STAYERS’ HURDLE
WIN	Yanworth
Each Way	Wholestone

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16:10  BROWN ADVISORY & MERRIEBELLE STABLE PLATE CHASE

Venetia has won this race previously with a 50/1 shot and can do so again with a shorter priced runner in Willie Boy with Bryan Cooper booked for the ride and a nice light weight   

Viconte Du Noyer has had a wind op since last seen and can pick them off at the end – Robbie Power is a significant jockey booking (27% in chases here)

Shanahan’s Turn is another Tizzard runner who has had a wind op (bulk discount from the vet that day?) who has a Galway Plate win under his girth.  2 miles last time on his first appearance for his new trainer was too short

BROWN ADVISORY & MERRIEBELLE STABLE PLATE CHASE
WIN	Willie Boy
Each Way	Viconte Du Noyer
Each Way	Shanahan’s Turn

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16:50  MARES’ NOVICES’ HURDLE

Laurina is hot favourite and Willie Mullins is not at all shabby with his girls here but I believe Maria’s Benefit has been overlooked for this reason.  She has won her last 5 starts and the stable is in excellent form right now

Cap Soleil has won on heavy and will be game as you like up the hill

MARES’ NOVICES’ HURDLE
WIN	Maria’s Benefit
Each Way	Cap Soleil

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17:30  FULKE WALWYN KIN MUIR CHALLENGE CUP AMATEUR RIDERS’ CHASE

Squouateur is another who has had a wind op since last seeing a racecourse and needs this test of stamina to show his best.  Jockey Jamie Codd has won 4 of the past 10 runnings

The Young Master can be capable if the mood takes him (he’s a sulker) and is back down to a winning mark . He has won here before and loves the mud

MARES’ NOVICES’ HURDLE
WIN	Squouateur
Each Way	The Young Master

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