Best Of Bets

Author: Ashley Symonds

  • Irish Grand National Weekend: Ante-post analysis

    Irish Grand National Weekend: Ante-post analysis

    For the opening week of my ante-post column for BestofBets.com, I’m happy with how things turned out with the Irish Grand National just around the corner.

    Saga wasn’t declared – but if anyone followed me on my Twitter (@ASymondsJourno) they would have found the Lincoln winner with Migration -, Sleeping Lion ran okay but couldn’t get past fifth, and Fast Response, put up at 12/1, went off the 4/1 joint-favourite and finished second to Vadream.

    All in all, a fair weekend.

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    With this in mind, while many will be on Easter egg hunts all weekend, I have been on the hunt for a few ante-post winners and I have a few horses leading the line.

    However, I did take a deep look into all of the action over on the latest Only Fools Love Horses video, which was sponsored by BestofBets.com.

    So, let’s dive in.

     

    All hail the King

    HORSE: King Of Bavaria

    RACE: tote World Pool Scottish Sprint Cup (Saturday, 3:00)

    PRICE: 12/1

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    This is a very nice race and I’ve had to wait until Wednesday to pull the trigger as he was entered for the all-weather finals at Newcastle, however, connections have not declared him, and it looks like they are set to run him on the turf up at Musselburgh instead.

    With 6-10mm of rain predicted across Wednesday and Thursday, the already Good to Soft ground could end up being soft by the time racing starts.

    With that in mind, KING OF BAVARIA looks to be unexposed off a mark of 97 for Michael Appleby.

    The former Aidan O’Brien gelding was a $300,000 yearling and sold to Craig & Laura Buckingham for one-sixth of that price four months ago.

    For the master of Ballydoyle, he won his first two starts on the track on soft ground and ran a good race in defeat when looking a bit green in the Listed Committed Stakes at Navan behind New York City, Cadamosto, and Straight Answer, all horses who are rated between 105 and 110.

    Following an average autumn in handicaps over in Ireland and one appearance in the Group 3 Renaissance Stakes, he moved over to the UK this winter.

    Two conservative runs at Southwell and Lingfield preceded a nice run over six furlongs last time out at Newcastle off Saturday’s handicap mark and a return to five furlongs on turf should see him at his best.

    For reference, he won a Naas handicap on heavy ground on his second start off a two-pound lower mark and he looked impressive then, so for this former 105-rated gelding, I hope he can be competitive on Saturday.

     

    Grand price in the National

    HORSE: Champagne Platinum

    RACE: Boylesports Irish Grand National

    PRICE: 33/1

    There are two horses heading my fancies for the Irish National, both at varying ends of the handicap.

    The main selection is CHAMPAGNE PLATINUM for Enda Bolger in the famous green and gold silks of JP McManus.

    Having finished a staying-on eighth last year off a three-pound lower mark, this nine-year-old ran a super race behind a trio of Gigginstown horses in the Grand National Trial at Punchestown in February.

    The ground is set to be very testing at the Irish track on Monday and this gelding has good form in softer conditions having finished second to Death Duty last year off a one-pound higher mark after beating Ain’t That A Shame, the now 146-rated horse, in a beginners’ chase the start before.

    All of the reasons mentioned above would point to a big run, it’s a competitive race, but I’m willing to side with the gallant grey for the €500,000 contest.

    However, flying the flag for the British in the race, 25/1 about ROYALE PAGAILLE is extremely interesting to me.

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    What are the defining factors that this Venetia Williams-trainer nine-year-old needs? A marathon trip. Check. Bottomless ground. Check. A handicap. Check.

    Believe it or not, Royale Pagaille’s official mark of 160 is his lowest handicap rating for two years and having bolted up in the 2022 Peter Marsh Handicap Chase on soft ground off 163, he looks to be well-in.

    A 16-length victory in the 2021 renewal of the formerly mentioned Peter Marsh off just a four-pound lower rating on heavy ground also reads extremely well and he holds a 100% record in handicaps, a stat that not many horses can reel off.

    I wouldn’t put anyone off backing both horses each way at 33/1 and 25/1 respectively, and the more I look at it, the more I’m getting excited about the latter.

  • Lincoln Handicap Weekend: Ante-post analysis

    Lincoln Handicap Weekend: Ante-post analysis

    Hello all!

    For those of you who may have missed this, I began writing for BestofBets just before and during the Cheltenham Festival, and having put on a flawless display of handicap fancies throughout the week (they all lost), Bestofbets has brought me back to redeem myself with my weekly column previewing the weekend’s racing from an ante-post perspective.

    Now, in my defense, four of the horses picked up each-way money with online bookmakers, but still, a disappointing effort nonetheless at jump racing’s Olympics.

    And what a week to bring me back as it’s the start of the flat season proper with Doncaster’s Lincoln Handicap taking centre stage.

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    I can’t wait for the flat season, not because I hate the jumps (I am actually a jumps man through and through), but as with every new season, the excitement of seeing what these horses can do on the big stage is a feeling that can’t quite be described.

    So, without any more delay, here are three horses I’m keen on for the Lincoln weekend beginning Saturday, April 1st.

     

    Quick into stride

    HORSE: Fast Response

    RACE: Pertemps Network Cammidge Trophy Stakes (3:00 Doncaster)

    PRICE: 14/1 with William Hill

    It’s only taken me until the third race of the turf season to nail my colours to the mast and those colours happen to be the black and white of Nick Bradley Racing as FAST RESPONSE is of good interest to me.

    The four-year-old Fast Company offspring is one of three fillies in the line-up, so she receives a five-pound allowance from the boys, however, having won a Listed race after August 31st, 2022, she has a three-pound penalty on top of that.

    Looking closer at her last run, she was very good on heavy ground over course and distance to win by two lengths.

    She was officially nine pounds wrong at the weights the third, Art Power, and 12 pounds wrong with Commanche Falls, the fifth who reappears here, because of her three-year-old and fillies allowances.

    She has yet to lose on ground slower than soft from her four runs in the conditions with one of those occurring on just her second start, a Winsdor maiden over six furlongs when she beat El Bodegon, now trained by Chris Waller, who was a Grade 1-winning juvenile.

    All form points to her and at 14/1, I will be siding with her.

     

    For King and country in the feature

    HORSE: Saga

    RACE: Pertemps Network Lincoln Handicap (3:35 Doncaster)

    PRICE: 14/1 with William Hill

    John & Thady Gosden’s SAGA is a horse I have had a mixed relationship with over the last season as I was an unfortunate backer of his when he was second by a head in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot last year.

    It maybe wasn’t Frankie Dettori’s finest ride that day, but he was still brandished with an eight-pound hike in the weights for his next run, the Porsche Handicap, where he was eighth.

    Following a mediocre Clipper Logistics run and a promising run behind Algiers, the now Dubai World Cup runner-up, at York in October, the four-year-old is now down to a mark of 102 and has the brilliant Benoit De La Sayette claiming three pounds off his back, so on Saturday, he will effectively only be two pounds higher than his Royal Ascot second.

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    The softer conditions at Doncaster for the Lincoln may not be to his absolute liking, but the team at Clarehaven Stables in Newmarket has given him a gelding operation over the winter and his form from last season to run into three eventual Guineas winners in Maljoom, Coroebus, and Modern Games reads very well.

    I’ll be in his camp for the feature.

    However, and this is a big however, if ISLA KAI gets into the race (he currently needs nine to come out ahead of him to get a run) then I will also be backing him.

    He loves softer conditions and is down to a mark of 92 – he is good first time out and if he gets a run, 40/1 is massive about this Nigel Tinkler five-year-old.

    If he doesn’t get a run, he will most likely take in the Spring Mile (the Lincoln consolation race) earlier on the card and I will be backing him for that race as soon as markets open after declarations.

     

    All-weather action

    HORSE: Sleeping Lion

    RACE: Racing TV Queen’s Prize Handicap (3:15 Kempton)

    PRICE: 12/1

    My final thoughts come from the decent action at Kempton on the all-weather and SLEEPING LION looks to have a good chance off a mark of 99.

    This eight-year-old beat Roberto Escobar, Nayef Road, and Earlofthecotswolds last year in an All-Weather Championship Qualifier over course and distance when wrong at the weights with Nayef Road by nine pounds and Roberto Escobar by five pounds.

    Harry & Roger Charlton’s gelding had a good reappearance at Kempton last month to blow the cobwebs off when he wasn’t fancied so back into handicap company off 99, I think he has the chance of running a big race.

  • Galopin De ‘Champion’ in Gold Cup

    Galopin De ‘Champion’ in Gold Cup

    A new age of staying chasers has been cast on horse racing as Galopin Des Champs put in a superb display of equine brilliance to land the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday.

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    Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old locked horns with King George-winner Bravemansgame up the famous Cheltenham hill in the blue-ribboned event, but it was the younger competitor who came out on top in a classic renewal of the £625,000 event.

    Having infamously fallen at the final fence in last year’s Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Chase when clear favourite, something that was described as a “fright” by jockey Paul Townend, Galopin Des Champs built on his Irish Gold Cup victory from last month on the biggest stage of them all, running to a ‘Racing Post Rating’ of 184 and being given Timeform rating of 181.

    “We elected him as our Gold Cup horse where as Al Boum Photo sort of happened,” explained Mullins. “With this fellow we thought he was good enough and that puts you under pressure until the actual day when it has happened and now it has happened.”

    “I didn’t realise what pressure I was under. I’m absolutely delighted for Audrey and Greg Turley and for Paul (Townend), who was under huge pressure to, but he gave him a peach of a ride. He had the confidence to drop him in and come through.

    “I just said to him I think you are on the best horse and the fastest horse so as long as he doesn’t get running with you. He said he will tuck him in somewhere and put him to sleep and he did.

    “It just worked out and he give him a brilliant cool ride. We thought that (it was going to be a true test) as everyone was questioning his stamina.”

    It wasn’t all plain sailing for the clear odds-against favourite on the day, however, as he was out of rhythm in the early stages of the race and he dragged his hind legs through a few fences.

    Legendary jockey AP McCoy described the ride Paul Townend gave the Galopin Des Champs as “brilliant a ride as I have ever seen” on ITV Racing and the winning rider had similar comments to share regarding the difficulty of the race.

    “It was messy for me – I couldn’t get a clean passage early, and he started jumping in the air a little bit, but when I got a bit of room, in fairness to him he came back into a rhythm with me and was very, very brave,” the Irish champion jockey said.

    “I think he got me out of a fair hole, to be honest – I was a lot further back than I wanted to be, but it was just the ride I had to give him.

    “He missed one of the fences coming down the hill, and I thought that was going to put me on the back foot a bit again, but no, straight back on the bridle for me. I don’t think the horse understands how good he is, to be honest.

    “I was happy that when I grabbed hold of him and he picked up for me again, got straight at the last and galloped all the way up the hill and through the line. There’s no doubting his stamina now, anyway.

    “He’s matured, he’s grown up, he’s a bit older, a bit wiser [than last year], and I suppose he surprised me how well he settled the first day [his seasonal debut] at Punchestown, and then going to Leopardstown, I was half-afraid to light him up to see what would happen, but I did away from the stands that day and he came back underneath me after a big jump, so he’s just the full package now.”

    Friday’s success adds to the victories in 2019 and 2020 with Al Boum Photo for the ‘Master of Closutton’ and he feels there could be some more improvement to come from the hugely exciting Galopin Des Champs, as he said: “I think so (on seeing more improvement) as he is only seven and horses do improve until they are eight or nine – I’d like to think there is a little bit of improvement there.”

    As for the second, Bravemansgame, he truly lived up to his name as he was a willing partner in what will be known as a classic duel between two masterful horses.

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    Despite finishing second, trainer Paul Nicholls was extremely pleased with the effort, as he said: “What can you say, I’m just super proud of him and everything went right. He jumped well and he travelled well and I could just see Galopin stalking him a little bit. We wouldn’t do any different.

    “I hate coming second, you know me, but I can’t be anything but proud of the horse. He ran a blinding race and we’ll give it another go next year.

    “We’ll see about Aintree – he had a hard race – and the only places he’ll run are Punchestown and Aintree, but we’ll play it by ear and see how he is. If he didn’t run again this season it wouldn’t be the end of the world, but he’s only run once since Christmas so we could go to Aintree.

    “He’s a young horse, so three or four runs a year is plenty and if we don’t run again we’ll go Charlie Hall, King George and again here next year.”

  • Cheltenham Gold Cup Day Handicaps

    Cheltenham Gold Cup Day Handicaps

    It’s the final day of the greatest show in the world and the Cheltenham Gold Cup takes centre stage in a week that has seen incredible performances, heartfelt stories, and joyous crowd affection.

    And if you still need some help with those pesky handicaps on the final day of the Festival, Ash Symonds of Bestofbets is here to help.

    FRIDAY – County Handicap Hurdle

    The County Hurdle is a race I struggle to work out sometimes – last year I couldn’t see the obvious staring me right in the face and even before that I missed the train Dan Skelton of winners.

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    Skelton has a nice hand with Pembroke this year, certainly a horse that fits the progressive style, and has course form.

    However, I’d be willing to take a different British horse with a similar profile, and that would be GIN COCO at 10/1. This is a horse I have liked since last season having finished second at the Punchestown Festival in April 2022.

    Since then, an easy novice hurdle win in October started his season well, but it’s his Greatwood Hurdle second that really took me back.

    Personally, I didn’t like his trip through the Greatwood – he was a bit too far back, was rushed along (using up plenty of energy) down the Cheltenham hill, and had to come wide around I LIKE TO MOVE IT, a horse who has since won the Kingwell Hurdle and improved 15 pounds, when trying to make his winning run.

    I think when ridden a touch more prominently on the new course, which should suit a tonne better, he could be very dangerous.

    I’ll also give a shout to another British runner in the field and that’s MILKWOOD for Neil Mulholland.

    This is simply because he is handicapped to be very competitive based on his old form.

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    Let me read you off a list: he was third in the 2021 renewal of this race off 140, won the Scottish Champion Hurdle off 142, was second in a Galway Hurdle off 147 to the very good Saldier, and was second in the most recent Welsh Champion Hurdle off 148.

    Following a fairly average run in the Elite Hurdle in November and a decent performance over the wrong trip in February off the back of a 102-day break, the handicapper has given Milkwood a chance off 141 in this year’s County Hurdle, a race that doesn’t look to have a standout performer.

    He is a fiercely good traveler into his races and Mulholland is a brilliant target trainer, so if he continues to run in this rich vein of form, he could be right there at 33/1.

    And to complete the trio of County Hurdle horses, it could be a first Festival success for trainer Richard Spender as at 20/1, WONDERWALL could cause a small upset.

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    His bumper form with Knappers Hill from December 202 reads very well and he was seven seventh in the 2021 Champion Bumper behind Sir Gerhard.

    Fast forward to January 2022 and he beat City Chief while showing plenty of speed at Doncaster and was running a very good race behind Elle Est Belle a month later at Huntington before falling.

    Following a respectable effort behind Sebastopol and Stage Star, the now Turners Novices Chase winner, at Newbury over fences, he returns back to two miles and hurdles off a mark of 134.

    He could be very dangerous if on song at a course he shouldn’t have any issues with.

     

    FRIDAY – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle

    The Martin Pipe. The race that caused a mass sing-song before flag fall 12 months ago, and the final piece of the puzzle for Ireland to complete their clean sweep on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival last year.

    The horse who has been at the top of my list for a while is IMAGINE for Gordon Elliott, a trainer who loves to have a winner in this race.

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    The five-year-old Montmartre gelding has been running into nice horses all season: Hunters Yarn and Inothewayurthinkin are the main two. The former is a Supreme hope for Willie Mullins and Imagine actually reversed the form with the latter on his most recent start.

    Coming into this race off a British mark of 139, Elliott highlighted this horse as one of his main handicap fancies of the week at the recent Cheltenham Festival Handicap Weights Lunch, so at 6/1, he has all the capabilities to go close.

    His stable and owner mate FIRM FOOTINGS could be the one overpriced at 20/1 in the field.

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    Having run into Deep Cave and Grangeclare West this season, the British handicapper has left him on a mark of 134 which could be very lenient.

    He won over the wrong distance last time out and a return to 2m4f should suit well with the mustard Shane Fitzgerald on board to do the steering.

  • Henry de Bromhead glory at Cheltenham Festival

    Henry de Bromhead glory at Cheltenham Festival

    Three is the magic number for Envoi Allen as the nine-year-old comfortably took the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival for Henry de Bromhead.

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    The former Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Champion Bumper winner had finished 51 lengths behind Bravemansgame in the King George at Christmas, however, the fan-favourite bounced back to form on Thursday to take secure his eighth Grade 1 contest.

    The victory gave trainer de Bromhead his third winner of the week following success with Honeysuckle on day one and Maskada on day two.

    “I kept saying it to Richard (Thompson, owner) that he was good as he was before going to Kempton (for the King George) and I was really happy with him but he just never showed up,” explained the Gold Cup-winning trainer.

    “I had three, A Plus Tard, himself, and Arctic Bresil that came over here (earlier in the season) and they were all disappointing, but he was in such good form at home (ahead of today) and everyone was delighted with him – I was hoping he would put his best foot forward and he duly did.”

    The future is still very much open as to what they do with Envoi Allen next, as he continued: “I’m not sure what we do – he stayed three miles and the Gold Cup is the race. I’d say if A Plus Tard wasn’t in it, he would have possibly run in it, but we will see what we do next and just enjoy today.”

    The day of surprises continued into the following race as two-time Cheltenham Festival winner Sire Du Berlais returned to his glorious self and won the Grade 1 Stayers’ Hurdle.

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    He beat Dashel Drasher by just under a length, however, the placings between the second and third were reversed after the stewards’ deemed there to have been an interference between the third-placed Teahupoo, who went off as the 9/4 favourite.

    “We were kind of training him for the Pertemps but he came over here to qualify and for some reason, he didn’t run,” said owner JP McManus. “I don’t think he travelled over well or something so Gordon didn’t run him and as a result, he has ended up in the Stayers’ Hurdle. I thought he had a little chance.

    “I’ve not had too many 33/1 winners old but old Creon (2004 Pertemps Final 50/1) won at a big price and Kadoun (2006 Pertemps Final 50/1) but this one I’m afraid went unbacked but still we will just enjoy it just the same.

    “You better ask somebody else why he is so good around Cheltenham and Gordon has done some job on him.”

    Despite a 5-2 thrashing from the Irish on the day, British champion trainer Paul Nicholls began the day in flying form by landing the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Chase with Stage Star for the Owners Group and jockey Harry Cobden.

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    The success was Nicholls’ first win in three renewals of the Festival and he enjoyed every minute of the race, as he said: “We’ve had a great time here over the years but it is hard to get those horses back but we are building them up again.

    “We have got heaps like him to come through and I think the next few years will be positive. It is hard to win here and we haven’t got the numbers the Irish trainers have and we are up against it all the time but we can only do our best.

    “I thought travelling into the straight he was going well and I knew what Harry (Cobden) was doing but to go and win like that from a horse that we started in bumpers, which is a new thing we do to bring horses through, was fantastic. It is good for everybody at home and Harry.

    “He will be aiming for the Ryanair next year and that is what I’ve always thought – he would get three miles but he has got plenty of boot and he jumps well – but I was always hoping he might be a Ryanair horse after his last run but he had to win today to be a Ryanair horse.”

    The only other British winner on the day came through Jamie Snowden’s You Wear It Well in the Grade 2 Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, a horse that Snowden admitted he was looking forward to running and she duly obliged for connections.

    A tilt at the Mares’ Hurdle next year could be on the cards, as he said: “We have followed the Love Envoi route so far, Honeysuckle is retiring, and she is going to want a trip.

    “She will jump a fence in time – she jumps great – but we will enjoy today and see where we go.”

  • Cheltenham Festival: Day three handicaps

    Cheltenham Festival: Day three handicaps

    We are past the halfway stage and Ash Symonds has taken a look at the three handicap races on the Thursday of the Cheltenham Festival for Bestofbets.

    THURSDAY – Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle

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    I’m with the British in this race as I think Nicky Henderson could be starting off the day extremely well.

    WALKING ON AIR (10/1) was my Ballymore horse last season from an ante-post perspective before being ruled out of the race – a disappointment at Aintree at the end of the season and two further poor performances in December this season had me questioning whether he was as good as I once thought.

    However, his victory in a Pertemps Qualifier at Exeter on his last run was extremely good – Nico de Boinville was virtually hands-and-heels on him after the last and the handicapper has only given him a five-pound penalty, a lenient one in my books, so I think he could be one to look forward to next season, and he has a great chance in this year’s Pertemps.

    I’d also give a small shout to LEVEL NEVERENDING and HECTOR JAVILEX at two bigger prices.

    The former is 20/1 with William Hill and was a good staying-on third at Warwick in the Pertemps Qualifier and was just behind Perceval Legallois in a 2m4f maiden hurdle 11 months ago, some people’s idea of the winner in this race before connections decided not to declare him.

    As for the latter, he bolted up over course and distance on soft ground on New Year’s Day and got himself qualified by finishing fourth last time out – Charlie Longsdon thinks this is his best chance of the week and he could hit the frame at 16/1 with William Hill.

    THURSDAY – Plate Handicap Chase

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    We move on to one of my favourite handicap races of the week, the Festival Plate Handicap Chase.

    I have just one Irish horse on my radar this year and it’s MARVEL DE CERISY at 16/1 with William Hill.

    This six-year-old is one of the most unexposed horses in the line-up if you can forgive his 47-length defeat at Fairyhouse in December, he has to be right there.

    He started the calendar year of 2022 by finishing second in a big field maiden hurdle to the now 149-rated Meet And Greet by three lengths before bolting up by 19 lengths on his next start.

    On his first start over fences, he was set to be the runner-up to Impervious at Wexford on heavy ground before falling at the last, something he quickly put behind him by gliding home on his next start to beat the nifty Aarons Day.

    If he can bounce back at a distance he seems to relish, he can be very competitive off 142 for Henry de Bromhead having been given a break of 85 days to freshen him up.

    THURSDAY – Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase

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    There’s a horse at the top of the market I like for the Kim Muir, and it’s my first Willie Mullins horse.

    I will be taking a chance on MR INCREDIBLE off top weight as I believe he is one of the most unexposed horses in the line-up.

    He has had a weird season so far having been brought down in the Paddy Power Chase when well-backed to 7/1 at the fifth fence two starts ago – before that, he pulled himself up at Tramore in April and refused to race in the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase in December 2021.

    However, on his most recent start in the Warwick Classic Chase, he was staying on extremely well behind Iwilldoit and finished just three lengths away off a mark of 142 – now rated 145, Mullins believes he could be a Grand National horse, and if they decide to send him to the Kim Muir, he will be a horse carrying my money.

  • Back-to-back Champion Chases for Willie Mullins

    Back-to-back Champion Chases for Willie Mullins

    The Willie Mullins show rolled into Cheltenham Racecourse on Wednesday as the Irish champion trainer landed a 7/1 Grade 1 double.

    The best of all came in the feature event of the day as Energumene became the 11th horse to win back-to-back Queen Mother Champion Chases under an ecstatic Paul Townend.

    A bet of £400,000 was placed on the nine-year-old with Star Sports Bookmaker at odds of 7/5, winning the punter £580,000 once the Tony Bloom-owned gelding crossed the winning line.

    Post-race, Mullins shared that he was confident coming into the contest, as he said: “Paul came home from the Clarence House and said they won’t beat us again. The horse’s work and jumping and everything has been brilliant and we were just keeping our fingers crossed for a clear round.

    “I was way more confident coming into this year’s race as we hadn’t got Shishkin to take on and we thought if there was any improvement from the Clarence House that with hopefully with a clear round he would win.”

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    Similar excitement was shared by Townend, who said: “That was easy, to be honest. I got in a lovely rhythm on him, after the first two fences he was taking them on, he was quick at them, and it was simple – it was just a matter of keeping him in a rhythm after that.

    “He allowed me to ride him more forward [than in the Clarence House Chase] because he took on his fences better today. Looser ground probably helped as well and played a factor in it, but he was just more forward. He felt a different horse today.”

    However, Energumene’s success over two miles in the Champion Chase was not the first time the ‘master of Closutton’ had been talking to journalists, as he had been tipping his hat to the fans two hours earlier following Impaire Et Passe’s success in the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.

    With a quizzical look on his face, the most-winning Cheltenham Festival trainer in history is already looking towards the future, as he said: “I’m looking at him as a chaser; you have to ask yourself now, do you stay hurdling? What would you do?

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    “The change of pace down to the last and up the hill – wow. I think that was the horse’s fourth run in his life, so there’s a huge improvement there.

    “You have to look at everything, including the Champion Hurdle. Yesterday I was telling Michael Buckley, we’ll have to go shopping again to find one to beat you [Constitution Hill], but maybe we haven’t yet!

    “He’s in the same sort of mold with his speed, jumping and the way he came up the hill, so maybe we have one.”

    Impaire Et Passe went off as the 5/2 second favourite and it looked like it was going to be two from two for the well-backed horses at the start of the day, however, The Real Whacker bravely fended off the challenge of the favourite Gerri Colombe to win the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase.

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    It was a fantastic result at the home of jump racing and the crowd loved the game performance, none more so than joint-owner David Mann, who said: “My heart is pounding and my stomach is all over the place. I can’t believe we have had this winner. It is the best day of my life.

    “To come here in November and have a winner was so unreal, to come here New Year’s Day and do it was great. Everybody knows I suppose the king of the crop is the big festival meeting which is today.

    “Sam Twiston-Davies gave him such a great ride and we are so proud of the team, especially Paddy Neville who came over from Ireland two years ago.

    “He is one of my best friends that I grew up with in the same village in Ireland. Paddy has done so much and brought this horse on.”

    Fast forwarding to the final race of the day, it was a tale of two Johns in the Grade 1 Champion Bumper as 18-year-old John Gleeson produced a brilliant ride onboard A Dream To Share for 85-year-old John Kiely.

    Having burst onto the scene at the Dublin Racing Festival following two victories in summer bumpers, the Brucetown Farms Ltd-bred five-year-old powered up the famous Cheltenham hill to please the remaining crowd at Prestbury Park.

    “It’s like a dream and I can’t believe it and even being at the Festival is just unreal,” smiled Gleeson. “It’s very special as we’re a small team at home, but we try our best to get to the next stage and to win.

    “I can’t believe it – I’ve been going to John’s with dad for as long as I can remember really, he’s 10 minutes up the road from us and I ride out this horse every day before going to school. He’s very special.”

  • Constitution Hill Roars To Success At Cheltenham

    Constitution Hill Roars To Success At Cheltenham

    Constitution Hill Roars To Success At An Unforgettable Cheltenham Festival

    The stars aligned perfectly on day one of the Cheltenham Festival as Constitution Hill bounded up the famous hill to land the prestigious Champion Hurdle.

    Last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner was priced at 1/3 with William Hill before the off and despite having to face the four-time Grade 1 winner State Man, Nicky Henderson’s six-race unbeaten gelding won by nine lengths.

    On what was a memorable day in the history of Prestbury Park, the master trainer was full of emotion after the success.

    “It is an extraordinary thing to happen but he is an extraordinary horse,” said Henderson. “He is a freak. I said to Nico let’s keep it as simple as you possibly can, and he did.

    “I’ve watery eyes, I always have had and I always will have but that would bring a tear to most eyes when you see a horse quite like that as I think that is pretty unique.

    “That is only the sixth race of his life and he is doing that now. We have had some wonderful days with Sprinter Sacre in particular. This horse is going to extraordinary levels at the moment and we are lucky to be the custodian of him but a lot of responsibility goes with it.”

    The wide-margin victory was perfectly facilitated by jockey Nico de Boinville as his hands and heels ride after the final turn was all that was needed to collect his first Champion Hurdle title, adding to his successes in the Gold Cup and Champion Chase.

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    “He could do anything – I’m sure we will try him over a fence at some point. I guess we don’t want to pigeonhole him just as a hurdler; he could be anything.

    “I think he’d be good over a fence. As racing fans, that’s what we want to see. I find in recent years horses have tended to get pigeon-holed too much, bar Faugheen. It could be interesting, and he’s still so young.

    “It was all very smooth today. You saw him – as soon as he got to the front, he pricked his ears and said, ‘come on, let’s go, go and do the business.’. He’s so straightforward and these Blue Bresils, they seem to bring that element of attitude to the game. He takes it all in his stride – he’s so relaxed.”

    The fairytale continued into the following race, the Mares’ Hurdle, as two-time Champion Hurdle winner Honeysuckle made it four Festival wins in a row under her regular rider, Rachael Blackmore.

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    In what was one of the best atmospheres ever experienced around the hallowed parade ring of Prestbury Park, the nine-year-old mare returned to a sea of cheers, blue scarves, and smiling faces.

    Post-race, an ecstatic and emotional Henry de Bromhead said: “It’s just incredible. I am just so happy for the mare, for Rachael, and for all of us.

    “You dream of the fairytale ending, but so often it doesn’t happen – this is what she deserves and she is just an unbelievable mare, and I’m just delighted.

    “I think in fairness, we’ve obviously had a terrible year with Jack and everything, and just the support people have given us has been amazing. Today, most of the cheers are for Honey, because she has been so unbelievable, but everyone has shown us so much support.”

    Elsewhere on Champions Day, Irish claimer Michael O’Sullivan ended the day as the leading rider following his two winners on Jazzy Matty in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle and, most importantly, Marine Nationale in the opening contest of the week, the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

    “I’ve been riding in races since I was very young so I’ve plenty of experience and I’m confident enough in my own ability without being over-confident and I’m riding good horses for good people and that makes it a lot easier,” chuckled O’Sullivan.

    “I suppose it is hard to appreciate it and it is hard to be topped but I’m enjoying every minute of it. I was coming here with a good book of rides and to win the first one takes the pressure off.”

    Cheltenham Festival’s most-winning trainer Willie Mullins walked away from day one with a double in two Graded contests thanks to El Fabiolo in the Arkle and Gaillard Du Mesnil in the National Hunt Chase, while the Ultima Handicap Chase was won for the second year in a row by Corach Rambler.

    Immediately following the Arkle, joint-owner Isaac Souede shared that he believes this horse can go onto big heights in the future.

    “Willie [Mullins] thinks he’s got great potential so in Willie we trust – he’s a very athletic horse!

    “I think it is a step up from his Irish Arkle win because the competition, as hard as it was in Leopardstown, was harder here. I think he is a bit of an underrated jumper, but he likes to give you at least one scare!”

    These comments were shared by Mullins who has some huge targets for the future.

    “He looks like a horse who could be Champion Chase material, so that’s where we are going to aim him anyhow.

    “He’s improving and he has less experience than the other horses in the race and he’s open to more improvement.”

  • Festival Focus: Cheltenham Day Two Handicaps

    Festival Focus: Cheltenham Day Two Handicaps

    The second day of the Cheltenham Festival is for the two-mile chasers as the Champion Chase takes centre stage at 15:30.

    Wednesday also sees the Grand Annual immediately follow over the same course and distance, a race that is the second handicap of the day thanks to the ultra-competitive Coral Cup earlier in the card.

    Therefore, BestOfBets has taken a look through both races to try and find a few interesting fancies.

    WEDNESDAY – Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle 

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    Difficult. Very difficult. 

    The first horse that stands out is BEACON EDGE for Noel Meade in the famous Giggingstown House Stud silks at 12/1 with William Hill. 

    Since his Grade 1 Drinmore Novices’ Chase victory nine starts ago, the nine-year-old has had a tough time of things in Graded company having failed to finish in the places in five of his last six starts. 

    However, since returning to hurdles, he ran a great race behind Blazing Khal, the now Stayers’ Hurdle favourite, in the Grade 2 Boyne Hurdle last time out, and the British handicapper has only brandished him with an extra two pounds for the run.  

    For a horse who was a close third to Honeysuckle in the 2020 Hatton’s Grace Hurdle in November 2020, he can be competitive off a mark of 147 on his first handicap attempt. 

    Of the rest, I am again sticking with the Irish here as both TAX FOR MAX and THE VERY MAN look to be very interesting.

    The former ran a good race behind Gaelic Warrior in the Liffey Handicap Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival but found a few horses too quick for him and this step up to 2m5f should suit very well.  

    As for the latter, he is relatively unexposed at this distance, having finished third to Darver Star, a 149-rated hurdler, in September 2022 when carrying 10 pounds less than the winner. 

    He was slightly disappointing in the Martin Pipe last season, however, he ran a great race in the ‘Up The Yard Challenge Race’ last time out at Punchestown, a race that isn’t in the formbook of this horse on the Racing Post, beating the nifty Scaramanga when giving away six pounds on the flat – Scaramanga is officially rated 147 by the British handicapper, so with The Very Man running off 139, he looks to be well handicapped, especially with seven-pound claimer Conor Smithers booked for the ride.

     

    WEDNESDAY – Grand Annual Handicap Chase 

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    We are three races into the handicap analysis and I am yet to fancy a British horse (apart from the mention of Cloudy Glen in the Ultima).  

    Does this change now?  

    YES! 

    Two horses are on my radar for the Grand Annual, and the first is trained by the very in-form David Pipe team who are running at a 26% strike rate at the time of writing. 

    I’m taking a big swing and hoping he returns back to form, but SIZING POTTSIE is a massive price at 25/1 with William Hill.

    Let’s get the negatives out of the way first: he has been soundly beaten on his last two starts in Graded company in both the Desert Orchid Chase and Clarence House Chase. In his most recent spin, he was held up right at the back alongside Edwardstone, tactics that have rarely seen him win in the past and this was a similar case in the Desert Orchid too. 

    Before that, he bolted up on stable debut in a novice hurdle at Ayr when well-fancied and he was only beaten by five lengths in the Listed Newton Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock in November – the winner of that race was Tahmuras, a Grade 1 winner in the Tolworth Hurdle and a general 10/1 shot for the Supreme.

    Harking back to his days with Jessica Harrington in Ireland, he was rated 155 at his peak when beating the likes of Master McShee, Entoucas (second in the 2021 Grand Annual), and Cut The Mustard, as well as holding solid form behind Melon, Energumene, and Captain Guinness (in a maiden hurdle). 

    The handicapper has given him a right chance off 140 having dropped him 15lbs from just three chase races. He may not be at his best anymore, but for this nine-year-old, I’m happy to take the chance off this rating.

    It wouldn’t be a handicap chase at Cheltenham without mentioning a Gordon Elliott runner and I think he could have a nice one in CALL ME LYREEN at 20/1 with William Hill.

    There was talk that this seven-year-old could have been heading to the Plate Handicap Chase instead, but it seems like connections have decided to come here.

    His form behind Visionarian from July has worked out very well and he was running two very good races behind much higher-rated horses in Kilarney and Listowel earlier this season before a terrible mistake hualted his progress.

    Off a workable 145 rating, he could be a potential Graded horse in a handicap if his race behind Kemboy and Easy Game, a contest he fell in when travelling ver well, is anything to go by.

  • Cheltenham Festival: Champion Hurdle Day handicap preview

    Cheltenham Festival: Champion Hurdle Day handicap preview

    The Cheltenham Festival. A place where dreams are made of and hopes are shattered on the floor. Seven races per day, four times over, all around the hallowed turf of Prestbury Park.

    Plenty of time is spent trying to work out the Championship races on each day, but throughout all the cards, the handicaps offer a brilliant stage for betting angles and each-way edges.

    To try and help guide you through each day of the Cheltenham Festival, Best Of Bets lists some of the key players in the handicaps on day one of horse racing’s Olympics.

    TUESDAY – Ultima Handicap Chase

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    Starting with the opening handicap race of the week, the Ultima, there are a few on my shortlist for the 3m1f contest.

    Firstly, I thought CLOUDY GLEN for Venetia Williams could outrun his odds at 20/1 with William Hill. This 10-year-old was second in the 2021 Kim Muir off a mark of 140, only five pounds below his current rating, in a race won by the very impressive Mount Ida. Two starts after that, he won the Ladbrokes Trophy Chase (old Hennessy) off the same mark in a tight finish with Fiddlerontheroof with the pair pulling 28 lengths clear of Brahma Bull in third.

    After that, he was disappointing in his next two starts before having a year-long lay-off and then he ran a great race to finish in the places at Haydock in the Grand National Trial last month. I think he can run a massive race off 145.

    However, the horse I’ll be hanging my hat on is THE GOFFER at 12/1 with William Hill for the Gordon Elliott stable.

    He’s only a six-year-old and has plenty of improvement about him. What’s interesting about him is that he won at the Dublin Racing Festival off a mark of 138 in early February, a rating that could have got him into the Kim Muir with a cracking chance even with the Irish tax applied to him by the British handicapper.

    However, connections decided to send him to the race on the last day, a contest he won, and now he’s rated 11lbs higher off a mark of 149. Now, that may be steep, but he collected victory over potentially the wrong trip and he was very good throughout. I think he is the classy horse of the race and potentially the one to beat.

    TUESDAY – Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

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    Sticking with the Irish, I am chancing Charles’ Byrnes’ BYKER in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle

    Coming into Sunday, I was all over Common Practice for Joseph O’Brien, however, he was the only horse not to be declared for the race, so I’ve had to switch it up a bit.

    Up four pounds from his official Irish mark, the four-year-old Le Havre gelding ran a great race to finish third on his last start behind Sir Allen at Naas in Febuary when giving away seven pounds.

    Now in handicap company, he is rated three pounds below the formerly mentioned Andrew Slattery-trained runner for just a two length defeat.

    He looks to move through his races very well and at 7/1 with William Hill, he looks like the most likely winner in my eyes.