Cheltenham 2014 - Day 3 & 4 Previews

In this final post of Cheltenham selections, I have shortened the previews a bit to squeeze in all the races on the remaining two days of the meeting as most of you will read this on Monday evening. Let's get straight on with it then!

Thursday:
JLT Novice Chase:

Taquin Du Seuil must go well

A very open race to start off the Thursday, and one that I don't have much of a view on at the moment. Taquin Du Seuil though is a horse I've liked for a long time and I'm sure he can run well for Jonjo O'Neill and AP McCoy at around the eight or nine to one mark. Sizing Gold is another that I think will appreciate the decent ground and the drop back to two and a half miles is a plus after being outstayed by Foxrock over three on heavy ground last time. He has also been given very positive mentions at many Irish Preview Nights by his trainer and jockey so at around 12's at the time of writing looks a fair each way play.

Pertemps Final:

Top Wood surprised in deep ground last time and should love conditions here

The Pertemps is a race that the Pipe team have won a couple of times in recent runnings with Buena Vista, and I think Top Wood can go well for them this time around. He won well at a big big price last time at Haydock off a break, but his winning form prior to that was on a sounder surface. At around 20/1, he can run a race, as will Trackmate for James Evans, a rapid improver on good ground over the last two summers and was a course and distance winner here in October. But as ever with this race, there are loads with chances so if you fancy one, stick with it and have a go.

Ryanair Chase:

Can Boston Bob score at Cheltenham for Willie Mullins?

To answer the question under the picture, I'd be surprised if he did feature after such a poor run in the Cleeve Hurdle in conditions that he should have loved. Benefficient will be hard to beat for me, although I do have a soft spot for Al Ferof. I'm never been sold on Dynaste that much but I do respect him without fearing him. If you want one at a big price, Medermit could go well for Alan King and Robert Thornton, a horse who was narrowly denied in this race and the Supreme Novice Hurdle in the past and at 33/1, you could do far worse than chuck a few quid each way on him.

World Hurdle:

Could At Fishers Cross (right) cause a bit of a shock

A brilliant race that divides opinion. Will Annie Power stay? Is Big Buck's the horse of old? How good is More Of That? Is At Fishers Cross going to jump well enough? Can Rule The World play a part? Whatever your opinion, it will be a fascinating race to watch unfold. Personally, after seeing Annie Power quicken so well at Doncaster, I'm slightly concerned she won't stay but I'm probably wrong. I think Big Buck's will take a heck of a lot of beating, and At Fishers Cross could certainly be a big threat for AP. The only horse I think is any value is Zarkandar each way, who is ultra consistent and is well worth a try at three miles on good ground. But regardless of who you have or haven't backed, this is a race to saviour and hopefully it will live long in the memory.

Byrne Group Plate:
I could only find one here, and that is John's Spirit, a good winner of the Paddy Power and Jonjo O'Neill will be desperate to win this race for Patsy Byrne, who was a big supporter and friend of his up until his death last summer.

Kim Muir:
Another race I don't really like so I'll stick with the favourite Indian Castle, an improving novice who is a very good jumper and heralds from a stable who target this race and have won it with former stable stars such as Cloudy Lane and Ballabriggs.

FRIDAY:

Triumph Hurdle:
A tough one to call, with no particular runner interesting me enough to have a bet as of yet. Pearl Castle was very impressive when I saw him two starts ago and I've liked Abbyssial in Ireland, but he isn't the number one Mullins runner.

County Hurdle:
Another Mullins runner drawing me in here in the shape of Blood Cotil who stayed on well in the Fred Winter last year from a long way back, and also caught the eye in midfield behind Gilgamboa last time. He can go well, together with Cheltenian who won the Bumper a few years ago and ran a screamer in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury last time.

Albert Bartlett:
A race I'm struggling to work out. I like King's Palace, and the fact he jumps so well will definitely help but there is no value in his price, neither is there with Briar Hill. Urban Hymn and Blakemount both finished very closely together at Doncaster, and I think the latter could go nicely at a price. If Rydon Pynes ran, I would have to back him and I think he could actually surprise a few at around 40/1.

Gold Cup:
It really is Bobs Worth's race to lose I think, unbeaten at Cheltenham and last year's winner and this years race looks slightly less deep in opposition so I think he will win. As for each way bets, The Giant Bolster and Teaforthree are both horses that I like, particularly the former who has a great Cheltenham record.

Foxhunters:
With no Salsify, this race is a bit more open than normal, and maybe the Brits can be victorious this time with Harbour Court for Alan Hill and James Tudor. He is a horse with a huge engine and with a previous win at Cheltenham. There is another British trained runner that I like, and that is Ockey De Neulliac, a horse who could go well at a really big price.

Martin Pipe:
Not a race that's easy to analyse at this point, but Calculated Risk has targeted this race and won well when last seen at Sedgefield.

Grand Annual:
This features my best value bet of the week with His Excellency, who was cruising when falling at three out in this last year off a 9lb higher mark. He had a very hard campaign last year, racing about 15 times, but this time he has only had five starts to this point, and off a mark of 142 and ten stone eight to carry, I think 20/1 represents very good value.

If you have any comments or feedback, either fill in the box below or tweet me @willbowler2k12.

Be lucky,
Will