Wednesday 4:00 > Cross Country Handicap Chase

[Aidymac]

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[Aidymac]

Re: Wednesday 4:00 > Cross Country Handicap Chase Glenfarclas Handicap Chase(CROSS COUNTRY) (2) 3m7f The obvious danger to all here is last years winner Big Shu who won the race by 4 lengths last year without ever being really challenged. If he is in the same sort of form this year he will be very hard to beat but it is very hard to come here two festivals in a row and win, especially over this marathon trip. The main British challenge is going to come in the form of Balthazar King and I think bookies could be under-estimating him at 6/1. He won this race in 2012 and has been thriving of late, he is a very gutsy horse and is hard to pass. I have sided with each-way bets on Uncle Junior and Sizing Australia though as they are both more than capable of running big races in familiar races for them. Uncle Junior - 1 Point each-way @ 20/1 Sky Bet Sizing Australia - 1 Point each-way @ 20/1 Bet365 Read Full Preview @ http://www.horse-racing.org/cross-country-chase-preview-the-race-can-go-back-to-the-irish-once-again

[smith17]

Re: Wednesday 4:00 > Cross Country Handicap Chase 4.00 Cheltenham: Balthazar King, 6/1 >BetVictor, win Balthazar King won this race in 2012. He also won over c&d back in November. He hasn't run since then but his record going fresh is great so that won't be a problem. He loves these cross country races and he loves Cheltenham so, although he is carrying top weight, he should be involved at the end. The ground is ideal. Trainer Philip Hobbs has a decent record at Cheltenham and Richard Johnson is in the saddle.

[Binchy]

Re: Wednesday 4:00 > Cross Country Handicap Chase Based on the trends, 10pts win on Balthazar King @ 5/1 and 5pts e/w on Sizing Australia @ 20/1.

[ExpectTheUnexpected]

Re: Wednesday 4:00 > Cross Country Handicap Chase Perhaps not my most inspired shout of the week, but i'm in agreement with others here regarding Balthazar King. Had a couple jumping errors last time around the course, but still won comfortably enough and found plenty coming up the hill having been slightly pressed by Uncle Junior. He strikes me as a horse that's easy to draw alongside but hard to pass, and in a stamina event like this that's valuable. Also, the presence of Richard Johnson is a big plus and, at the risk of being over-confident or putting a hex on it, he's probably one of the best jockeys on the go, let alone the best that rides in this. Big Shu seems to head the Irish field though having not seen him this year, i'm reluctant to pass comment on his chance. However, he did win this last year off a much lower mark, and will probably have had to develop over summer. With stablemate Love Rory beating him in the same event(who had a run under his belt at the time), I'm unconvinced he will have come on enough. Star Neuville represents the biggest danger to home prospects for me, this being the second run after a breathing op and by all accounts having run like he'd benefit from the outing last time. As an aside, I'm very much in love with the race, despite the critics that say it needs scrapped. Uncle Junior I consider to be past his best, although does like Cheltenham, and Any Currency is a horse that has always lacked a turn of foot of any description. If however I only wanted a place bet, Any Currency would probably be my pick and i'd look to him staying on dourly past beaten horses to the end.

[Lodge]

Re: Wednesday 4:00 > Cross Country Handicap Chase Had a small play on Diamond Harry @ 25/1. Won a Hennesey off 156 back in 2010 and gets into this of 133. Decent re-appearance in when 4th over C&D beaten 10L by Balthazar King in November, did slip on the bend about 3 out and has a swing in the weights with that rival so there is the possibility of reversing the places. In process of running good race in North Yorkshire national last time, and would have been atleast 2nd had he not fell. Likes Cheltenham, wears first time tongue tie and looks overpriced to me...

[ExpectTheUnexpected]

Re: Wednesday 4:00 > Cross Country Handicap Chase At last! Festival on! Clearly had to throw the teddies out the pram after the Coral Cup for the gambling gods to give me something.