All The Latest Ante Post News For Cheltenham

[BillyHills]

Min - Supreme Hurdle 

 

Willie Mullins was at it again today when he unleashed another young hurdler onto the Cheltenham Festival horizon.

 

Min the 4yo French import made his debut over timber today at Punchestown in the Festival Hospitality On Sale Maiden Hurdle and was very impressive when winning by 14 lengths.

 

He immediately received quotes varying from as low as 4/1 for the Supreme Novices Hurdle in March but can be backed at 7/1 with Paddy Power and Betway.

 

Supreme Hurdle: Min 7/1 Betway

[BillyHills]

 

Djakadam - Gold Cup

Although last Sundays John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown was only over 2m4f it still had a massive bearing on the much longer Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

 

Last season’s Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam made his seasonable debut and he couldn’t have been more impressive, he strolled home in emphatic fashion to beat his stable companion Valseur Lido by 12 lengths.

 

All the bookmakers were quick to react and his Gold Cup price varies from 6-1 to 8-1 being the best on offer with Paddy Power. Valseur Lido is 33/1 with Stan James for anyone interested.

 

Gold Cup: Djakadam 8/1 Paddy Power

 

[BillyHills]

Sire De Grugy - Champion Chase

 

Gary Moore’s Sire De Grugy was the hero of the hour as he won his second Tingle Creek after holding off a spirited Special Tiara by three-quarters of a length. The 11/4 favourite Vibrato Valtat was back in third a further seven lengths away.

 

The former Queen Mother Champion Chaser was immediately cut from into 16/1 with Betfred and Stan James for this years Festival after being freely available at double that price. Special Tiara remains a 25/1 chance with Betfred although he’s a lot shorter in places.

 

Champion Chase : Sire De Grugy 16/1 Betfred

[BillyHills]

Josies Orders - Cross Country Race

 

The 7yo trained by Cross Country specialist Enda Bolger was following up his victory here at the Paddy Power meeting in November and was again ridden by the superb Nina Carberry.

Owned by JP McManus, Josies Orders has now been promoted to the head of the market for the big one at the Festival and the best price on offer at the moment is 4/1 with Skybet.

Former favourite Any Currency was very disappointing today and was never really going at any stage, he faded tamely to finish 8^th and is now out to 10/1 with Stan James and has something to prove now and will be a 13yo by the time Cheltenham comes around again.

 

Cross Country Race:  Josies Orders 4/1 Skybet

[Smarty72]

Skybet now going NRNB in the big 4 championship races.....

Need to have a look as there are top price on some of the less fancied contenders

[BillyHills]

RSA Latest : Blaklion

 

Earlier in the afternoon we saw a victory for the Nigel Twiston-Davies youngster Blaklion, he won the 12.00, a novice chase over 3m1f by two and a half lengths from the Philip Hobbs trained Onenightinvienna. The fancied Minella Rocco was pulled up by jockey Barry Geraghty after making a right blunder at the fourth fence.

 

As a result he has been clipped into 14/1 for the RSA with Bet365 but can be still backed at 25/1 with William Hill.

 

It was the 6yo’s third run over the bigger obstacles and more importantly he has plenty of winning course form at Cheltenham. He has also struck up a good relationship with young jockey Ryan Hatch.

 

RSA Latest : Blaklion 25/1 William Hill

[BillyHills]

Champion Hurdle : Old Guard

 

The International Hurdle at Cheltenham today saw a surprise result when Old Guard beat Sempre Medici and Hargam in a thrilling finish.

The Paul Nicholls trained 4yo was winning his third race this season at the Gloucestershire track and has improved out of all recognition since finishing 9^th in the Triumph Hurdle last season.

Bookmakers have introduced him into the betting and Paddy Power are being generous at 25/1 while some others are as low as 14/1.

 

His seasonal reappearance was in a Class 3 Conditional Jockeys race back in October and now has a much bigger target in mind. Connections are very keen to run in the Champion Hurdle and who would blame them although he would obviously have to improve even more to bag that prize.

 

Champion Hurdle: Old Guard 25/1 Paddy Power

Peace And Co 20/1 Paddy Power

Faugheen 13/8 Betway

 

[BillyHills]

RSA/JLT : More Of That

Earlier at Cheltenham we saw former World Hurdle winner More Of That win his second race over fences when landing the Raymond Mould Memorial Novices Chase by 13 lengths from the only other finisher Sametegal. The other runner Padge fell three out when beaten.

He has plenty of options on the horizon and is being considered for the JLT and RSA Chases and an outside chance of even going for the Gold Cup as a novice, just like Coneygree did last season.

More Of That is 6/1 with William Hill for the JLT Novice Chase and the same price with Betfred for the longer race, the RSA.

For those wanting a more speculative bet he can be backed at 33/1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Paddy Power.

 

RSA: More Of That 6/1 Betfred

JLT: More Of That 6/1 William Hill

Gold Cup: More Of That 33/1 Paddy Power

 

[Smarty72]

On 12/12/2015, 16:12:45, BillyHills said:

Champion Hurdle : Old Guard

 

The International Hurdle at Cheltenham today saw a surprise result when Old Guard beat Sempre Medici and Hargam in a thrilling finish.

The Paul Nicholls trained 4yo was winning his third race this season at the Gloucestershire track and has improved out of all recognition since finishing 9^th in the Triumph Hurdle last season.

Bookmakers have introduced him into the betting and Paddy Power are being generous at 25/1 while some others are as low as 14/1.

 

His seasonal reappearance was in a Class 3 Conditional Jockeys race back in October and now has a much bigger target in mind. Connections are very keen to run in the Champion Hurdle and who would blame them although he would obviously have to improve even more to bag that prize.

 

Champion Hurdle: Old Guard 25/1 Paddy Power

Peace And Co 20/1 Paddy Power

Faugheen 13/8 Betway

 

Old Guard looks a good outsider bet for this and connections seem to be keen on this improver been aimed at the Champion Hurdle. Likely to be a small final field (At this stage would be surprised if more than 8 line up) so Each way with Paddy looks good at 25\1. For the more cautious Skybet offer 16\1 NRNB.

Old Guard likely to be the number 1 contender for the Nicholls stable. 

[BillyHills]

Neptune Hurdle : Bellshill

Bellshill won today at Navan, he only beta a small field but did it well and looks another smart horse for Andrea and Graham Wylie. It was the fourth time in five years that Willie Mullins had won this contest.

 

Bellshill was promptly pushed to the front of the market for the Neptune Investment Management Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. He is on offer at 8/1 with Bet365 and as low as 5/1 with Coral.

 

Neptune Hurdle:  Bellshill 8/1 Skybet

________________________________________

 

Arkle Chase: Ttebbob

Jessica Harringtons 6yo easily won the Grade 3 novice chase today at the same meeting.

he won by no less than 41 lengths  and nows goes for a big race at Christmas at Leopardstown.

No definite long tem plans have been discussed just yet but has been clipped into 20/1 for the Racing Post Arkle with bookmakers Stan James.

>Paddy Power are still offering 25/1 as we speak and Douvan is the 7/4 favourite for that race with that firm.

 

Arkle Chase: Ttebbob 25/1 Paddy Power

Arkle Chase: Douvan 7/4 Paddy Power

 

 

[BillyHills]

JLT Novice Chase : Shaneshill

The JLT Betting is headed by Shaneshill at 8/1 with Bet365, he’s 7/1 in places and as low as 6/1 with Coral and is yet another ante-post favourite for the Irish wizard Willie Mullins.

Mullins said of his recent chase debut;

He looked very professional doing it. We'll look for a race at Christmas with him, he's entered in all of the good ones. I haven't any plans yet.

"I would like to keep him and Douvan apart, hopefully that's a problem we'll still have in three weeks' time."

Both Tea For Two (Nick Williams) and Volnay De Thaix (Nicky Henderson) made winning chasing debuts last week so the race is beginning to hot up, both are 16/1 with the same firm. Dan Skelton also has the promising Three Musketeers heading to Cheltenham for that race at the moment, he’s a 16/1 shot with William Hill.

 

Regal encore won today at Plimpton and is a 33/1 shot for JLT with Stan James.

 

 

JLT Novice Chase: Shaneshill 8/1 Bet365

 

 

[BillyHills]

World Hurdle : Thistlecrack

The Ladbrokes World Hurdle betting has been shaken up today after the Colin Tizzard trained Thistlecrack stormed to an 8-length victory in the JLT Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.

 

He is now the clear favourite to win at the Cheltenham Festival and his price ranges from 5/2 with Paddy Power out to 7/2 with Betfred and I wouldn’t be surprised if that gets snapped up soon.

Cole Harden is the second favourite for the World Hurdle with most bookies but is available at 12/1 with Stan James.

He is due to run at Cheltenham on New Years Day and jockey Gavin Sheean reported him great heart, he said he will improve no end from his seasonal debut where he was third at Newbury beaten six and a half lengths by Thistlecrack.

 

World Hurdle : Thistlecrack 7/2 Betfred

World Hurdle: Cole Harden 12/1 Stan James

[BillyHills]

Champion Hurdle : Faugheen

This time Ruby Walsh was keen to make his own running after saying that last time he guilty of playing to his rivals hands. He set a fair gallop and then let the field close up turning for home. Once into the straight he quickened like a true champion and quickly had his opponents in trouble.

 

He sprinted clear to win by an easy 7 lengths from The New One and Hargam who had a close battle for second spot. Old Guard was well beaten in fourth and it was 25 lengths back to Sign Of A Victory.

 

Bookmakers didn’t hang about and made Faugheen odds-on to retain his title at Cheltenham. He was clipped into 10/11 with BetVictor from 5/4 and is a short as 4/6 with Boylseports.

The New One is a 20/1 shot with Bet365 and Hargam 25/1 with the same firm.

 

Champion Hurdle : Faugheen 10/11 BetVIctor

[BillyHills]

Gold Cup: Cue Card

Cue Card won the King George in a dramatic finish from Vautour. Don Cossack fell 2 out and was still in with a chance at the time.

It was the fourth time Cue Card had run in the race and fully deserved his victory and is still on for £1 Million bonus for winning the Betfair Chase, King George and the Gold Cup. He’s a 7/1 shot with Boylesports to win at Cheltenham while Vautour has been eased out to 16/1 with Paddy Powerand he may well go for Ryanair instead now.

 

Gold Cup: Cue Card 7/1 Boylesports

Gold Cup: Don Cossack 7/1 Paddy Power

[BillyHills]

Champion Chase : Sprinter Sacre/Sire De Grugy/Un De Sceaux

At Kempton in the Desert Orchid Chase we saw a thrilling encounter between two former Champion Chase winners in Sprinter Sacre and Sire De Grugy.

 

On this occasion it was Sprinter Sacre who just came out on top in a dramatic finish. The Henderson horse just edged home by three quarters of a length after a much better jump at the last than his rival. That leap made all the difference but both horses ran with a lot of credit.

We should also mention Vibrato Valtat who ran a gallant race in third only beaten just over 4 lengths in the end.

 

Sprinter Sacre is now 9/2 with Boylesports to win at Cheltenham in March and Sire De Grugy is available at 8/1 in most places but 10/1 with Betfair at present. Vibrato Valtat remains a 33/1 chance with Bet365.

Un De Sceaux was going well out in front over at Leopardstown on his comeback run but met it all wrong and came crashing down leaving the race to be battled out by Flemenstar and Simply Ned with the old boy Flemenstar prevailing by a length at the line and winning at 16/1 for his first victory in two years.

Bookmakers reacted by easing out the Champion Chase favourite slightly and is a top price 7/4 with Ladbrokes and William Hill.

 

Champion Chase: Sprinter Sacre 9/2 Boylesports

Champion Chase: Sire De Grugy 10/1 Betfair

Champion Chase: Un De Sceaux 7/4 Ladbrokes

[BillyHills]

Triumph Hurdle: Ivanovich Gorbatov

Flat trainer Aidan O’Brien showed Willie Mullins how it was done today when his Ivanovich Gorbatov made a winning start over hurdles at Leopardstown and beat the highly fancied Lets Dance in the process.

Lets Dance was also making his long awaited debut for Mullins and before the race was the ante-post favourite for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. The O’Brien youngster was installed into the Triumph betting immediately and is available at 12/1 with William Hill.

 

Triumph Hurdle: Ivanovich Gorbatov 12/1 William Hill

Triumph Hurdle: Lets Dance 25/1 Betfred

[BillyHills]

Gold Cup: Don Poli

Don Poli duly landed Lexus Chase today (4/6f) but once again he made hard work of it and scraped home in a thrilling finish by half a length from fellow Gigginstown House horse First Lieutenant.

The manner of his victory wasn’t too surprising when you consider he did exactly the same thing at Aintree last time out, on that occasion he only got the better of Many Clouds on the long run-in.

Bookmakers were not impressed and was generally eased half a point by most of them for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. 6/1 is available with the majority of firms although the best price now is 13/2 with 888Sport.

Both Djakadam (4/1) and Don Cossack (11/2) were clipped as a result.

 

Gold Cup : Don Poli 13/2 888sport

[BillyHills]

Champion Hurdle : Nichols Canyon

The Ryanair Hurdle saw the return of Nichols Canyon fresh from his victory over Faugheen in the Morgiana Hurdle last month. He was sent off the 1/2 market leader and had only three rivals after the withdrawal of Arctic Fire who had run the day before.

He won by two lengths in the end but it was workmanlike rather than brilliant.

It was a gutsy performance but maybe not as easy as everyone had expected and the bookmakers Bet365 eased Nichols Canyon out to 7/1 for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. Identity Thief is a 16/1 chance with BetVictor.

 

Champion Hurdle : Nichols Canyon 7/1 Bet365

Champion Hurdle : Identity Thief 16/1 BetVictor

[BillyHills]

RSA Chase : No More Heroes

A victory for No More Heroes in the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase. It was a very comfortable success for the 4/9 favourite and came home 9 lengths clear of Rule The World, Monksland and Wrath Of Titans. Three of the four runners were owned by Gigginstown House such is the state of Irish racing these days.

He was cut into 4/1 favourite by Ladbrokes for the RSA Chase, he’s only 3/1 in places. That is the likely target although he is 14/1 with Stan James for the JLT Novice Chase.

Gordon Elliott said;

"Cheltenham never let it get too quick and he was just beaten there last year so hopefully we'll go back.

"Gigginstown have a lot of horses and need to split them up so he'll get an entry in the JLT, RSA and the four-miler."

 

RSA Chase: No More Heroes 4/1 Ladbrokes

[BillyHills]

World Hurdle: Camping Ground

 

Camping Ground won the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham today. It was an impressive display by the ex-French 6yo who was only having his third run in the UK since joining his new yard. Bookmakers have reacted by inserting him in the betting for the World Hurdle back at Cheltenham in March.

Top price is 12/1 with Boylesports but as low as 8/1 in some places and has only Cole Harden (12/1) and Thistlecrack (5/2 f) ahead of him in the market.

Robert Walford said; "There's the Cleeve Hurdle at the end of the month then the World Hurdle. We consider him a chaser but we'll stick to hurdles this season."

 

World Hurdle : Camping Ground 12/1 Boylesports

World Hurdle : Cole Harden 12/1 Boylesports

[BillyHills]

Neptune Hurdle : Yorkhill

The big race at Sandown today was the Grade 1 32Red Tolworth Hurdle for the novices. The race went to the 4/9 favourite Yorkhill trained by owned by the Wylie’s and trained Willie Mullins. It was the handler’s first success in the Tolworth Hurdle.

Yorkhill received quotes for both the Supreme Novice Hurdle and the Neptune Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and at this stage the connections are keeping their options open.

Skybet are going 8/1 for the Neptune which is over 2m5f, he’s 6/1 in places for that contest. For the shorter race the Supreme the best price is 9/1 with both 888Sport and the Tolworth’s sponsors 32Red. Again he is only 6/1 with some firms.

Mullins said; "We'll just see what's really going well, come Festival time, and what jockey arrangements we've got. I'd like to have a good word with Ruby, see what he'd like to ride in a certain race, but we have more owners these days with their own jockeys."

 

Neptune Hurdle: Yorkhill 8/1 Skybet

Supreme Hurdle: Yorkhill 9/1 888Sport

[BillyHills]

Neptune Hurdle: Bellshill

Bellshill won the Grade 1 novice hurdle at Naas today,  trained by Willie Mullins he never looked in danger at anytime and when his stable companion Stone Hard pulled up two out it was left to the 66/1 outsider Last Encounter to chase home the 2/5 favourite. At the line he had 5 lengths to spare and it was impressive enough on testing ground.

Bellshill is now the 9/2 favourite with >Paddy Power for the Neptune Hurdle at Cheltenham, he’s 3/1 in places so I’m not sure how long the 9/2 will last.

Mullins said;

"Bellshill needs to brush up his jumping and maybe he needed a bit of company. He's progressing nicely. I was disappointed the way he jumped the last two because he jumped fantastically up to that and I didn't think he needed match practice.

"He might just have been idling in the testing conditions. He'll be entered in the Deloitte at Leopardstown."

 

Neptune Hurdle: Bellshill 9/2 Paddy Power

Neptune Hurdle: Yorkhill 8/1 William Hill

[BillyHills]

JLT Chase: Shaneshill

Shaneshill was having his second start over fences and came home four and a half lengths ahead of his nearest rival Sizing Cadelco in the EBF Novice Chase over two miles.

It wasn’t a perfect performance by any stretch of the imagination, his error at the second last was quite a bad one but his turn of foot after the last was very impressive and got him out of trouble here.

Shaneshill is 6/1 favourite for the JLT Novice Chase at the Festival with bookmakers Bet365. He is in the Arkle betting and is 20/1 with Paddy Power but it is though he will go for the longer trip of the JLT.

Trainer said;"The Grade One at Leopardstown on February 6 would look the obvious target time-wise. He might just need a bit more practice on a racetrack."

 

JLT Novice Chase: Shaneshill 6/1 Coral

[BillyHills]

Arkle Chase: L'Ami Serge

L'Ami Serge has his first run over fences at Plumpton today. The conditions were very wet and in fact the meeting had to be abandoned after three races. Lucky for L’Ami Serge and his connections he did the business in race two and won a three-runner event by an emphatic 27 lengths.

We didn’t learn a great deal today but he has got his first run out of the way and there is a £60,000 bonus for any horse winning at Plumpton and going on to win at the Festival so it was well worth turning up.

Bookmakers reacted by clipping him slightly for the Racing Post Arkle Chase. He’s a top price of 12/1 with Skybet which puts him third in the betting behind Douvan (4/6) and another runner from the Henderson camp Vaniteux (10/1).

 

Arkle Trophy Chase: L'Ami Serge 12/1 Skybet

Arkle: Douvan 4/5 Coral

[BillyHills]

Supreme Hurdle : Min

The Willie Mullins trained Min, ante-post favourite for the Skybet Supreme Novice Hurdle easily won the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Hurdle at Punchestown today. The 5yo won by nine and a half lengths from Attribution to maintain his unbeaten record since coming over from France.

The bookmakers were impressed and his price for Cheltenham was shortened across the aboard. Stan James are still offering 15/8 but is as low as Evens in a place. Nicky Henderson’s Altior is next best in the betting at 7/1 with BetVictor and he will run in the Dovecote Hurdle next at Kempton.

Trainer Willie Mullins said;

You could not ask for any more, and he's living up to all the chat about him. He does his best work at home on better ground, so to do that on this ground is a big plus.

 

Supreme: Min 15/8 Stan James

Supreme: Altior 7/1 BetVictor

[BillyHills]

Triumph Hurdle: Adrien Du Pont 

Over at muddy Chepstow we had a Grade 1 Juvenile hurdle and it went the way of Paul Nicholls and jockey Nick Scholfield who teamed up with Adrien Du Pont.

The youngster looked in a slight bit of trouble in the home straight as clear leader Chic Name looked to be going well out in front. The 11/8 favourite gradually wore him down in the testing conditions to win in the end by two and a quarter lengths.

Adrien Du Pont was clipped into 20/1 for the Triumph Hurdle with Bet365 and Skybet but is still a 33/1 shot with Paddy Power at present.

Ivanovich Gorbatov is the 5/1 favourite for the Triumph Hurdle for trainer Aidan O’Brien with Betfred. Its been well documented that it is in fact Joseph O’Brien who is training the jumpers but he just hasn’t had time to do the final trainers course so in the meantime it goes down in his father’s name on the racecard.

Joseph O’Brien said;

"Ivanovich Gorbatov was a natural from day one, He jumped brilliantly from the word go and that's a huge asset. We thought he would run well at Leopardstown but, to be honest, he didn't have an ideal preparation for the race so we think there's a fair bit more improvement to come from him.

 

Triumph: Adrien Du Pont 33/1 Paddy Power

Triumph: Ivanovich Gorbatjov 5/1 Betfred

 

[Jimmy2shoes]

Some cracking stuff G' 

Nice write up's 

[BillyHills]

Willie Mullins Special - Part 1

His tally has now quickly risen to an amazing 41 victories in total and last year broke the record for most successes at the Festival in one season with eight winners. At the moment with still a couple of months to go before the big meeting in March Mullins is the 1/5 favourite with William Hill to come out on top again this season.

How Many Winners Will Willie Mullins Get at the 2016 Festival

 

6 or less = 2/1

7-9 inc. = 11/8         Prices with William Hill

Over 9  = 7/4

 

Full Preview;

https://www.punterslounge.com/cheltenham-festival/

[BillyHills]

Willie Mullins Special - Part 2

In the last article we discussed the first two days of the Cheltenham Festival and how Irish champion trainer Willie Mullins had 8 ante-post favourites out of the first 14 races.

We now go onto the last two days, which by his own admission is not the strongest part of the week but has a strong hand in at least three races on Thursday and a big say in the Gold Cup on Friday.

 

Full Preview;

https://www.punterslounge.com/cheltenham-festival/

[BillyHills]

Gold Cup: Don Cossack

Don Cossack returned to winning ways today at Thurles after he won the Ladbrokes Ireland Kinloch Brae Chase by a comfortable nine and a half lengths.

Gordon Elliott’s 9yo remains on target for the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March and is a top price 6/1 shot with Betway. Stan James were more impressed and cut him into 9/2 second favourite behind Djakadam.

Skybet are going 5/1 the field which brings in both Don Cossack and Djakadam (NR No Bet)

 

The trainer commented;

"I was worried about the ground as he's a better horse on better ground.

"He worked in cheekpieces the other day and flew in them and while there was no point having them on today, he'll have them on in the Gold Cup.

In other Gold Cup news the best backed horse of the week has been Road To Riches. He has been clipped into 12/1 form 16/1 wit Skybet and >Betfred although is still available at 16/1 with 888Sportat the moment.

He has been entered for the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on February 6^th where he would probably meet the likes of Don Poli and Sir Des Champs from the Willie Mullins yard.

 

Gold Cup : Don Cossack 6/1 Betway

Gold Cup : Djakadam 5/1 Skybet

 

Gold Cup : Road To Riches 16/1 888Sport