Cheltenham Festival Trials - Updated Jan 25th

[BillyHills]

All reports from the Sporting Life;

 

Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Tuesday March 15)

• Charbel makes every yard (Musselburgh, Feb 7)
• Huntingdon breeze for Buveur (Huntingdon, Jan 29)
• It'safreebee takes Supreme Trial (Haydock, Jan 23)
• Min makes mincemeat of Moscow Flyer rivals (Punchestown, Jan 9)
• Yorkhill too good in Tolworth (Sandown, Jan 2)
• Supasundae handed Supreme test, (Leopardstown, Dec 27)
• Altior blitzes Kempton field (Kempton, Dec 26)
• Yanworth takes trial in style (Ascot, Dec 18)
• Min Makes impressive debut (Punchestown, Dec 10)
• Bachasson cut for Supreme, despite defeat (Fairyhouse, Nov 29)
• Buveur D'Air looks smart prospect (Newbury, Nov 27)
• Altior gets better of Maputo (Cheltenham, Nov 15)

Arkle Chase (Tuesday March 15)

• Vaniteux in the driving seat (Doncaster, Jan 30)
• Douvan delicious at Leopardstown (Leopardstown, Jan 24)
• Simples for Serge (Wetherby, Jan 16)
• Too easy for L'Ami Serge (Plumpton, Jan 3)
• No issue for odds-on Shaneshill (Naas, Jan 3)
• Moore's Mad change of heart (Kempton, Dec 27)
• Douvan posts easy victory (Leopardstown, Dec 26)
• Vaniteux shines in Starlight (Kempton, Nov 23)
• Douvan delivers on fences debut (Navan, Nov 22)
• Garde La Victoire extends unbeaten run (Cheltenham, Nov 15)

Champion Hurdle (Tuesday March 15)

 

• Annie enters Champion frame (Punchestown, Feb 17)
• Sempre victory always likely (Gowran, Feb 13)
• Faugheen awesome in Irish Champion (Leopardstown, Jan 24)
• The New One makes hay in the mud (Haydock, Jan 23)
• Faugheen bounces back in Christmas (Kempton, Dec 26)
• Old Guard is International superstar (Cheltenham, Dec 12)
• Fire burns bright in Hatton's Grace (Fairyhouse, Nov 29)
• Irving battles to win Price Rush Hurdle (Haydock, Nov 21)
• Old Guard wins Greatwood Hurdle (Cheltenham, Nov 15)
• Nichols Canyon beats Faugheen (Punchestown, Nov 15)

Neptune Novices' Hurdle (Wednesday March 16)

• Bleu sinks Deloitte hotpots (Leopardstown, Feb 6)
• King blown away by Yanworth (Cheltenham, Jan 30)
• Hobson's choice for Walsh? (Warwick, Jan 16)
• Bellshill lands the odds for Mullins (Naas, Jan 3)
• Champers is toast of Cheltenham (Cheltenham, Jan 1)
• Long Dog has his day (Leopardstown, Dec 27)
• Bellshill eases to Navan win (Navan, Dec 13)
• North Hill Harvey draws clear (Cheltenham Dec 11)
• Long Dog lands Royal Bond (Fairyhouse, November 29)
• Shantou Village lands Neptune trial (Cheltenham, Nov 13)

RSA Chase (Wednesday March 16)

• Victory for Vyta Du Roc (Ascot, Feb 20)
• Jumping proves Hercules' Achilles heel (Navan, Feb 14)
• Out Sam enters RSA picture (Newbury, Feb 13)
• Blaklion grounds it out (Wetherby, Feb 6)
• Herculean effort at Warwick (Warwick, Jan 16)
• Francs too strong for Pont (Naas, Jan 16)
• Seeyouatmidnight stars on New Year's Day (Cheltenham, Jan 1)
• Outlander denies stablemate (Limerick, Dec 27)
• Lizzie Kelly makes history with Tea For Two (Kempton, Dec 26)
• More Of That eases to win (Cheltenham, Dec 12)
• Blaklion makes amends (Cheltenham, Dec 11)
• Pont Alexandre returns with a win (Punchestown, Dec 6)
• Heroes new RSA fav after Drinmore win (Fairyhouse, Nov 29)
• Vicente beats Un Temps Pour Tout (Cheltenham, Nov 14)
• More Of That shows Steel (Cheltenham, Nov 13)

Champion Chase (Wednesday March 16)

• Gamble landed in Game Spirit (Newbury, Feb 13)
• Un De Sceaux sinks Sire (Ascot, Jan 23)
• Sprinter digs deep in Desert (Kempton, Dec 27)
• Sceaux falls as Flemenstar shines (Leopardstown, Dec 27)
• Super Sire back in the Tingle groove (Sandown, Dec 5)
• Sprinter triumphs in Shloer Chase (Cheltenham, Nov 15)

JLT Novices' Chase (Thursday March 17)

• Serge fails in Kingmaker prep (Warwick, Feb 13)
• Bristol De Mai jumps them Scilly (Sandown, Feb 6)
• Outlander shines in Flogas (Leopardstown, Feb 6)
• Bristol cruises to victory (Haydock, Jan 23)
• Incredible vic-tory for Killultagh (Leopardstown, Jan 17)
• Zabana makes a flying start (Leopardstown, Dec 28)
• Three Musketeers bounces back (Newbury, Nov 27)
• Winning fences debut for Monksland (Gowran Park, Nov 21)

Ryanair Chase (Thursday March 17)

• Smashing effort in Red Mills Chase (Gowran, Feb 13)
• Al and Smad not up to task (Kempton, Dec 26) 
• Ferof saunters home in Peterborough (Huntingdon, Dec 6)
• Vautour wins Stella Artois 1965 Chase (Ascot, Nov 21)

World Hurdle (Thursday March 17)

• Falcon swoops in Boyne Hurdle (Navan, Feb 14)
• Track no issue for 'crack (Cheltenham, Jan 30)
• Vroum Vroum Mag hoses up (Ascot, Jan 23)
• Obeaux calls the tune in Galmoy (Gowran Park, Jan 21)
• Camping storms into World Hurdle frame (Cheltenham, Jan 1)
• Prince Of Scars claims Christmas (Leopardstown, Dec 28)
• Thistlecrack wins Long Walk Hurdle (Ascot, Dec 19)
• Thistle cracks World Hurdle hero (Newbury, Nov 28)

Triumph Hurdle (Friday March 18)

• Frodon bursts Kap bubble (Haydock, Feb 20)
• Tommy takes the Triumph (Musselburgh, Feb 7)
• Footpad springs surprise (Leopardstown, Feb 6)
• Connetable ends chance of Peace (Sandown, Feb 6)
• Fehily is fine Flos rider (Cheltenham, Jan 30)
• Rock solid run from Gibralfaro (Ascot, Jan 23)
• Finale delight for Adrien (Chepstow, Jan 9)
• Budge beats Pillard to spoils (Sandown, Jan 2)
• Gibralfaro downs Duke (Kempton, Dec 27)
• Gorbatov beats Let's Dance (Leopardstown, Dec 27)
• Apple's Jade strikes knockout blow (Kempton, Dec 26)
• Sceau Royal beats old rivals (Cheltenham, Dec 12)
• Bargain-buy Rashaan lands Fairyhouse win (Fairyhouse, Nov 29)
• Wolf Of Windlesham holds off rivals (Cheltenham, Nov 14)

Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle (Friday March 18)

• Harry delivers knock out blow (Exeter, Feb 14)
• Seven lands Scottish Trial (Musselburgh (Feb 7)
• Hill scales new heights (Doncaster, Jan 30)
• Unowhatimeanharry lands trial (Cheltenham, Dec 12)
• Ruby Walsh impressed with Yorkhill (Punchestown, December 6)
• Brilliant Barters enjoys Challow cruise (Newbury, Dec 29)

Cheltenham Gold Cup (Friday March 18)

• Lough denies Road riches (Leopardstown, Feb 6)
• Djakadam falls, Smad Place wins (Cheltenham, Jan 30)
• Don back in the groove (Thurles, January 14)
• Lexus delight for Mullins and Don (Leopardstown, Dec 28)
• Cue Card tees up £1 million bonus (Kempton, Dec 26)
• Djakadam slams John Durkan field (Punchestown, Dec 6)
• Don Poli stars on Aintree return (Aintree, Dec 5)
• Smad smashes Hennessy rivals (Newbury, Nov 28)
• Vautour wins Stella Artois 1965 Chase (Ascot, Nov 21)
• Cue Card triumphs in Betfair Chase (Haydock, Nov 21)
•  

[joeblitz]

Hello everyone,

I've been very busy for the past 18 months or so and just a fleeting visit to give you my thoughts on Cheltenham.

Champion Hurdle:

Impossible for me to look beyond Faugheen. Slammed Nichols Canyon in a gallop at the Curragh prior to his defeat at Punchestown. That gallop took too much out of him as he was very unfit at the time. The Punchestown race was run at a crawl and the proximity of Wicklow Brave illustrates this. He was fitter at Kempton and won as expected. He runs at Leopardstown on Sunday where even though the ground will favour Nichols Canyon he should still win. I am surprised Nichols Canyon is running giving Mullins's post race comments after his Leopardstown Christmas victory over Identity Thief "he had a very hard race and will be given a long break".

Knock him if you like but he has won a CH and seems to be even better on better ground, a comment that does not apply to either Nichols Canyon or Identity Thief. Arctic Fire is not good enough and the UK challenge likewise. Either back him or stay out!

Arkle:

The reason Douvan is not in the CH is because of Faugheen. If allowed to run with Faugheen out he would win. Douvan jumps well, oozes class and only a fall or mishap can prevent him from winning. It really doesn't matter who takes him on in the race. It is his to lose. Either back him or stay out!

Supreme:

Min will win. Again, he oozes class and jumps well.Mullins has a line into all of the opposition. Tombstone is the danger if there is one but he may not prefer the faster ground at Cheltenham and is probably better over a better trip. Either back him or stay out!

Mares:

If Annie Power turns up and completes, unlike last year she will win. She is in a different league to this lot. Either back her or stay out!

Mares Novice:

Limini is the best around by a mile. She won her only race at Punchestown with stones in hand and the race could not have worked out any better. She looked really good that day and not alone will she win this but expect her to win the mares hurdle next year after Annie Power retires. Either back her or stay out!

Ryanair:

Vautour only has to jump around to collect. He may still run in the Gold Cup but with Mullins going for Champion Trainer in the UK this is unlikely. Either back him or stay out!

Cross Country:

Trained by the master, Enda Bolger, Josies Orders has won both banks races here, has youth on his side and is still improving. He will be very hard to beat.

The Others:

I see the Champion Chase as being a match between Un De Sceaux and Dodging Bullets. I favour Un De Sceaux but he is a headcase so I'll stay out.

I like Don Cossack in the Gold Cup slightly over Don Poli. The cheekpieces and better ground will help.

The other races are up for grabs but I would be wary of Black Hercules on faster ground as I think he needs it like a bog.

I expect Shaneshill to fall in whatever race he goes for as his jumping has been very dodgy.

Of the others, Bellshill looks good if he handles the faster ground and Killultagh Vic has a big chance wherever he runs. Also Doctor Harper, trained by Pipe would be very interesting in a handicap over 3miles and on better ground as he has been quietly campaigned over trips way short of his best and on very slow ground which should ensure a good handicap mark.

Again, these are just my opinions...

Remember that any profit constitutes value. Pick the horses you think will win because they cannot help what price they will be and be selective!

Happy Punting and Good Luck