Advised Tuesday Night 12th March
Racecourse & Time
Cheltenham – 13:30 (Wed)
Advised Stake & Bet Type
1 Point Win
Name of Horse to Back
Champ
Current Odds:
7/2 PaddyPower, Unibet & Betfair Sportsbook, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
I narrowed this race down to three horses Battleoverdoyen, City Island and Champ. City Island has not run at graded level so is left out despite winning impressively at Naas last time out. Battleoverdoyen is a huge horse over 17 hands and with a horse so big this undulating course is always a concern. The rain softened ground should help but overall he is a big raw chaser in the making for next season. Champ is more mature as a seven year old having belatedly started his racing career in January 2017. He ran a cracker on his hurdling debut when oozing class but just tiring late over 2m5.5f on soft ground at Ascot. The horse that outstayed him that day was Vinndication who has franked the form in no uncertain terms over fences this season.
Champ has remained unbeaten since that defeat to Vinndication rising up through the ranks. He won the Challow Novices’ Hurdle last time out in a slow run race which didn’t suit. Nevertheless Champ showed a telling turn of foot to quicken clear with Brewinupastorm back in fourth. Brewinupastorm is interesting but he suffered a heavy fall here at the last flight on Cheltenham Trials day with the race between Birchdale and himself. The handicapper has rated Brewinupastorm highly at 146 but Champ is the better horse and while currently rated 152 he could easily win this to a rating in the high 150’s. The key is that he settles well and should that happen he will be very difficult to beat. I was blown away with how he won at Newbury in December carrying 11-6 pulling his way to the front and galloping the rest into submission. Only a very talented horse could have kept running to the line that day and Champ looks well named.
Racecourse & Time
Cheltenham – 14:10 (Thurs)
Advised Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
Boyhood
Current Odds:
25/1 Betvictor, Unibet & William Hill 5 places else 25/1 generally 4 places
Compare odds at https://www.oddschecker.com/cheltenham-festival/pertemps-network-final-handicap-hurdle/winner
Selection Reasoning:
Boyhood is overpriced when his form is assessed with First Assignment who is second favourite at 9/1. It is understandable why the betting market is siding so strongly in favour or First Assignment as he easily accounted for Boyhood over three miles here in November on the old course. The big difference this time round is that Boyhood concedes just a pound to First Assignment so is 12lbs better off. That is a lot of weight and the rain softened ground and more galloping and stiffer new course will suit Boyhood.
Tom George trains close to Cheltenham racecourse and that is a positive with little time spent travelling for his horses. Boyhood has run twice at Cheltenham finishing first on heavy ground over course and distance in January 2018 and then as mentioned above finishing runner up to First Assignment over this trip on the old course at the November Meeting. He ran a nice race behind Flemcara last time out where the mare Culture De Sivola finished very strongly in behind under Lizzie Kelly. It was a close call but with course experience swinging the vote in favour of Boyhood at a big price.
**Next Update Wednesday Night 13th March ~19:00
As per usual you will be emailed as soon as new selections are updated online