Advised Wednesday Night 13th March
Racecourse & Time
Cheltenham – 13:30
Advised Stake & Bet Type
1 Points Win
Name of Horse to Back
Defi Du Seuil
Current Odds:
3/1 generally, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
Defi Du Seuil ran away with the Triumph hurdle here a couple of season ago. We can write up last season as Philip Hobbs yard was totally out of form. This season the real Defi Du Seuil is back winning last time out at Sandown ahead of Lostintranslation. Defi Du Seuil should have won here on New Years Day when hitting the front but they getting outstayed or idling near the line. Barry rode a much stealthy race at Sandown and picked off Lostintranslation late. Defi Du Seuil is not the biggest but jumped the tricky railway fences at Sandown very well out of soft ground. The ground is quicker on the New Course today according to Turf Trax and should ride good to soft at worse tomorrow. The fly in the ointment could be Real Steel as Vindication looked tapped for toe in the Sandown race. A good race but I’m expecting Defi Du Seuil to win this with his superior turn of foot.
Racecourse & Time
Cheltenham – 14:10
Advised Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
Cuneo
Current Odds:
16/1 Unibet 1/4 odds and 5 places else 16/1 in places look for 5 places, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
They say you should never change your mind when betting but I am going against that adage and switching from Champers on Ice to the younger horse Cuneo! Cuneo has showed much improvement this season over the longer trip of three miles. He won well at Christmas when hitting the front plenty early enough and then looked a winner at the Dublin Racing Festival until fading near the line. That is two really good efforts over this trip in competitive races under Rachel Blackmore.
A rating of 137 looks workable and Cuneo should relish the easier going than on his recent two starts. He can race prominently which should help keep him out of trouble and has a similar profile coming into this race as Delta Work last year. Henry De Bromhead won the Close Novices Handicap on Day 1 in a canter with A Plus Tard which bodes well for his team of festival horses. Cuneo is a lightly raced 7 year old having his 9th career run and 7th over hurdles so his best days are ahead unlike many in this race.
Racecourse & Time
Cheltenham – 15:30
Advised Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
Supasundae
Current Odds:
8/1 888sport 4 places else 8/1 Paddy Power, William Hill & Betfair Sportsbook, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
Paisley Park has improved beyond recognition this season and it an in form horse but is very short in such a competitive race. Supasundae lost little in defeat last year when out done by Penhill. Both Penhill and Supasundae quickened clear of the field in a slow run race last year but the pace will be stronger this time round with Faugheen running. It’s hard to see the 11 year old Faugheen winning but he was a class act in his younger days. Nevertheless, Supasundae has side stepped the Champion Hurdle for another tilt at this prize and the drying ground will be to his liking. Supasundae looks a very solid each way shout should Paisley Park under perform.
Racecourse & Time
Cheltenham – 16:10
Advised Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
Spiritofthegames
Current Odds:
8/1 generally, look for bookies paying 5 places, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
Spiritofthegames ran really well over course and distance when third behind Kildisart and Siruh Du Lac. The reason for siding with him here is that he is 6lbs better off or more with the horses that beat him the last day. Dan Skelton enjoyed a fortunate winner in the mares race on Tuesday but at least we know his horses are in rude health. Spiritofthegames has the pieces back on so it’s down to business and his mark of 147 rules him out of the Close Brothers Novices Chase on Tuesday which might prove a blessing in disguise such as the superiority of the winner A Plus Retard. Spiritofthegames has plenty of boot as he proved when winning a listed chase at Chepstow in October. He is an unexposed novice having just his fourth start over fences so hopefully he can keep it all together and improve some.
Racecourse & Time
Cheltenham – 16:10
Advised Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
Azzerti
Current Odds:
16/1 generally, look for bookies paying 5 places, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
Azzerti is another unexposed novice chaser who looked like running a big race here on trials day when an unlucky to become the meat in the sandwich over the third last fence. It is hard to know how he would have fared up the hill but he was just after grabbing the bit and making up good ground to get into contention. That race was a fast and true run event and the only good thing to come from that fall is that Azzerti remains on a mark of 137. Azzerti had a confidence boosting win in a novice chase recently which should set him fair for this race. He creeps in off a weight of 10-7 and looks to have a very good chance if jumping solidly.
Racecourse & Time
Cheltenham – 17:30
Advised Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
Any Second Now
Current Odds:
10/1 William Hill & Betvictor 5 places else 9/1 generally, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
Any Second Now remains a maiden over fences despite some excellent efforts such as when second & third to Footpad along with a neck defeat by Mortal in December. Mortal franked that form with a solid fifth in the Grade 1 RSA chase earlier today. Any Second Now was the gamble of the Paddy Power handicap Chase over Christmas at Leopardstown sent off the 5/1 favourite in a 27 runner handicap.
Trainen by Ted Walsh, Any Second Now ran in first time blinkers in the Paddy Power and was bang in contention until ploughing through the final fence where Mark Walsh did a great job to keep the partnership alive and finish fifth. As you know the Paddy Power handicap is one of the toughest handicaps of the year run in Ireland and the form holds up well. Last seen finishing third in a three mile Grade 2 chase behind Chris’s Dream at Navan we can expect a huge run so long as Any Second Now’s jumping holds together. On that front the booking of ace Irish Point to Point rider Derek O’Connor is a huge positive.
Racecourse & Time
Cheltenham – 17:30
Advised Stake & Bet Type
1/2 Point Each Way
Name of Horse to Back
The Young Master
Current Odds:
18/1 William Hill & Betvictor 5 places else 16/1 generally look for 5 places, use BOG bookies
Compare odds at http://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing
Selection Reasoning:
The Young Master is preferred to Perfect Candidate with the New Course drying out quickly. The Young Master has a good record around this course and won in November on good ground jumping really well. Sam Whaley-Cohen is one of the better amateurs and knows this horse really well. Neil Mulholland and connections have freshened up The Young Master since he ran down the field on soft ground in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury. He is getting on in years but bounced back to form earlier this season and won a Bet365 Gold Cup over 3m5f at Sandown when rated 148. Usually a sound jumper The Young Master can use this to pull the others out of their comfort zone.
**Next Update Thursday Night 14th March ~19:00
As per usual you will be emailed as soon as new selections are updated online