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Cheltenham Festival 2011 Guide - Day Two
Cheltenham Festival 2011 Guide - Day Two
2:05 Neptune Investment Management Novices Hurdle (Registered As Baring Bingham Novices Hurdle) Grade 1 2m5f
Oscars Well, trained by Jessica Harrington, is the general 9-2 favourite and fully deserves that title having landed back-to-back Grade 1 wins in Ireland over the past three months. He is an individual full of class and looked a star in the making after his most recent win in February. This race, however, is likely to be a much tougher assignment and his price is too short in the circumstances. Bobs Worth, whose trainer Nicky Henderson has poor record in the race, is outright second favourite at 5-1. He showed a good attitude to get the better of Rock On Ruby over course and distance at the end of January and looks to be progressive. Rock On Ruby, trained by Paul Nicholls, is worth another chance following his aforementioned defeat and will improve with more experience over hurdles. However, the form of the race in which they came to the fore is dubious and should be treated with caution. Take them on with So Young, a French-bred five-year-old trained by Willie Mullins. So Young, a winner of both his races in Ireland so far, has a similar profile to Mullins' Mikael D'Haguenet, who took this race in impressive fashion in 2009. He is entered in this as well as the Supreme Novices' and the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle over 3m so it is unclear as to which race he will turn up in. Based on his price of around 7-1, this looks his most likely target and he has the class, gears and ability to make his presence felt.
Horse to follow - So Young, 15-2 (Coral)
2:40 RSA Chase (Grade 1) 3m110y
The RSA Chase is a brutal race and it takes a horse with solid jumping, huge lungs and plenty of guts to succeed. Time For Rupert, who has long been ante-post favourite for the race, has an excellent chance on the basis of his performances over fences so far. He jumps like a stag and has a massive engine, as seen when winning over course and distance in December. His price is very short at 9-4, however and there is value to be had elsewhere. Jessies Dream is well regarded by trainer Gordon Elliott and is a Grade 1 winner over fences in Ireland but he has yet to run over further than three miles and that may just find him out. Wayward Prince and Wymott, who both shape like out-and-out stayers, have the right profile for the race and jump well enough to be considered. However, there are two at bigger prices who may have better chances than their odds suggest. Master Of The Hall, trained by Nicky Henderson, is unbeaten over three miles to date and was very impressive when winning at Ascot in February. He jumped superbly and travelled like a very smart horse that day, winning hard on the steel against some solid yardsticks. He has to prove he can do it round Cheltenham but he looks overpriced at 20-1. Quito De La Roque is another interesting contender. He is a dual Grade 2 winner over fences in Ireland and looks ideal for the stamina-sapping test that this race provides. At 20-1, he is well worth a bet.
Horses to follow - Master Of The Hall, 20-1 (Victor Chandler and Paddy Power) and Quito De La Roque, 20-1 (Stan James and Boylesports)
3:20 sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase Grade 1 2m
Master Minded, winner of this race in 2008 and 2009, failed in his bid to make it three in a row last season when sent off odds-on favourite but has looked back to his very best this term. He is unbeaten in three races, including two Grade 1 wins, and he heads the betting at 5-2. The Paul Nicholls-trained eight-year-old narrowly held on to beat the fast-finishing Somersby at Ascot in the Victor Chandler Chase but he looks a bit too short at his current price so is well worth taking on. Big Zeb, who took Master Minded's crown last season, is a classy animal and he confirmed that when romping home twelve months ago. He suffered a shock defeat against Golden Silver at the end of January but had previously looked at the top of his game. He has to bounce back but Barry Geraghty was possibly at fault with an ill-judged ride and it would be unwise to rule out of a repeat win this year. He is available at around 3-1, which looks short enough to leave alone at present. Woolcombe Folly is an interesting contender but has to step up on the form he has shown in handicaps to date. On his last run in December, he clocked a faster time than Master Minded did on the same card and has been backed down to around 8-1 for this race since then. He has to prove he can cut it at the top level, however, and for that reason he is easy enough to swerve. Arguably the most interesting runner in the line-up is Somersby, trained by Henrietta Knight and improving with every run. He has shown up well at the last two Festivals and approaches this year's event in the form of his life. He went down by a short-head to Master Minded on his most recent start and it has been confirmed by his trainer that this is his target. He can be backed at 7-1 at the moment, a price which looks very tempting considering his potential.
Horse to follow Somersby, 7-1 (Blue Square/Paddy Power)
5:15 Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race) Grade 1 2m110y
Cue Card turned this race into a procession last season and it again looks to be full of quality individuals. Knight Pass is unbeaten in two starts and heads the betting at around 8-1. The apple of trainer Warren Greatrex's eye, the five-year-old was well fancied to win on his racecourse debut at Sandown and he did disappoint, sprinting clear in the style of a smart horse.The form of that race could have turned out better but he took eye with the way he finished his race. He followed up in similarly easy fashion at Lingfield, where he cruised up to dispute the lead two furlongs out before quickening clear to score by four lengths. He is certainly a horse to follow. He has no end of potential rivals, including Nicky Henderson's Ericht, a winner of Newbury's Grade 2 bumper in February. He looks a smart horse but is not appealing at 12-1. Willie Mullins has an enviable record in this race and he, like usual, has many options to choose from. Samain impressed when hacking up at Naas but he may need soft ground to be at his best so his price of 10s is unappealing. Mullins' best hope could be the well-regarded Lovethehigherlaw, a winner of his only race to date. He may be targeted at the Punchestown bumper instead so leave him alone until his plans are made clearer. Keys, trained by Classic-winning Roger Charlton, battled on well to win at the course on New Year's Day but again his price of 12s is off-putting. There are a number of unexposed runners down the bottom of the list which could be anything. Take a chance on Howard Johnson's Zhakiera Spirit at 25-1, who impressed when winning last time out at Newcastle. She won by 34 lengths that day when never asked a serious question and if her trainer opts to go for this valuable prize she must be taken seriously.
Horses to follow: Knight Pass, 9-1 (William Hill) and Zhakiera Spirit, 25-1 (Stan James) You Authority Control all Aspects of your Travel Cheltenham Festival 2011 Guide - Day Three Cheltenham Festival 2011 Guide - Day Four Cheltenham Festival 2011 Guide - Jockeys Cheltenham Festival 2011 Guide - Trainers Glimpses of European history with tours of Rome Washington DC, Independent Film Festival March Must Have Skirts For Spring Why Americans Should Look at Long Term Care Problem Seriously? Spend Your Cornwall Holidays at the Beach Celebrities Gossips - Celebrity Gossips - Fun-Gossips Storing Luggage Whilst On Holidays Playa de las Americas: A Purpose Built Paradise