The headline feature of the final day of the Cheltenham Festival is the Gold Cup. You can read a preview of that race by clicking here while we have also previewed the four non-handicap races including the Triumph Hurdle. You can view that if you click here.
That leaves two more races to be tackled which are the handicap offerings and after a 12/1 winner in one of them on Thursday we are out for more cash from the bookies satchels over the course of Friday. Here are our handicap previews:
1.55 Cheltenham: County Handicap Hurdle
Preview
One of the hardest races to solve, the County is a handicap hurdle over 2 miles & has a maximum field of 26. Typical winners of this are lightly raced types & those with previous course experience. A horse with speed is essential so form in good quality bumpers or an ex-flat horse is a plus. Ganapathi is the favourite for Willie Mullins but this is his first run in a handicap & all his runs have been on heavy ground. Champagne Gold is bidding to add to the success of De Bromhead & Blackmore at the Festival but a hike of 12lbs for a good 2nd in the Ladbrokes Trophy puts me off whilst You Raised Me Up was a fancy of ours for the Coral Cup until he was taken out. The shorter trip here isn’t ideal.
Betting
We are taking 2 against the field, the first being Dan Skelton’s Third Time Lucki. The trainer has a great record in this race, winning 3 of the last 5 runnings of the race & his horse comes here with solid form credentials. He was 4th in last year’s bumper which is very strong form as Appreciate It, this year’s runaway Supreme winner finished 2nd behind Ferny Hollow. The selection made up good ground in the straight, finishing 6 lengths behind the winner. He’s won 3 novice hurdles this term & his one disappointment was last time out when racing too freely & making a terrible mistake at a crucial stage. He gets in here with a decent mark for his handicap debut & the quicker ground the better. With a big field in his favour, he’s a confident each way selection.
At a bigger price is ex-French flat horse Thyme White trained by Paul Nicholls. Ground is absolutely key to this horse; he ran midfield in the Boodles last year on soft ground & this term, he won his first start off a 10lb lower mark on good ground at Chepstow. Mightily impressive that day, he then unseated at Newbury having travelled a bit too keenly & then was going well in the Betfair Hurdle looking a massive danger before the last before his effort petered out. The ground was maybe too soft too so better ground & a big field where he’ll get a fast pace to aim at are big pluses & he could run a massive race at a big price for a trainer who’s won this 3 times this century.
Tips
PLACED – Back Third Time Lucki (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 9.00 Skybet BOG (⅕ odds 1-8)
Back Thyme White (e/w) for a 0.75/10 stake at 23.00 Skybet BOG (⅕ odds 1-8)
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4.50 Cheltenham: Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle
Preview
The last race of an excellent meeting is a handicap hurdle for conditional jockeys & there’s another maximum field of 24. The Irish have saddled 5 of the last 7 winners but the one thing you need here is proven stamina. Not sure does your horse have to have run over this trip, it’s even better if they’ve run over further & stamina has put paid to many a gamble over the last few years.
Willie Mullins’ Gentleman De Mee is a short price favourite but it’s all potential. He won a maiden hurdle last time & is unexposed but has better ground & a step up in trip to overcome. Gabynako is not easy to leave out of the final reckoning but the price has gone & he’s another with ground concerns although his form claims are sound judged on a 3rd to Bob Olinger 2 starts ago. Langer Dan is 5lbs well in for his Imperial Cup win last Saturday but it was deep ground that day & a weak renewal.
Betting
We are going double handed with a pair of Irish challengers, the first being Fire Attack who has been mixing it in top company this year. 2nd to Fakiera (favourite for Albert Bartlett) on his first start this year, 6th of 9 to Appreciate It in a Grade 1 & then fell behind Dreel Deal next time is a real tough set of assignments. On his most recent run, he was 2nd to Thedevilscoachman & would have surely gone very close if not for pecking on landing at the last. He’s proven at the trip & will appreciate going back up in distance having run the last 3 times over a bare 2 miles. This keen going sort will also be better in a bigger field & the addition of a tongue tie should help too. At double figure odds, he’s a nice each way shot.
Another in double figures in Frontal Assault who has stamina in abundance. His last 4 runs have been in and around 3 miles & he’s run with credit, winning twice. The only disappointment was when tried in blinkers where he was quoted as being too keen but either side of that, he won on his only 2 runs in cheekpieces which are on again today. He’s not just about the stamina though as he proved when 6 lengths 3rd last year in a bumper behind Ferny Hollow who went on to record victory at the Festival. One thing for sure is that he’ll be staying on more than most & provided he’s not outpaced, he looks a cracking final bet of a great Festival for us.
Tips
Back Fire Attack (e/w) for a 0.75/10 stake at 12.00 Skybet BOG (⅕ odds 1-6)
Back Frontal Assault (e/w) for a 0.75/10 stake at 13.00 Betfred BOG (⅕ odds 1-6)
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