Blue Ribbon event The Cheltenham Gold Cup over 3m2f.
The best horse in the race is, without doubt Best Mate. He won the race
last year and has been a short price ever since to repeat that feat.
However, he was 7/1 last year and is currently trading at about 6/4 for this year¹s race. He is trying to be the first horse to triumph in back to back
Gold Cups since L¹Escargot in the early seventies.
The Irish have a new potential superstar in Beef Or Salmon, but he is
still a novice and the race may well come a year too soon for him.
The best value in the race appears to lie with Hussard Collonges. This
massive horse won the Sun Alliance Chase at the festival last year and
has run some good races in defeat this year under big weights. He is,
therefore, the each way choice.
There are many good betting opportunities on the supporting card today.
Firstly the current Stayers Hurdle champion Baracouda should win again.
But he has the gutsy Limestone Lad to get past here. Baracouda will need to
come with one short sharp piece of acceleration to beat Limestone Lad.
If it turns into a protracted duel then Limestone Lad is the more
likely of the two to prevail. Class normally prevails and although, for personal
reasons, I would prefer Limestone Lad to win the most likely outcome is
that Baracouda will win. Although he will also be plenty short enough in the
market.
Two others to keep on the right side are La Landiere in the Cathcart at
5.10. She has been improving all year and if she runs to anywhere near her
best she will win, and Kingscliffe in the Foxhunter chase. He is
improving at a tremendous rate and should take the beating. The foxhunter chase is an amateur event and this is the only thing that should concern us.
Kingscliffe certainly has the potential to be a good deal better than most of his
opponents.
The opening race of the day is the JCB Triumph Hurdle for 4 year old
horses only. The suggestion here is Don Fernando. Let¹s hope he proves to be
of a better temperament than our own Fernando. Moneytrain has a decision
over Don Fernando but the different circumstances of today¹s cavalry charge may bring out the necessary improvement which Don Fernando requires to make.
THE SHEIKH