13:30 Cheltenham 17 Mar 2023
JCB Triumph Hurdle
Blood Destiny £10 or 2pt win only 5/2 (Virgin Bet Money back offer) – Top class prospect who despite not putting his best foot forward to date has still managed to brush aside some pretty decent opposition including Grade 2 winner Nusret and Jazzy Matty who won the Fred Winter here on day 1. Will need to jump better and get rid of the novicey mistakes but holds excellent chances today.
14:10 Cheltenham 17 Mar 2023
McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle
Path D’Oroux 1pt win only 16/1 + Ganapathi 0.5pt EW 125/1 (8 places Skybet) – Path D’Oroux struggled to make any sort of impression in two grade 1 races back in December but took a huge step in the right direction when winning an above average novice event last time out. Will be open to plenty of improvement and unlike many of the Irish raiders still looks to be ahead of the handicapper. Ganapathi has been running well over the bigger obstacles but has looked to be in the grip of the handicapper. Switches back to hurdles today from what looks a very workable mark and gets a very handy 5lb extra taken off by the talented claimer Alan Doyle. Cheek pieces have been applied which could help to sharpen up this lively outsider.
14:50 Cheltenham 17 Mar 2023
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
Shanbally kid 0.5pt EW 28/1 (5 places B365) – Confirmed his early promise when beating Monty’s Star on only his second start over hurdles. Improvement ought to be on the cards stepped up in trip here and this one can give a good account again. This marks a big step up in grade but Willie Mullins may have left a little up the sleeve with this one and he will be looking to reaffirm his relationship with Gigginstown.
15:30 Cheltenham 17 Mar 2023
Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase
Bravemansgame 1pt win only 13/2 – Two horses tick all the boxes here for us and that is the selection and the short priced favourite Galopin Des Champs. Of the two the Paul Nicholls trained selection in our opinion has the strongest form in the book with his latest victory in the King George. That race looks slightly stronger than the favourites win in the Irish Gold Cup. The selection is possibly slightly more favoured in todays conditions but i guess only time will tell.
16:10 Cheltenham 17 Mar 2023
St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase
Secret Investor 0.5pt EW 18/1 + Shantou Flyer 0.5pt EW 50/1 – Paul Nicholls has a good record in this race and Secret Investor has to hold excellent chances of getting involved here. Has some solid back form before embarking on a career in the Hunter Chase sphere including a grade 2 victory in the Denman Chase. Has won his first two starts in this sphere comfortably and will be thereabouts at the business end. Shantou Flyer is another with some pretty solid form in the book and showed that he is more than up to the task last time out when runner up behind Famous Clermont off the back of a 279 day break. Olive Nicholls takes the ride and she will know this horse well from his time at her dads stable.
16:50 Cheltenham 17 Mar 2023
Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase
Riviere D’Etel 0.5pt EW 16/1 – With only 2 running’s of this race there is very little in the way of trends to go off and whilst Willie Mullins has won both races to date the opposition has not been that strong. The selection has possibly the strongest form on paper and looks overpriced if able to put her latest disappointing run behind her.
17:30 Cheltenham 17 Mar 2023
Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
Haxo 0.5pt EW 28/1 – Bit of a slow burner for this top yard who was plunged in at the deepend on only his second start for the yard here in the Ballymore Novice where he came up well short. Offered very little again on his reappearance but put in a much improved performance last time out to win an above average looking maiden. Will need to step forward again on that run it would not beyond one from this stable to have left a bit in the tank with a run here in mind.
Horses4Causes 