Cheltenham Preview Night - Towcester Racecourse - Wednesday 9th March

I had the pleasure of attending the Cheltenham Preview night at Towcester Racecourse last night, with some very informative chat and discussion from the panel of celebrated experts which consisted of Robert Cooper of At The Races, who compared the evening, Matt Chapman, also of At The Races, Gold Cup Winning Jockey Paddy Brennan, Trends Expert Andrew Mount, Kieron Packman of Timeform and the entertaining ‘heavyweights’ Gary Wiltshire & Mark ‘The Couch’ Winstanley, who gave a broad view from the punting side.

Here are the key comments of the night –

Day 1

SUPREME NOVICES

KP – Cue Card is better rated at this stage than Dunguib was this time last year and therefore has more of a chance although not a fan of Joe Tizzard and thinks he lessens the horses chance.

PB – Tizzard is not a problem and he thinks it is a one horse race and that Cue Card wins

MC – Nagative due to the jockey, Thinks Cue Card should be taken on and that Spirit Son is the one. AP will ride whichever one of Hendersons that Geraghty turns down.

AM – Is against Cue Care on trends. The bumper form from last year has not been franked and the next 10 to finish behind Cue Card in that race have not delivered in 26 graded races since. Spirit Son is the one for him too … Breeding is a positive as Spirit Sons sire, Poliglote has sired 5 festival runner of which two have won.

ARKLE

MW – Medermit too short now at 3’s. Not a fan of front running horse therefore doesn’t like Finians Rainbow. Blazing Tempo at 50’s NRNB is his selection as he thinks Ruby will ride. (was shot down as told that highly unlikely this will run in the race)

KP – Has no opinion on the race

PB – Would like to ride Medermit. Finians Rainbows jumping is a negative and thinks the good ground would be a worry for Ghizao

MC – Can’t have Medermit as thinks you need a gutsy horse in the Arkle. Finians Rainbow is the one as it will be allowed to run freely in the race unlike at Warwick where strangling tactics didn’t work.

AM – Thinks Ghizao will beat Medermit

CHAMPION HURDLE

PB – Khyber Kim has an each Way chance but thinks Menorah is the one to beat. Peddlers Cross will be better over fences.

AM – Binocular is nailed on. Forget it’s run at Sandown as all the ‘sharks’ had punted it all the way from 6/4 into 1/3 on course to win by less than 6 Lengths.

KP – Definitely not Peddler Cross. Last years Neptune is not great form. Oscar Whisky & Khyber Kim at the prices are better value than PC, Hurricane Fly and Menorah. Hurricane Fly is at least 3 to 4lbs behind Binocular.

MW – Menorah is bombproof but not at the current price, Oscar Whisky is too big a price but Peddlers Cross is a definite lay. Thousands Stars is also too big a price.

MC – Binocular will be ready

Others Mentions For Day One

KP – Magens Star in the Mares Hurdle at 20’s is big

AM – Quevega is a good thing in the Mares

MC – Definity in the Centenary Novices will go close

MW – Great Endeavour at around 9/1 in the Spinal Research. Was entered in the Gold Cup so is obviously class and will run in headgear that Pipe uses to great success.

Day 2

NEPTUNE NOVICES

AM – Against Bobs Return, Tornado Bob is the value

KP – Bobs Worth will definitely place, Prince Of Pirates is very interesting at a big price and won’t be as big come the race.

MW – Bobs Worth is bombproof (another one !!!)

GW – Oscars Well is a lay for a place ….. MW agreed

MC – So Young is the one due to Paul Townends supreme confidence in the horse.

RSA

PB – Has to be Time For Rupert

MC – Also very keen on Time For Rupert although questions Paul Webbers bottle as he thinks TFR missed the Argento due to the trainer getting cold feet.

KP – Has to be Time For Rupert … Nothing else gets close. He is not a fan of Paul Webber but says that the horse should be 11/10 – Evs rather than 9/4. Thinks Wymott is ok but will be aimed at next seasons Hennesey

MW – Time for Rupert is too short

AM – The Giant Bolster each way for him.

At this point the microphone was handed to David Bridgewater who was in the audience who said that The Giant Bolster was a decent each way shout and they were very happy with him.

QUEEN MOTHER

PB – Master Minded has done everything required. Doesn’t like Somersby … Or Henrietta Knight who he said doesn’t like jockeys !!!!!

MC – Big Zeb is not exceptional and is beatable. Master Minded is the best 2 Mile chaser and Sizing Europe should place.

AM – Big Zeb for him. Master Minded is a lay for a place as he thinks the effects of the wind op will wear off and that he is not the horse of 3 years ago.

MW – Master Minded will need some more cut in the ground, Woolcombe Follis still big at 8’s

KP – Goden Silver each Way

GW – Lay Master Minded & Big Zeb

CORAL CUP

MW – Call The Police will shorten considerably (As i write this … He has !!!!)

AM – Foe Non Stop has an excellent each way chance. Nick Williams has trained 2 runners in the Coral Cup and both have placed.

FRED WINTER

MC – Good reports about Titan Di Sarti who is apparently better than Grandouet who is favourite for the Triumph

KP – Tenor Nivenais for Venetia Williams will go very close, a big price and nothing but good reports.

BUMPER

MC – If Bygones In Brid runs in the Bumper then it is a great bet. Owned by Harry Redknapp, the Alan King trained horse was a real rogue when he arrived at the yard however King has found the key to the horse and at 33/1 NRNB is value.

NH CHASE

KP – The Irish WILL win the NH Chase with Alfa Beat … Very strong with this one.

Day Three

WORLD HURDLE

MW – Big Bucks is the bet of the meeting

KP – ‘Up to his neck’ in Grand Crus in the W/O Big Bucks market.

PB – Big Bucks is a banker

MC – Has to be Big Bucks

AM – Big Bucks although thinks Mourad each way at 5’s in the without Big Bucks market is a steal

GW – Has to be Big Bucks

RYANAIR

KP – Somersby not for him purely due to Henrietta Knight. Poquelin is the one but Kalahari Kings is a no as Ferdy Murphy is so out of form this season.

PB – Poquelin for him

MC – Albertas Run at 12’s NRNB is a decent bet as he is the solid G1 winner in the race

AM – Poquelin will finish in the first three no doubt and at 7/2 is the one to be on.

GW – Poquelin will be 9/4 on the day and is the one he fancies.

Day Four

TRIUMPH

PB – Doesn’t think much of this years juveniles but would go for Zarkander if pushed

MW – Sam Winner is the form horse in the race

KP – Sam Winner is top rated, Zarkander has a similar profile to Soldatino so it would be one of those two. There is no substance to Unaccompanied and he doesn’t fancy him at all.

MC – Unaccompanied needs soft so probably won’t run. Really likes Smad Place, he’s a good horse and Alan King knows how to win the Triumph. Most of the contenders would need some decent cut in the ground though.

Marsh Warblers owner was also present and he said that if the ground looked like it might dry up by the Friday then that they would run the horse on Tuesday in the Supreme Novices instead.

ALBERT BARTLETT

PB – Sybarite is very well thought of, NTD says it is the next Imperial Commander however Brennan is being jocked off the ride for Sam TD so wasn’t too chuffed !!!!

MC – Habbie Simpson had been the one that Richard Hoiles had been banging in about

MW – Raptor is a tip he’s had from Ireland

AM – Very keen on Yes Tom at a big price – Currently about 33/1

GOLD CUP

PB – Imperial Commander is about 85 – 90% where he was last year !!!! Has question marks about Long Run as not sure he will stay. He wasn’t overly confident about Imperial Commander (did say privately that if the race was today then it wouldn’t run !!!!)

MC – Kauto & Denman just too old so has to be eiter Imperial or Long Run

MW – China Rock overpriced at 50/1 in what is the worst Gold Cup for a long time

KP – Imperial Commander should be 7/4. Long Run just not for him around Cheltenham.

AM – Long Run won’t win a Gold Cup. Denman has been a different horse since his heart op. Imperial Commander is the one.

I’ve got to say the comments of Paddy hardly inspired any major confidence in Imperial Commander .. To me he came across as being very negative.

FOXHUNTER

PB – Baby Run is NTD’s best bet of the meeting

GW – Gone To Lunch each way

MW – Agreed with Gone To Lunch each way which had been tipped up by a ‘Hunter Chase Expert’ !

GRAND ANNUAL

KP – Shoeacres is not exposed and has course form … A good bet at current odds

The Panels Best Bets Of The Meeting

AM – Wishful Thinking – Jewson Novices
MC – Baby Run – Foxhunters
PB – Time For Rupert – RSA
KP – Alpha Beat – NH Chase
MW – China Rock – Gold Cup
GW – Gone To Lunch – Foxhunters

Lays Of The Meeting

PB – Hurricane Fly – Champion Hurdle
GW & MW – Oscars Well – Lay For A Place

OTHER INFORMATION

One of the owners of Marsh Warbler was there and he has been to Ireland earliert this week and had been with Willie Mullins. He witnessed Quevega putting in a very negative piece of work, not just that, he also said that she was reluctant to come out of her box. Also he said that Tony Martins horses need to be avoided like the plague. They are not well and are definitley ones to give a wide berth.


I know it's a long old read ... alot of info to digest and interesting to hear some of the views of the panel especially Paddy Brennan who was not confident about Imperial Commander. Hope this has been of interest to some of you.

Cheers

thats very interesting, cheers for that grahame. most informative. although after viewing several of these reviews, im left with a blank piece of paper again.... just when i thought i had all the winners

Nice write up Grahame,however i personally wouldnt take a blind bit of notice as to the views of Winstanley,Wiltshire and Chapman.If they made a remake of the Woodentops these three clowns would be top of the list.

Thanks for that Grahame......really interesting.

Hope GW is right about Gone To Lunch........I love this horse.

Solerina