Cheltenham Festival - Thursday

GOING: Chase and Hurdle course - GOOD TO SOFT (Soft in places); Cross Country course - SOFT (Frozen in places)(GoingStick: 6.4) INSPECTION of chase/hurdle course 8am and Cross Country course 11am THURSDAY

NON RUNNERS 3:20 Cloudy Spirit (14)

Updates in green

1.30 JEWSON NOVICES´ CHASE (REGISTERED AS THE GOLDEN MILLER NOVICES´ CHASE) GRADE 2 (CLASS 1) (5yo+)
DYNASTE goes in this for David Pipe and will surely go off the short priced favourite. He has won his three starts over fences, including over course and distance in November and the Grade 1 Feltham Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. Willie Mullins, who has had five winners so far saddles Aupcharlie, who has finish close behind Wednesday's 1-2 Back In Focus and Tofino Bay on his last two starts, and Marito, who will be ridden by Ruby Walsh and currently 20/1. Captain Conan and Module both have claims on their novice chasing form.

Ratings Pick:- Aupcharlie

Texas Jack is a market mover in this one. Now trading at around 10/1 from 20/1.

2.05 PERTEMPS FINAL (A HANDICAP HURDLE) (LISTED RACE) (CLASS 1) (5yo+)
SAM WINNER has been brought on nicely by Paul Nicholls this season now back over hurdles and has a great chance of landing this race. He was fourth in the Truimph Hurdle in 2011 behind Zarkandar and that form is better than anything else in this race. He won his warm up race, an all weather bumper from Peddler's Cross, in January and is primed to go. Jonjo O'Neill and AP McCoy have Shutthefrontdoor running who has won three of his four races but will need to improve to win this. Top Of The Range was a cosy winner for Nicky Henderson last week over 2m6f and could be worth an each way punt at 16/1.

Ratings Pick:- Shutthefrontdoor

Stonemaster has been shortened after some support.

2.40 RYANAIR CHASE (REGISTERED AS THE FESTIVAL TROPHY CHASE) GRADE 1 (CLASS 1) (5yo+)
First Lieutenant has been diverted to this race rather than Friday's Gold Cup and that decision makes alot of sense. He has excellent Festival form, winning the Baring Bingham Novices Hurdle in 2011 and being runner up to Bobs Worth in last year's RSA Chase. He has been consistent this season but the major concern must be on him being able to get his nose in front. CUE CARD is another horse with very good Festival form. He won the Champion Bumper in 2010 was fourth in the Supreme Novices Hurdle in 2011 and was a 7l second to Sprinter Sacre in last year's Arkle. He won the Haldon Gold Cup back in November and the Ascot Chase last month. His only defeat this term was behind Long Run in the King George VI Chase at Kempton which may have just been too long for him. Previous race winner Riverside Theatre and Albertas Run have to be respected.

Ratings Pick:- Cue Card

First Lueutenant is being very well backed in this.

3.20 LADBROKES WORLD HURDLE GRADE 1 (CLASS 1) (4yo+)
This year's renewal of the World Hurdle looks wide open with many of the runners having decent claims. The two market leaders Reve De Sivola and Oscar Whisky have close form with each other, coming first and second over course and distance in the Cleeve Hurdle last time out. Irish challenger Bog Warrior has been very good since returning to hurdles winning all three starts beating Zaidpour and Solwhit on his last two starts. Peddler's Cross won the Neptune in 2010 and ran Hurricane Fly close in the Champion Hurdle a year later. He has decent claims but whether he is back to his best form needs to be seen. An interesting runner is Paul Nicholls' WORLD DOMINATION who was only selected for this race last week. He won his only start for his new stable readily and is unexposed. Not sure the connections would have run him in this if they didn't think he could win. Another Nicholls trained horse, Celestial Halo could hold very good each way value at 40/1

Ratings Pick:- Solwhit

4.00 BYRNE GROUP PLATE (A HANDICAP CHASE) GRADE 3 (CLASS 1) (5yo+)
This is the first of two very competitive handicaps. Ballynagour is currently the favourite for David Pipe after landing a gamble at Warwick recently. That was his debut for his new yard in this country and he could turn out to be better than this class of race. Cantlow is a lightly raced novice and has AP McCoy aboard. HUNT BALL was one of the stories of the Festival last year. Shown excellent form when second to Menorah in December. He won over course and distance at last year's Festival and should go well again here. Of the rest Zaynar is an interesting runner as is Mad Moose at 25/1 and 33/1 respectively.

Ratings Pick:- Domtaline

Tartak could be one worth backing at a big price.

4.40 FULKE WALWYN KIM MUIR CHALLENGE CUP HANDICAP CHASE (AMATEUR RIDERS) (CLASS 2) (5yo+ 0-145)
Super Duty will likely be the favourite for Donald McCain and has been ultra consistent this season. He has never been out of the first two when completing and is making his handicap debut. Alfie Sherrin won at the Festival last year and has to be respected. No Secrets has won his last two outings and has Katie Walsh aboard. SWING BILL has already won two amateur races at Cheltenham, has plenty going for him here and is worth a punt each way at 25/1.

Ratings Pick:- Super Duty

5.15 GLENFARCLAS HANDICAP CHASE (A CROSS COUNTRY CHASE) (CLASS 2) (5yo+)
The cross country race is always a good bit of fun and whatever horses Katie Walsh and Nina Carberry are on should be worth a second look. Walsh rides Shakervilz who was sixth over course and distance in December while Carberry is on the favourite Arabella Boy who despite unseating Miss Carberry in that December race is in good form. The French raider SACREE TIEPY was well backed on Tuesday before the postponement on the race and could be worth siding with at 12/1.

Ratings Pick:- Shakervilz

1.30 A race that revolves around Dynaste,if if turns up on his A game then he wins but hes never won after December in any season and the drying ground is going against him.At silly odds its easy to look elsewhere and i like TEXAS JACK.The worth of his Irish novice form went through the roof yesterday and with better ground,a shorter trip and a likely strong pace to run at i thinks hes a viable ew poke to small stakes.

2.05 Cracking renewal as always with loads of "plot" horses who havent shown their true worth in Qualifiers.I cant go against CAPTAIN SUNSHINE,he has to have everything fall right but a big field,decent ground,strong pace,stiff track is the perfect recipe for him.At 20s or more he rates a sound ew proposition.

2.40 Personally i think this is a disappointing renewal with horses that you can find loads of reasons for not backing but very few for backing.Pretty certain theres going to be a frenetic pace,theres four who like to force it so it might pay to side with a hold up,play late performer.FOR NON STOP will love the race style,hes held by a few of these on previous form but most of that was on soft ground,this decent surface will see a different horse im sure and if Fehily can get him onto the coat tails of the leaders at the last then hes sure to finish off to good effect.14s is too big to ignore.Solid ew.

3.20 Belting heat with plenty of contenders but it looks like the conditions have come to the aid of OSCAR WHISKY.Wont have it that he doesnt stay,it was bottomless ground that caught him out last time.Top flight over slightly shorter i still think that he can be kidded and nursed into contention after the last and from there his class should see out.Bigger than 4s value.Solid bet.

4.00 Nearly all the form in this event has been on soft,this is a different test today and with two cracking runs over C/D already this term i take WALKON to have his time in the Sun.143 doesnt look an overbearing mark and its hard to ignore his cracking run behind Unioniste when given lumps of weight away.Previous high quality Festival form in his CV.12s is belting ew value to decent stakes.

4.40 Wont go further than ROMANESCO in this heat.Best pilot in the race,looks fairly treated,conditions no problem and stable in good form.Not a brilliant betting medium but worth a minimum ew .

5.15 If it finally takes place then is SIZING AUSTRALIA for me ,if only because the conditions have come right for him.

Texas Jack has some good form with yesterday's RSA Chase principles.

My first bet of the festival was Same Difference in the 4.40. Had a massive £5er E/W at 16's. Still a £110 return isn't bad.

I had Cue Card and Celestial Halo each way. I seem to be doing better with large priced each way shots this year rather than finding actual winners.

Had a nightmare,plenty of ew tickes retuned a small profit but opened a Ladbrokes account and got the 6s about Oscar Whisky.Filled my boots and fishing waders! Ouch.