Cheltenham Festival Day 3 – Thoughts

[Win2Win]

We start the day with the JLT Novice Chase at 1:30. Willie Mullins is aiming to win this race for the Irish again, and stands a good chance of doing so. The problem with this race is that a lot of muddling form exists, and it is tight between those at the front of the market. Because the prices are good, it can pay to dutch Felix Yonger, Oscar Whisky, Wonderful Charm, Taquin Du Seuil, Vukovar and Djakadam.

[Win2Win]

The 2:05 Pertemps Network Final is not always as much of a lottery as some of the other large fields handicaps at this meetings. As normal for me in this type of race, it is much easier finding a lay than the winning horse, and I only ever look at those at the front of the marker. Fingal Bay will be running on faster ground, and just scraped home last time, and will probably struggle giving weight in this hot race.

[Win2Win]

The 2:40 Ryanair Chase tends to favour the form horses, and is a race that favours dutching. Benefficient has the beating of Dynaste, and I will be laying the latter. Al Ferof rarely runs a bad race these days, and should go well again. So one lay bet in the race, and I'll also dutch Benefficient and Al Ferof, but not a big interest in the race.

[Win2Win]

Now for my favourite race of the meeting, the 3:20 Ladbrokes World Hurdle. It's still the Stayer's to me! Big Bucks returns to take back his crown, as as he wasn't fully fit on his comeback, he ran a cracking race giving weight away, and should easily reverse form with At Fishers Cross. Annie Power is the big talking horse from Ireland, but is an unknown over this distance. Celestial Halo can go well at a big price, and is worth a small place bet. I'll stick with Big Bucks in this race, as it has been a long time since you could get around 3/1 for him. I will also lay At Fishers Cross.

[Win2Win]

The 4:00 Bryne Group Plate was won by a 50/1 shot last year, and in this type of event, that could easily happen again, so I'll sit this one out.

[Win2Win]

The Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase at 4:40 has always been a great race to watch, and that is all I will be doing, as nothing stands out for a back or lay.

[Win2Win]

Taquin Du Seuil got me off to a flyer in the first, it was just a pity that Oscar Whisky left the race so early.

I got Fingal Bay so wrong, but at 9/2 it didn't do that much damage. He won easily as well in the 2:05.

Follow on very wrong lay with another in Dynaste. This horse took a lot of money before the race, and went off the 3/1 fav.

Big Bucks showed that he is no longer the force of old after his injury, and has been retured. Apart from Baracouda, he was one of the best ever multiple winners of this race. Annie Power stayed well enough, but was beaten by a better horse on the day. At Fishers Cross was a winning lay.

The 4:00 was won by a 12/1 shot, and carried on the trend of beaten Favs, although the fancied horse did finish in second. The other race I sat out was the 4:40, and this was also won by a 12/1 shot.

Not a great day for me, but I'm still nicely up over the 3 days.