Cheltenham is the best week of the year for me as I much prefer jumping to flat racing. Today is the day to get stuck into the form book and plan your strategy for the next four days. The final declarations are made by 10am, for the first day and for the feature race on Wednesday, so that is what I will be doing today.
I will not be betting on today's racing, in fact I am not even looking at it. I will be focusing on the week ahead and Tuesday's cards.
The feature race on Wednesday is the Champion Chase, so no study needed there! Master Minded is a good thing! I infact had to study the Wednesday races yesterday for a piece I have submitted to The Yorkshire Evening Post. Obviously final declarations are not out but print deadlines are the key factors albeit unhelpful to the racing writers. I am therefore a day ahead, but will get more involved in that card tomorrow. Here is what I have written ahead of Wednesday.
A Diamond Day in Store at Cheltenham…
By Carl Harris of Racingdiary.co.uk
Wednesday at Cheltenham, for me and many National Hunt purists, is a real treat because we get to see the horse rated the best chaser in the World and arguably the best two miler there has ever been. Master Minded is the red hot favourite for the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase at 3.20. Last year I advised readers to back him at a tasty 3/1, this year we will be lucky to get odds of 1/3 such was the domination displayed in winning this race twelve months ago. His beating of reigning champion Voy Por Ustedes is rated as the best ever by the official handicapper. Master Minded is the headline horse running in the feature race, a Superstar of the equine world who could win this race by a record margin.
Paul Nicholls’ Champion chaser has ran only twice this season, winning very easily on both occasions. The only worry is that some freak accident puts him on the deck, but I have never seen such a fast and fluent jumper. At the prices he is not a betting proposition, having said that with interest rates as they are there may be something to be said for an investment that will return 30% in only a few minutes. What I prefer to do is double him with all my other bets for a bonus on my winnings, assuming there are any!
The RSA Chase (2.40) will be much more competitive both in the betting ring and on the course. I like Carruthers because his form looks stronger than most in the field and his jumping has been breathtaking at times, particularly when winning his last race, coming home unchallenged at Ascot. Ruby Walsh has chosen to ride the Irish trained Cooldine ahead of Paul Nicholls’ What a Friend which could be significant but Carruthers, one of the youngest horses in the field looks an exceptional prospect and will go off at an attractive price.
If those two races don’t provide enough intrigue then one of the most competitive races of the week is the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle at 2.05. I have backed two horses for this race, both at decent Ante Post prices. They are the favourite Diamond and Mad Max. Mad Max, the biggest horse I have ever seen, may be better over fences in future, but is unbeaten in four lifetime starts for trainer Nicky Henderson who has a powerful team on show over the four days. In contrast Diamond Harry comes from trainer Nick Williams’ stable whose whole festival is centred around this similarly unbeaten hurdler who will be much shorter odds but can boast stronger form. Though not comfortable on the heavy ground at Cheltenham in January, his class and sheer determination got him home in a what was a decent event. I would suggest that Diamond Harry is a worthy favourite and on this better ground could prove what a top class horse he is at the highest level. My preference is for Diamond Harry to get the better of Mad Max, who I recommend as an each way alternative.
A great day is in prospect on Wednesday, which I hope will be as entertaining as it is profitable,
Good Luck!
I will not be betting on today's racing, in fact I am not even looking at it. I will be focusing on the week ahead and Tuesday's cards.
The feature race on Wednesday is the Champion Chase, so no study needed there! Master Minded is a good thing! I infact had to study the Wednesday races yesterday for a piece I have submitted to The Yorkshire Evening Post. Obviously final declarations are not out but print deadlines are the key factors albeit unhelpful to the racing writers. I am therefore a day ahead, but will get more involved in that card tomorrow. Here is what I have written ahead of Wednesday.
A Diamond Day in Store at Cheltenham…
By Carl Harris of Racingdiary.co.uk
Wednesday at Cheltenham, for me and many National Hunt purists, is a real treat because we get to see the horse rated the best chaser in the World and arguably the best two miler there has ever been. Master Minded is the red hot favourite for the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase at 3.20. Last year I advised readers to back him at a tasty 3/1, this year we will be lucky to get odds of 1/3 such was the domination displayed in winning this race twelve months ago. His beating of reigning champion Voy Por Ustedes is rated as the best ever by the official handicapper. Master Minded is the headline horse running in the feature race, a Superstar of the equine world who could win this race by a record margin.
Paul Nicholls’ Champion chaser has ran only twice this season, winning very easily on both occasions. The only worry is that some freak accident puts him on the deck, but I have never seen such a fast and fluent jumper. At the prices he is not a betting proposition, having said that with interest rates as they are there may be something to be said for an investment that will return 30% in only a few minutes. What I prefer to do is double him with all my other bets for a bonus on my winnings, assuming there are any!
The RSA Chase (2.40) will be much more competitive both in the betting ring and on the course. I like Carruthers because his form looks stronger than most in the field and his jumping has been breathtaking at times, particularly when winning his last race, coming home unchallenged at Ascot. Ruby Walsh has chosen to ride the Irish trained Cooldine ahead of Paul Nicholls’ What a Friend which could be significant but Carruthers, one of the youngest horses in the field looks an exceptional prospect and will go off at an attractive price.
If those two races don’t provide enough intrigue then one of the most competitive races of the week is the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle at 2.05. I have backed two horses for this race, both at decent Ante Post prices. They are the favourite Diamond and Mad Max. Mad Max, the biggest horse I have ever seen, may be better over fences in future, but is unbeaten in four lifetime starts for trainer Nicky Henderson who has a powerful team on show over the four days. In contrast Diamond Harry comes from trainer Nick Williams’ stable whose whole festival is centred around this similarly unbeaten hurdler who will be much shorter odds but can boast stronger form. Though not comfortable on the heavy ground at Cheltenham in January, his class and sheer determination got him home in a what was a decent event. I would suggest that Diamond Harry is a worthy favourite and on this better ground could prove what a top class horse he is at the highest level. My preference is for Diamond Harry to get the better of Mad Max, who I recommend as an each way alternative.
A great day is in prospect on Wednesday, which I hope will be as entertaining as it is profitable,
Good Luck!
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