Cheltenham Festival Day 3 - Part 2

Here is our second part guide to the third of the four day action at Cheltenham featuring the big races of the day, the RyanAir Chase and the ladbrokes World Hurdle.

First Lieutenant is the favourite for the RyanAir Chase on Thursday at 14:40. The Mouse Morris runner is an ultra-consistent sort who is rarely out of the top three with top three finishes from 15 of 18 career starts (and in two of these three came in fourth). However, of concern is the fact that you have to go back to November 2011 for the last time the horse won the race. The horse has won at Cheltenham though which is key as 13 of the 16 winners or runners-up had all won at the course previously.

Cue Card is the other horse currently well fancied by bookmakers. The Colin Tizzard runner was last seen in Ascot in February at the betfair Ascot Chase seeing off Captain Chris to take the victory. Cheltenham as well should hold no fear after coming second here to Sprinter Sacre in the Arkle Trophy last year. Throw into this mix a fourth in the Supreme and a bumper winner in 2010 this horse has both current form and Cheltenham proven quality. It is no trick just a question of value and Cue Card looks that to me and he gets the recommendation.

Others expected to be in the mix are Riverside Theatre, Champion Court and Menorah though at bigger each-way prices I like the look of the veteran Albertas Run. The 12-year-old has two wins and a second from the last three runs here and at double figures looks worth an interest. After a year out I expect Albertas Run to return fresh and he looks capable of a top three finish here.

The second of the big races Thursday is the ladbrokes World Hurdle which gets underway 15:20. For once this race looks wide open following an injury to Big Buck’s who has won this race the last four years. Who will step out from the shadow of the wonder horse and lift the trophy? Bookmakers are split as to who to make favourite for the race with some electing for the Nick Williams runner Reve De Sivola while others going for the Nicky Henderson runner Oscar Whiskey. These two met on the course in January with Reve De Sivola winning out that time. A lot depends on the ground, many think that if we get decent ground then Oscar Whiskey can reverse the result though I am not so convinced as if you watch that race Reve De Sivola always looked in control. I think when you have two horses going against each other and one beat the other recently at this very track and in some cases that horse is the bigger price then you have to get involved with it.

Bog Warrior is the horse expected to run these two closest and arrives here on the back of three successive victories. The horse took the notable scalp of Zaidpour at Gowran Park over the 3m distance of this race. That earmarked him as a contender though concerns over his inexperience at Cheltenham put me off him also the fact that the Irish do not have a great record in this race with no win in the last 18 years.

Followers of trends betting will note that 17 of the last 19 race winners ran at the Festival last season and the last 11 race winners could be found in the first four in the betting.

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BEST OF THE BETS

GOLD: Reve De Sivola to win World Hurdle (15:20)
SILVER: Cue Card to win the Chase (14:40)
BRONZE: Albertas Run EW in the Chase (14:40)

Go To bet365

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13/03/2013     © Frixo 2024