Ok all, it’s only 7 days to go after many posts and much speculation.
Let’s just hope there is a lot more Guinness consumed than Corona and the meeting goes on without a hitch, or snitch.
I am going to post some early fancies and comments, which will be updated on a daily basis to get everyone into a Festival mood.
The first race is on Tuesday the 10th of March, the last on Friday the 13th.
There will be 7 races over the 4 days, a total of 28 races to try and catch a few winners.
It is never easy and we will have the normal festival hotties, plus plenty 10/1 the field races, where you will only need one winner to break even for the week.
So whether you just are battering the hotties or punting every race, it should be an exciting 4 days.
Day one the 10th
Supreme Novice:
Shishkin 3/1 Asterion Forlonge 4/1 Abracadabras 6/1 and Fiddleontheroof 7/1 all have chances in a difficult opener.
Arkle Chase :
Notebook 33/10 and Fakir Doudairies 13/2 look the best here.
Ultima:
Very open 7/1 the field where Vindication could be fav.
Champion Chase:
Not the strongest field for one of the big races, Espatante 4/1, Pentland Hills at 6/1 will probably look the winner during the race for you “in running” punters.
Mares Hurdle:
Benie Des Dieux 9/10 would have been very short until they decided to run Honeysuckle 4/1 to give it a race.
Northern Trust :
Very open Imperial Aura possibly fav 6/1.
National Hunt Chase:
Carefully Selected to end day one at 5/2.
Day two the 11th.
Ballymore:
This should get the punters off to a good start with the real deal Envoi Allen at 18/10.
RSA Chase :
Champ can win this one with a clear run at 33/10
Coral Cup:
10/1 the field, big result expected, trifecta for retirement.
Champion Chase:
Could be the race of the festival
Altior 22/10, Defi Du Seuil 5/2 and Chacun Pour Soi 3/1 the obvious trifecta.
My selection is Defi to take Altiors crown.
Cross Country:
Everyone’s fav horse and banker will be Tiger Roll 11/10
Have a niggle that Easysland will give it plenty cheek and Might Bite is an unusual entry at 20/1.
Boodies:
Aramax probably fav at 5/1.
Bumper:
A very strong fav where this race is normally 10/1 field but Appreciate It could be something special.
Day three 12th
Marsh Novice:
Itchy feet at 5/1 in open event.
Pertemps :
It’s 8/1 the field where The Storyteller, Delegate and Phoenix Way could top the boards.
Ryanair Chase:
A Plus Tard, Min and Frodon are likely to fight out finish.
Paddy Power Stayers:
Could be the meeting banker with Paisley Park.
Brown Advisory:
Simply the Betts probably fav in open event.
Mares Novice:
Can go to Minella Melody but also open.
Kim Muir:
Not getting easier but Ravenhill fav at 8/1 and Plan of Attack worth ew at 20/1.
Day four 13th.
Triumph:
3/1 Solo, 5/1 Goshen and Allmankind are top candidates.
Country Hurdle :
10/1 the field, maybe Mohaayed worth a punt.
Albert Bartlett:
Thyme Hill, Monkfish and Latest Exhibition could fight out this 7/1 the field contest.
The big one, The Gold Cup:
We have to have a punt but one of the most open ever.
Al Boum Photo and Santini joint at 5/1
Delta Work 6/1 with Lostintranslation.
Clan des Obeaux 7/1
Presenting Percy 12/1 with Kemboy (big chance)
My fancy is Bristol De Mai at 30/1 ( have a nibble).
Foxhunter Chase:
Another 7/1 the field, where Minella Rocco, Hazel Hill and Staker Wallace (ew).
Grand Annual:
10/1 the field with Greaneteen and the difficult to pronounce Lisp possibly topping the boards.
Martin Pipe:
To close the meeting, win lose or draw would have been an eventful, drama filled for days.
Ilikethewayurthinking and Pileon in yet another 10/1 the field event..
So in Summary
My early best bets will be :
PAISLEY PARK *****
ENVOI ALLEN *****
BENIE DES DIEUX ****
DEFI DU SEUIL ***
APPRECIATE IT.***
Ew fancies
PENTLAND HILLS
CHAMP
MIGHT BITE
BRISTOL DE MAI.
Daily updates to follow and your contribution appreciated.
Gordon Elliott described himself as a happy man after Tiger Roll came through one of his final pieces of work after racing at Leopardstown on Monday ahead of next week's Cheltenham Festival.
Tiger Roll has crammed a lot into a short space of time after he suffered a setback in November but came through his workout with flying colours to the delight of Elliott.
Working in the same group as the likes of short-priced Ballymore favourite Envoi Allen, the dual Grand National hero tanked his way around Leopardstown under Lisa O’Neill.
Elliott said: "I was delighted with Tiger Roll. Lisa rode him and everything went well so it's all systems go for the cross-country.
"At this stage, they are all just ticking over ahead of Cheltenham but we needed to get a good blow into Tiger and I'm delighted by what he did there. I couldn’t be happier."
Envoi Allen worked under Keith Donoghue alongside Albert Bartlett contender Fury Road, who was ridden by Davy Russell.
Honeysuckle will bid for Cheltenham Festival glory in the Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle rather than the Unibet Champion Hurdle next week after connections decided the longer trip would suit her best.
The Henry de Bromhead-trained six-year-old, owned by GVC Holdings chief executive Kenny Alexander, is unbeaten in seven starts under rules, most recently defeating Darver Star by half a length over two miles in the PCI Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown last month.
She is a best priced 15-8 second favourite for the two-and-a-half-mile Close Brothers with Benie Des Dieux, also entered in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle, heading the betting at a general 8-11.
Cheltenham on Wednesday revealed a raft of measures to combat the threat of coronavirus at next week's four-day festival.
The track has increased the number of wash basins and toilet facilities on site and plans to make hand sanitisers readily available, as well as putting up posters with the latest public health advice.
In addition to posters around the racecourse, a similar public health message will go out to all customers in advance of the meeting.
A spokesperson for the racecourse said: “We welcome the government’s guidance that the business of the country should continue as usual, while ensuring we adhere to the latest public health advice.
“We have also increased staff numbers to ensure these facilities to ensure that soap and drying facilities are constantly available.”
The UK's action plan is on the cusp of moving to the 'delay stage', during which restrictions could be imposed on public gatherings, according to Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England.
He was speaking on Wednesday morning before 36 new UK coronavirus cases were announced, taking the total to 87.
Following the announcement of the new cases, Betfair's exchange market on whether day one of the festival will go ahead as planned was offering odds of 1.4 (2-5) for racing to go ahead and 3.5 (5-2) for it to be cancelled or postponed at 6pm with almost £2.2 million matched.
Willie Mullins knows the scale of the task facing Chacun Pour Soi when he takes on superstars Altior and Defi Du Seuil in Wednesday's Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase, but the champion trainer is confident his challenger is capable of coming out on top.
The day two contest is the most eagerly anticipated clash of the Cheltenham Festival with double winner of the race Altior the general 7-4 favourite and Defi Du Seuil a 2-1 shot.
Both are shorter in the market than the Rich Ricci-owned eight-year-old, who is a best-priced 11-4, but Mullins has confidence in Chacun Pour Soi's ability to serve it up to his two better-fancied rivals, one of whom, Defi Du Seuil, he beat by four and a quarter lengths at Punchestown last year.
Mullins, who still has the option of the Ryanair Chase for the Dublin Chase winner, said: "It's going to be a very competitive race with Altior and Defi Du Seuil in the line-up, but we are very happy with our horse.
That is due to the Betfair panel held yesterday. Elliot mentioned that if the rain continued to come and the ground ended up heavy, then Envoi Allen would head to the Supreme on Tuesday - don't think he'd fancy the 2m5f of the Ballymore on heavy ground.
Cheltenham is nearly here , can't wait
Altior in the Champion Chase (wed)
A Plus Tard in the Rynair (thursday)
Gosen in the Triumph Hurdle(friday)
My 3 bets of the week
The 2 bankers at the meeting for most will be Paisley Park in the Stayers Hurdle and Benie Des Dieux in the Mares Hurdle , if either of these get beat , the bookies will be going home with full satchels
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