Friday, Cheltenham Gold Cup Tips 2011
Its the final Day of the Cheltenham Festival, Gold Cup Day. Here are my tips for the closing day of the Cheltenham Festival.
1:30 Triumph Hurdle, Unaccompanied, Each Way, 7/1 with Coral and Betfair
Always a difficult race, which Nicky Henderson has won the past couple of years. In my view this is harder to solve than recent renewals and could be another for the all conquering Irish contingent. Highly rated on the flat she bolted up in a maiden Hurdle for Dermot Weld and then won a grade one hurdle in the style of a decent sort. A filly, not maky win this race but she gets a weigh allowance and looks a very decent type and with the Irish flying, she is the one for an each way interest.
2:05 County Hurdle, Get me Out of Here, Each Way , 16/1 with William Hill and Paddy Power
Caution: I cant remember the last time I backed the winner of this race, a nightmare to solve. I am siding with a horse that was second at last year’s festival in the Supreme Novice’s – Get Me Out of Here. He has showed absolutely nothing since, but he has the class and ability and will is due a big race. McCoy will ride but I am playing small stakes on the basis that recent form is not encouraging but he if he finds his true form his current mark is a very winning mark. Worth an each way but modest stakes.
2:40 Albert Bartlett Novice, Hurdle, Bobs Worth, Win 10/3 with Paddy Power, 3/1 with Ladbrokes
After a couple of tough races, this is more like it. A decent investment on Bobs Worth for me. I am backing a Nicky Henderson novice, no surprise given the volume of novice talent that currently resides at Seven Barrows. Rock On Ruby franked the form of Bob’s worth when very unlucky to be touched off on the line in a driving finish. He is my idea of a banker, if you can have a novice hurdle banker. I really like Bobs Worth and will have a decent bet here. Feel sorry for Dougie Costello who had a big chance with recession proof.
3:20 The Cheltenham Gold Cup, Imperial Commander, Win 9/2 with Ladbrokes, William Hill, 4/1 with Bet365
As much as I hate backing against Kauto Star, I can’t see him being there this time, my favourite horse over jumps of all times. Nothing would give me more pleasure to see Kauto Star win a third Gold Cup, that said you cant bet on sentiment. For me Long Run is the danger to the reigning champion, Imperial Commander, who has raced just once since winning last year. He will be tuned to the minute for this and looked impressive on a recent racecourse gallop. I think this is a great race with three former winners lining up, all have a chance with Long Run the new kid on the block. For me though it will be Imperial Commander.
4:00 Foxhunter’s Chase, Baby Run, Win 7/2 with Paddy Power
The Twiston-Davies camp didn’t have a winner last year until Friday, then they banged three in. Baby Run is their big hope for this and will be a short price, but as hard as I try I can’t see past Baby Run. Amateur riders are always difficult but young Twiston-Davies will not be an amateur for long.
4:40 Conditional Jockey’s Race, Sir Des Champs, Win 5/1 with Victor Chandler, Coral, William Hill
Another for Ireland here for me. Sir Des Champs trained by Willie Mullins looks to be the one here, laid out for the race and comes here full of promise, unexposed and with a big chance.
5:15 The Grand Annual, Anquetta, Win 9/1 with Boylesports, Paddy Power
The getting out stakes. Never easy and this is no exception. I have no big view on this and probably wont have a bet myself. The one I would put up as the most likely winner is Nicky Henderson’s Anquetta who could be well in. Nearly all of these will have been laid out for this, so no huge interest, but Henderson could hold the key with Anquetta.
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Good Luck and I hope it has been a profitable Cheltenham Festival for you!
Thursday – Day Three at Cheltenham Tips, Betting Preview
This is Ladbrokes World Hurdle Day, and I have my best bet of the week on Thursday in the feature race. With Cheltenham half way through, now is the time to make some big money ! Here are my bets for Thursday.
1:30 Jewson Novice Chase, Wishfull Thinking, Win 7/2 with Bluesq
I don’t like backing favourites as a rule but this one looks a very good bet and could be easily the best horse in the field. He beat Calgary Bay last time out at Cheltenham and though lightly raced boasts a 50% strike rate, with five wins from ten races. I would suggest that he is a worthy favourite and should get things off to a good start on Thursday.
2:05 Pertemps Final, Kayf Aramis, Each Way 25/1 with Stan James
Always a competitive race, to say the least. One horse I love is Kayf Aramis who is well in credit with me and could run another good race here at a big price. I will have a minimum stakes each-way bet on Nigel Twiston-Davies’ nine year-old. He will be fit and ready, that is for sure and you cannot question his heart. This is one horse that gives his all. He has not won since moving for Venetia Williams but showed last time at Haydock that may change sooner rather than later. At the price I will take my old friend to do me a favour, again, each-way.
2:40 Ryan Air Chase, Voy Por Ustedes, Each Way 14/1 with Paddy Power
At a big price, making his debut for Nicky Henderson Voy Por Ustedes has to be worth a cheeky flutter. Henderson has his team in fine fettle, with his horses running well. It is a big leap of faith to think he can come back and win but if anyone can pull it off then it is Nicky Henderson. A place still pays a decent return so as i say a sporting flutter is on the cards here for me on the former Champion Chaser.
3:20 World Hurdle, Big Buck’s Win 5/4 with Betfred
I have already backed, heavily, Big Buck’s at 5/4 for this. I can not believe that price and will eat my hat if he goes off bigger than that on course. I will be amazed if he doesn’t emulate Quevega and make it three wins in successive years at the Cheltenham Festival. Grand Crus is probably the best challenger that Big Buck’s has faced but in my book he is way better than the rest and will win. This is my best bet of the week. Certainly at the 5/4 I am more than happy.
4:00 Byrne Group Handicap, Agile D’or, Each-Way 9/2 with William Hill
Another difficult handicap for us to solve. Hopefully this should be straight forward. I think Nicky henderson has plotted this one up for a win and I think he will have plenty in hand to land this. Not the biggest price winner you will ever back, but judging by the way he won at Newbury he is a very decent horse indeed. He has a mark of 138 over fences but was rated a fair bit higher over hurdles, which says to me that he could be very well handicapped. This is a decent each-way bet to nothing!
4:40 Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup, No Bet.
Not a race for me! Amateur races are tough at the best of times, this is definitely one for an early finish. I hope to be well ahead and will not get involved here.
Cheltenham Tips 2011, Cheltenham Festival Tips
So Here It Is….It’s Cheltenham Festival 2011!
Over the next four days professional punter and tipster Carl Harris will mark your card daily at the Cheltenham Festival with his best bets of the day. Today though Carl takes a look ahead to the festival with some interesting multi-bets that could potential yield a very healthy return.
So. after all the twists and turns, the marketing, the preview evenings and the bookies special offers, the Cheltenham Festival has finally arrived. Four days of National Hunt racing unrivalled anywhere in the world, that is the simple truth. It is four days of fantastic racing, but Cheltenham also becomes a battlefield. Punters wage war with on the bookmakers, it is always a brutal conflict, more often than not a total bloodbath, but which way will it go in 2011?
Certainly 2010 was a massacre of the punters by the bookmakers. Shrewd investors will have bought bookmaker’s shares on their return from Prestbury Park in 2010, such was the devastation the results brought to the betting public. This year though, punter’s are our for revenge, eagerly optimistic, it’s time to make those evil bookmakers pay. I reckon that a banker accumulator may be just the thing to do just that!
So what are my Cheltenham festival bankers? And what about those pre-festival bets, like top trainer, leading rider? If you like special bets, then you are going to have plenty offered to you this week, that is the biggest certainty of the Cheltenham Festival. As far as top trainer and leading rider, I honestly have to say this is a market that holds little appeal for me, these markets hold little value and are a nightmare to work out! There are better ways to get paid, in my view anyway. This is my idea of a pre-festival flutter….
If you have a spare £10 or £20 then a banker accumulator is an interesting investment that could give you a big return, certainly a exciting involvement. A couple of years ago I landed one such bet and it paid out a very healthy sum. I recommend an each-way accumulator on;
• Cue Card
• Quevega
• Time for Rupert
• Big Buck’s
Four horses I think will win and roll up in to a very decent payout indeed. I back the bet each-way as an insurance policy. So why do I think these are the bankers?
Cue Card, Supreme Novice Hurdle
Cue Card was talked about as a Champion Hurdle possible, but that notion was soon put to bed when he was well and truly beaten by Menorah, who in fact won this race last year. The form though of Cue Card is rock solid, Menorah is the only horse to have beaten him and he will now probably go off as favourite for the Champion Hurdle. From what I have seen Cue Card looks a very decent sort, and is the most likely winner here. He looks head and shoulders above this field, form what we have seen Cue Card is the real deal !
Quevega, Mares Hurdle
Quevega is looking for a historic third win in this race, she is all about class. She has raced just once since last year’s victory but will be prepared to the minute and the vibes are positive from the Irish camp. I would suggest that Quevega is a good thing if I dare use those words at Cheltenham! She is far better, if at her best than anything else in this division.
Time For Rupert, RSA Chase
The feature on Wednesday’s card is the RSA Chase. I think Time For Rupert is nailed on here, there I go again! He bolted up over course and distance last time and it will be a huge win for both trainer and jockey, but this is a real class horse over fences who at 9/4 looks a real banker bet. There is nothing in the field to worry Time For Rupert if he reproduces that performance of last time out.
Big Buck’s, World Hurdle
the price for Big Buck’s is very generous. Odds against, in fact 5/4, even 11/8 is being offered as I write and that to me is a license to print money. He has all the class in the world and the emergence of David Pipe’s Grand Crus is the driving force behind the drift that has developed on Big Buck’s. Nothing will stop Big Buck’s in my view from, hopefully, emulating Quevega and making it three wins in a row in their respective events. This is one horse though that is a banker and I have already lumped on Paul Nicholls’ charge as the cornerstone of my Festival betting strategy. If I had to pick one horse for the 2011 Cheltenham Festival it would most definitely be Big Buck’s. No doubt about it!
So my pre-festival bet is an each-way accumulator, on
• Cue Card
• Quevega
• Time for Rupert
• Big Bucks
I hope you join me throughout the week and that we make some money and best the bookies in to submission !
Good Luck, Carl
