Cheltenham Festival 2011: Big Zeb has the class to retain the Queen Mother Champion Chase crown
March 15, 2011 By
Irish-trained chaser will be difficult to beat on a sound surface in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, says JA McGrath.
Stan James Top Price Master Minded
February 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Today StanJames.com are offering top industry price on Master Minded in their Queen Mother Champion Chase ante-post market at the Cheltenham Festival.
Master Minded is the favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase after an unbeaten three-race season so far, including another two Grade 1 events. However, despite this, StanJames.com think Master Minded is still not quite the horse he was a few years ago when he won the Queen Mother Champion Chase in both 2008 and 2009, particularly in 2008 when Master Minded destroyed his opposition, so they are happy to lay him.
This offer runs all day Monday Feb 28th and ends at midnight. It is the latest in a series of Cheltenham Festival offers as the online firm continue their countdown to the greatest horse racing meeting on Earth.
Queen Mother Champion Chase betting from StanJames.com (e/w terms 1/4 1,2,3)
11/4 Master Minded (top industry price)
3/1 Big Zeb
6/1 Somersby
7/1 Woolcombe Folly
11/1 Captain Cee Bee
12/1 Golden Silver
14/1 Sizing Europe
20/1 bar
Queen Mother Champion Chase 2011 Betting Update
February 1, 2011 By 1 Comment
Henrietta Knight announced today that Somersby will head to the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
He was beaten by a small margin at Ascot by dual Champion Chase winner Master Minded in the Victor Chandler Chase, but could he go one better at Cheltenham?
Watch the Queen Mother Champion Chase Warm Up….
He is favourite for the Ryanair Chase with some firms but Henrietta Knight is keener to go for the Champion Chase.
From her website:
“Somersby is extremely well and fresh. We have decided that his most likely race at Cheltenham will be the Champion Chase on the Wednesday. That is our aim. Knight also issued an upbeat report on Grand National hope Calgary Bay, second at Cheltenham on Saturday. With Doncaster abandoned last Saturday, Calgary Bay, who was three-quarters of the way there, was re-routed to Cheltenham – his second preference. After five hours in the horsebox, he ran a super race to finish second to Wishfull Thinking in the Murphy Group Chase. He will now have a rest and be prepared for the Grand National in April.”
Big Zeb will also be back for the Champion Chase….
Master Minded Eased After Narrow Ascot Win
January 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Master Minded has been eased to 2/1 (from 5/2) at the head of the market for the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase by totesport after he scrambled home in the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot this afternoon. Watch the race…
Runner-up Somersby has been cut to 7/1 (from 20/1) by totesport for the same race whilst he is now the 9/2 joint-favourite (from 8/1) for the Ryanair Chase.
“Master Minded made very hard work of landing the spoils at Ascot and although he remains favourite for the Champion Chase for the time being, his position at the head of the market could be vulnerable in the coming weeks,” said totesport spokesman George Primarolo.
Grandouet is the new 15/2 favourite (from 11/1) for the JCB Triumph Hurdle with totesport after sluicing up in the Ascot Annual Badgeholders’ Juvenile Hurdle by six lengths.
William Hill also cut Master Minded’s Championship odds out to 5-2 from 7-4. The eight-year-old was always travelling supremely, putting in some spectacular jumping displays throughout, before almost being collared on the line by his finishing pursuer, rewarding Paul Nicholls with a third successive victory in the event.
William Hill chopped Henrietta Knights gallant performer from 25-1 to 9-1 for the Championship two-mile event, in addition clipping him into 9-2 second-favouritism from 8-1 for the Ryanair Chase.
Lucy Rhodes, spokeswoman for William Hill, said, Weve become used to Master Minded strolling to success with lengths to spare this season, however another cosy victory was not to be with scintillating Somersby pushing him right the way to the finish in a real spine-tingler .
Queen Mother Champion Chase: 5-2Master Minded, 7-2 Big Zeb, 7-1 Woolcombe Folly, 8-1 Somersby, 10-1 Sizing Europe, 12-1 Tataniano, 14-1 Captain Cee Bee, Golden Silver, 16-1 Forpadydeplasterer, 25-1 Gauvain, 33-1 Crack Away Jack, French Opera, Jy Vole, Mad Max, Petit Robin, 40-1 Tchico Polos, 50-1 BAR (E/W 1/4 1,2,3)
Tiger O’Toole has been cut to 16/1 (from 40/1) for the totesport Trophy by the sponsors following his victory in the victorchandler.com Holloway’s Hurdle. Runner-up Walkon was also cut to 20/1 (from 33/1) for the stanjames.com Champion Hurdle after trainer Alan King revealed the horse would head straight for the Festival.
Get On 6/1 Cheltenham Festival Banker Bet
March 3, 2010 By 1 Comment
Over four days, four horses, one every day will be the banker for many people at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival. But if you have them in a four timer, you could walk away with a 6/1 return, assuming they all win of course.
Kauto Star Gold Cup Favourite
So what are the four Cheltenham Festival bankers?
Tuesday- Supreme Novice Hurdle- DUNGUIB
Unbeaten to date, last year’s Champion Bumper winner has looked superb over hurdles. He has been backed in to 4/6 and is the Irish banker of the meeting, in the first race. he should win if everything we have seen and heard is to be believed.
Wednesday, Champion Chase- MASTER MINDED
Its over to Paul Nicholls for the next three days. Master Minded is going for a historic third successive Champion Chase. he had a cracked rib but came right back to form last time out and if on form should win again with Ruby Walsh aboard.
Thursday, World Hurdle- BIG BUCKS’
Big Bucks’ is many peoples idea of the best bet of the week. He has look unbeatable and should win this cosily if all goes to plan. This is the one to be most confident about.
Friday, Gold Cup- KAUTO STAR
Kauto Star is looking for a third Gold Cup. Last time out in the King George he put up a performance, the likes of which I have never seen. On the forecast ground he is a good thing, providing Denman doesnot spoil the party. He will need to run better than last time out at Newbury.
The accumulator pays 6/1 + with Stan James. Bet now and get a £25 free bet….
Bet now with Stan James, four horses 1 bet pays over 6/1.
Twist Magic 5/1 for Champion Chase
January 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Stan James make Twist Magic a 5/1 shot for the Champion Chase from 7/1 after his success in the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot earlier this afternoon.
Runner up Petit Robin jumped out to the left throughout the race and made mistakes, but was no match for the Paul Nicholls trained winner. Petit Robin was pushed out to 10/1 from 8s. In the Champion Hurdle picture Punjabi was pushed out to 16s from 10s to retain his crown at Cheltenham and is now the same price as his Haydock conqueror Medermit.
Queen Mother Champion Chase 2010 ~ Outright Ante post, (place terms: 1/4 the first 3)
Champion Hurdle 2010 ~ Outright Ante post, (place terms: 1/4 the first 3)
Stan James antepost market movers Saturday:
Roberto Goldbeck 16s from 25s for RSA Chase
Advisor 14s from 20s for Supreme Novices’ Hurdle
Diamond Harry 6s from 12s RSA Chase
Master Minded On Course for Champion Chase
November 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Connections of Master Minded anticipate the dual Champion Chase winner to make a full recovery from a stress fracture to a rib. The Paul Nicholls-trained six-year-old underwent a bone scan on Thursday after appearing ill at ease on his return at Cheltenham on November 15.
Master Minded On Course for Champion Chase
Master Minded was sent for tests in Newmarket after finishing third behind Well Chief and Mahogany Blaze in the Connaught Chase. Having been consequently ruled out of a repeat bid in the Tingle Creek next weekend, owner Clive Smith is satisfied at having at least discovered the extent of Master Minded‘s problems. He said:
“There was definitely a problem there, and there’s a sense of relief that we’ve now hopefully got to the bottom of what has been troubling him. “He’ll now have a little bit of a rest and is not going to be ridden for a month. Paul is quite convinced that with a month on the horse-walker he’ll be fine from January onwards. With all the things that can go wrong with a horse, this is probably as good as we could have hoped for.”
Rather than head to Sandown for the Tingle Creek, Master Minded will now be primed for the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury in February. Smith is hoping his charge will then be back on top form in his quest to retain the Champion Chase crown a month later. He added:
“We want to see him run well at Newbury and then hopefully it will be all systems go for Cheltenham.”
Champion Chase Betting Without Master Minded
November 24, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Stan James Open Book Without Defending Champion….
Following the news that Champion Chaser Master Minded will miss the Tingle Creek at Sandown next month Stan James have opened a market on the 2010 Champion Chase without the dual winner of the race.
Master Minded
Head of PR Charlie McCann:”Everyone hopes that the bone scan scheduled for Thursday will show nothing serious, but we have decided to give antepost punters the alternative of betting without the Paul Nicholls star on the 2010 renewal of the Champion Chase. Big Zeb heads our market at 5/2.
2010 Champion Chase: betting without Master Minded: Ew 1/4 odds 1,2,3;
Big Zeb 5/2
Well Chief 9/2
Kalahari King 7/1
Forpadydeplasterer 10/1
Planet Of Sound 10/1
Voy Por Ustedes 12/1
Barker 12/1
Schindlers Hunt 12
Cooldine 20
Sizing Europe 20/1
Twist Magic 20
Petit Robin 25
Crack Away Jack 25
Tatenen 25
Tranquil Sea 25/1
33s Bar
Get your £25 Free Bet from Stan James
Master Minded and Hurricane Fly Beaten
November 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment
SHAKE-UP IN THE QUEEN MOTHER AS WELL CHIEF RULES AT CHELTENHAM!
Injury-plagued Well Chief received a hero’s welcome after defying his advancing years to lower the colours of Master Minded in the Connaught Chase at Cheltenham.
Although the inaugural running of the two-mile test appeared to be a match on paper, the big guns were split by Mahogany Blaze as Master Minded finished out of the front two for the first time in a completed chase in Britain.
Paul Nicholls had warned the dual Champion Chase winner would benefit from the outing and the writing was on the wall for the 4-7 favourite as Timmy Murphy produced the David Pipe-trained Well Chief to lead over the third-last.
The Queen Mother ante-post betting took on an altogether different shape today after Well Chief set the cat amongst the pigeons with a triumphant victory in the Connaught Chase at Cheltenham.
Well Chief Beats Master Minded
In receipt of 10lbs from reigning Champion Chaser, Master Minded, the veteran of Pond House showed a magnificent return to his form of old with a one and-a-quarter length victory in the £50,000 two-mile event. Leaving Paul Nicholls’s star to return home in third place.
The result caused ructions in the Queen Mother ante-post betting, with William Hill easing Master Minded to 7-4 from 11-10, and slashing Well Chief to 7-1 from 20-1. Irish raider Big Zeb – an impressive winner at Navan last time out – is now the 4-1 second-favourite (from 6-1), with Arkle winner Forpadydeplaster now 14-1 from 16-1, and his runner-up Kalahari King 8-1 from 12-1.
Well Chief holds an entry in Boxing Day’s William Hill King George for which the sponsors halved him to 16-1 from 33-1, and to 10-1 from 20-1 in the market without Kauto Star.
Kate Miller, spokeswoman for William Hill, said: ‘’ We are keen to not react too much to Master Minded’s defeat. Whilst not wanting to crab the Pond House hero; today might just have been Well Chief’s Queen Mother, and back on decent ground and level weights in March the result could be a different one entirely.’’
Queen Mother Champion Chase: (William Hill Bet) 7-4 Master Minded, 4-1 Big Zeb, 8-1 Kalahari King, 14-1 Barker, Forpadydeplasterer, 16-1 Planet Of Sound, 25-1 Twist Magic, 33-1 Bar (EW 1/4 1,2,3)
William Hill King George VI Chase (sponsors bet): 10-11 Kauto Star, 5-1 Madison Du Berlais, 14-1 Imperial Commander, Nacarat, Voy Por Ustedes, 16-1 Cooldine, 20-1 Albertas Run, Deep Purple, Racing Demon, 25-1 Barbers Shop, Joe Lively, Kalahari King, Monet’s Garden, Schindlers Hunt, 33-1 Cloudy Lane, In Compliance, Roll Along, War of Attrition, Well Chief, What a Friend, 50-1 Atouchbetweenacare, Cappa Bleu, Glencove Marina, Ollie Magern, Our Vic, Shining Gale, 66-1 Casey Jones, Master Medic, Tartak, 100-1 Ballyfitz, 150-1 Chief Dan George, 500-1 Sandymac (EW 1/4 1-2-3)
William Hill King George without Kauto Star: 7-2 Madison Du Berlais, 7-1 Imperial Commander, Nacarat, Voy Por Ustedes, 10-1 Cooldine, 12-1 Deep Purple, Racing Demon, 14-1 Albertas Run, Barbers Shop, Monet’s Garden, 16-1 Joe Lively, Kalahari King, Schindlers Hunt, 20-1 Cloudy Lane, In Compliance, Roll Along, War of Attrition, Well Chief, What a Friend, 25-1 bar (EW 1/4 1-2-3)
Hurricane Fly…
Hurricane Fly fluffed his lines as Solwhit quickened right away from his rivals to run out a hugely impressive winner of the Dobbins & Madigans at Punchestown Hurdle.
The five-year-old travelled kindly for Davy Russell in behind rivals as Muirhead cut out much of the running in the Grade One contest.
There were three virtually in line jumping the final obstacle but it was Solwhit (7-4) who showed the best turn of foot to score by two and a half lengths.
Muirhead kept on for second while Hurricane Fly, who had been ante-post for next year’s Champion Hurdle following an unbeaten novice campaign, could only finish third.
William Hill and Victor Chandler were suitably impressed by the winner and make him 4-1 favourite from 8-1 for the Champion Hurdle, while Hurricane Fly is out to 5-1 from 3s.
Solwhit 4-1 from 9-1 (now joint favourite)
Hurricane Fly 5-1 from 3-1
Champion Hurdle (William Hill Bet): 4-1 Binocular, Solwhit, 5-1 Hurricane Fly, 8-1 Celestial Halo, 10-1 Punjabi, 12-1 Walkon, Zaynar, 14-1 Quevega, 20-1 Go Native, 25-1 Dunguib, Starluck, Voler La Vedette (Others On Request) (EW 1/4 1,2,3)
Master Minded Drifts to Odds Against!
November 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Stan James cut Big Zeb from 8s to 6s for the Queen Mother Champion Chase following a most impressive victory in the Grade 2 Fortria Chase at Navan earlier this afternoon. Champion Chaser Master Minded was eased to 11/10 from Evens in light of the Navan success. Master Minded has not run this year and has drifted to what looks a great price.
11/10 for Champion ChaseHead of PR Charlie McCann: “Many believe Big Zeb should already hold a verdict over Master Minded given his mistake at the last when seemingly travelling better than the Nicholls’ runner at Punchestown in the spring. This looked another step forward for the eight-year-old with a flawless round of jumping and it will be some race if Big Zeb turns up at Sandown for the Tingle Creek next month.”
Queen Mother Champion Chase 2010 ~ Outright Ante post, (place terms: 1/4 the first 3)
11-10 Master Minded (from evens)
6 Big Zeb (from 8s)
10 Kalahari King
14 Planet Of Sound
16 Forpadydeplasterer
16 Barker
16 Voy Por Ustedes
16 Schindlers Hunt
25 Bar
