If you back Might Bite (3.30) for this Cheltenham Gold Cup, then of course you must fear the risk of him wandering around on the run-in like he did in last year’s RSA. In the end, however, the greater risk lies in backing something else and being beaten by Might Bite because this is a prodigiously talented steeplechaser who will take a great deal of stopping.
Had he been a more straightforward animal, he would have won two Grade Ones by about 30 lengths as a novice. He idled once he had the King George won but in this greatest test he has faced, we will see the extent of his talent.
Native River faces an enormous task, trying to make all the running on this surface. Equally, the size of this 18-runner field will probably count against those, like Edwulf, who are held up in rear. Killultagh Vic and Our Duke look the big dangers.
1.30 Samcro’s impressive success on Wednesday has a tangential bearing here. When he won at Leopardstown last month, his time was two seconds slower than the race on the same card won by Mr Adjudicator. While the races may have been run differently, Mr Adjudicator showed himself to be a very fast juvenile that day and he could be the one to give the favourite, Apple’s Shakira, most to worry about.
2.10 Willie Mullins could bag both the first two prizes on this card, as he has several fine chances in this County Hurdle, having won the race four times in the past eight years. Meri Devie, who was to have been the mount of Ruby Walsh, could prove the pick of them. The trainer was still talking about running her in the Mares Hurdle when she was last seen, winning at Punchestown. Evidently, he has been tempted by the fact that the handicapper has put her up just 2lb for that. She moves like a classy animal and can travel nicely into contention here.
2.50 It is slightly surprising to find Chef Des Obeaux rivalling his stablemate Santini for favouritism, considering Santini beat the other convincingly when they met at Newbury in December and followed up here in January. The form of that last race was boosted by the runner-up, Black Op, who was still challenging Samcro at the last on Wednesday. Santini can prove he is indeed the pick of these stayers.
4.10 He could do with the ground drying out a bit but Wonderful Charm’s race comes at the right end of Festival week for that and he looks the brightest talent in this field. He could have won this race a year ago had he taken up a handier early position. He roared up the hill to be beaten just a neck by Pacha Du Polder and can turn that form around here.
4.50 Gordon Elliott was riding as an amateur for Martin Pipe 20 years ago, trying to pick up lessons from his training methods. Elliott has called Pipe his hero, won the race named after Pipe last year and can safely be assumed to be keen on doing it again. His Blow By Blow could have taken his chance in the Albert Bartlett but is on too lenient a rating to try anything else but a handicap here. A top‑class bumper horse two years ago, he is on his way to proving as good over obstacles.
5.30 Getting bought by JP McManus is the most significant thing Rock The World has done since winning this race last year. The result is that he has come back down to a beatable mark and can do it again, with Robbie Power aboard for the first time since that day.
Cheltenham 1.30 Mr Adjudicator (nb) 2.10 Meri Devie 2.50 Santini 3.30 Might Bite (nap) 4.10 Wonderful Charm 4.50 Blow By Blow 5.30 Rock The World
Musselburgh 11.30 Nendrum 12.05 Bedrock 12.40 Celtic Flames 1.10 Nefyn Bay 1.50 Uptown Funk 2.30 Attention Please 3.10 Leostar
Lingfield 1.00 First Experience 1.40 Rivellino 2.20 Night Story 3.00 Island Brave 3.40 Playfull Spirit 4.20 Regina Nostra 5.00 Freebe Rocks
Fakenham 2.00 Ascendant 2.40 After Aspen 3.20 Weebill 3.55 Shining Romeo 4.35 Bordeaux Bill 5.10 Heresmynumber
Wolverhampton 5.45 Cat Royale 6.15 Carpet Time 6.45 Highly Focussed 7.15 Ad Vitam 7.45 Rock On Baileys 8.15 Semana Santa 8.45 Sunshineandbubbles
Tips by Chris Cook.
