The official forceast is good for Cheltenham today, but they have put plenty of water on the track and it will be interesting to see how it rides.
Not too soft, hopefully, as Top The Charts (12.45) likes good ground. Today's nap selection is trained by Tony Martin, whose runners here are invariably well backed, and Top The Charts is in to 5-2. Boleybawn Quikstar is another interesting Irish challenger. His jockey, Shane Jackson, looks very promising.
Fundamentalist is said to be strongly fancied by his stable, but this 3m chase does not look attractive for betting purposes. Provided his jumping holds up, Glasker Mill (1.20) should go well.
The Roney Man, a stable companion of Top The Charts, has been backed this morning for the amateurs chase and is trading around 11-2. But with the blinkers back on, Hordago (1.55) looks a strong contender off his low weight.
With Freneys Well a non-runner, the cross-country chase looks between Spot Thedifference (2.30) and Le Duc, and the Irish veteran is more reliable. Word from the David Pipe stable is that Puntal is expected to run well.
At around 9-1, the well-regarded French import Petit Robin (3.05) is the value in a very interesting novice hurdle, although Tony McCoy is reportedly sweet on the chance of his mount, Spectait. With a clear round Imperial Commander (3.45) should take the novice chase, but at short odds he is not a bet.
12.45 1st Newton Bridge 11-1
The first race at this three-day meeting goes to the Irish, as Newton Bridge wins for the fourth time in five outings. From the small County Meath yard of trainer Gordon Elliott, who won the Grand National with Silver Birch in April, he ran away from his only challenger, Peacock, on the run-in. Our nap, Top The Charts, was given a confident ride, heavily restrained in rear for most of the race, but only found one pace when asked.
Look out for Newton Bridge at Uttoxeter tomorrow - he's declared for the 2.45 race there and won't carry a penalty for winning today, as this race was restricted to conditional jockeys. Connections will presumably be keen to turn him out again, as long as he remains in good health after that effort.
1.20 1st Glasker Mill 11-2
Glasker Mill collars Ofarel D'Airy on the line in the sort of finish Cheltenham was made for. Hopefully, Guardian readers were on but I have to admit that Glasker Mill didn't look the most likely winner until about halfway up the run-in, having jumped stickily for much of the race. Great credit must go to jockey Graham Lee for coaxing him round in one piece -- Glasker Mill had fallen twice in three previous runs over fences and his jumping will continue to be a real problem in bigger fields.
1.55 1st Hordago 6-1
Ruby Walsh may have been pipped on his only ride so far, on Ofarel D'Airy, but he's all smiles in the grandstand this time as he watches his sister, Katie, ride her first Cheltenham winner on Hordago in this race for amateur riders. A winner over hurdles at this meeting in 2004 and 2005, Hordago seems to be one of those horses who save their best for this demanding track.
That makes it two out of three for my tips today and a flying start for the racing blog. Can it last? It's the cross-country race next and we're on Spot Thedifference, who, at the age of 14, is bidding for his seventh success round this course and distance. He may be a great favourite with the crowd but the betting market is remaining clear-eyed and backing Le Duc to spoil the party.
Just time to quickly answer a couple of the queries raised below. Yes, Dougal, the plan is for this to be a regular feature, though obviously we'll have more to say on days like today when the quality of the racing is high. It's nice of you to say I'm being brave, but a blog also gives me the chance to, er, explain the odd surprising defeat.
On that subject, miner2049er, a horse certainly can be value in those circumstances but I'm afraid hindsight shows that Top The Charts probably wasn't. In truth, I didn't expect him to start so short when I tipped him yesterday afternoon. Last year, when the same trainer sent out the winning favourite of that race, the horse was returned at 9-2.
2.30 1st Spot Thedifference 11-4
The cross-country races at Cheltenham are not everyone's cup of tea but they have proved a consistent source of drama. Spot Thedifference thrills the crowd with his seventh track win, only to alarm them by slipping and crashing to the turf as he pulls up. Thankfully, the horse is fine and gets a hero's welcome in the winner's enclosure.
As so often in these races, some horses took the wrong course, including Puntal, who eventually finished third after retracing his steps. As he was beaten only three lengths in the end, he must be rated a very unlucky loser. Another unlucky loser could be the betting exchange player who laid him for a place at 49-1, having presumably thought Puntal was out of the race -- his only hope now is the ongoing stewards' enquiry.
Placings remain unaltered -- an expensive result for that Puntal layer.
3.05 1st I'msingingtheblues 14-1
Consolation for Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh after Ofarel D'Airy's defeat, as they combine to win the Grade 2 novices' hurdle with I'msingingtheblues, who outbattles Snap Tie close home. There aren't many Nicholls/Walsh winners at that sort of price!
3.45 1st Imperial Commander 4-7
As expected, Imperial Commander runs them ragged in the closing novices' chase, looking in no danger from a long way out.
That's four out of six for the blog and all I can say is I hope you don't expect me to do that every time! In a bid to keep the run going, however, my views on Cheltenham's card tomorrow will be posted here by noon. The big race, of course, is the Paddy Power Gold Cup at 2.35, for which Granit Jack looks set to start favourite, despite never having jumped a British steeplechase fence in public. Will I be tipping him? You'll have to wait and see . . .
Good night all, and good luck.
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