11am Cheltenham set to begin watering as forecast predicts dry spell
Tony Paley: As predicted here earlier in the week, Cheltenham will start to water but it is going to be sooner rather than later with the track’s clerk of the course, Simon Claisse, telling the Times that he will begin “selective watering” on Friday if the forecast for predominantly dry weather is confirmed this morning.
Carol Kirkwood was promising temperatures of 14 degrees and dry, sunny conditions by Saturday on BBC Breakfast this morning and Cheltenham can quicken up pretty quickly thanks to the drainage work completed some years ago.
Thursday’s best bets, by Tony Paley
There are no such problems at Carlisle today where the going is described as mainly soft, with good to soft places on the chase track. The conditions will be no problem for potential improver Miss Estela (2.00) who already has proven form on heavy ground, is well bred for the jumping game and was far from disgraced when third in a useful contest of its type last time at Huntingdon.
Cheltenham Festival stat of the day
by Paul Jones, author of the Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide published by Weatherbys
The six-day declarations are announced for the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle today and, although this is just the eleventh running, there are some strong patterns that have already emerged. All ten winners had run from February onwards and I like the angle that seven of the ten winners had run the bare minimum of three times over hurdles in order to qualify.
Horses can run in a handicap with less than three runs if they have won a race before over timber but the rules have been specifically tinkered with for the Fred Winter and stipulate a minimum of three hurdles starts to qualify. Fewer runs equals fewer opportunities for the handicapper to obtain a true reflection of a horse’s ability, potentially improving its chance in a handicap like this. The senior handicapper described the Fred Winter as “probably the most difficult race to handicap all week and the most stressful”, not aided by the extra problem of having to merge form lines from three different countries, including many French imports.
The Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide is available now via www.weatherbysshop.co.uk or 01933 304776
Tipping competition, day four
Our winners so far:
Monday
My Son Max 28-1
Mondo Cane 5-2
Bold Adventure 18-1
Tuesday
Catching On 11-2
Light The City 11-2
Montoya’s Son 7-2
Wednesday
Grand Vintage 8-1
City Of Angkor Wat 5-1
Gold Club 11-4
And our leader is. . .
kildimo +39
. . . despite consecutive winnerless days. Goofs (+27.25) went second by picking Gold Club.
Today, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 4.45 Carlisle, 5.25 Southwell, 6.15 Chelmsford.
This week’s prize is a pair of Premier tickets to Ascot for Sunday 29 March, a day of good quality jump racing midway between Cheltenham and Aintree. This year, it will be the first Prince’s Countryside Fund Raceday, featuring a range of countryside-inspired activities to keep the whole family entertained, it says here.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today, but you will start on -9.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
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