10.45am Bradstock says Gold Cup possible Coneygree can win RSA
Tony Paley: Connections of Coneygree will wait till the last minute before deciding which Cheltenham Festival race their stable star will contest next month.
Mark Bradstock’s novice was an emphatic winner of the Grade Two Denman Chase at Newbury, a recognised trial for the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup, but he remains as short as 3-1 for the RSA Chase.
Bradstock’s wife and assistant, Sara, said: “We’re going hold on right to the last moment to ensure we make the right decision. That way, we’ll be more the wiser as to what the ground is going to be like and who will be running.
“We’re not against running in the Gold Cup - but we’ll sit down in the next week or so and hopefully make the right choice. I actually think he would win the RSA with all things level and he worked very well on Tuesday morning.”
Wednesday’s best bets, by Tony Paley
Be honest. You’re thinking about Cheltenham aren’t you. Wincanton the latest to suffer with small-field syndrome today hasn’t helped. Well, I’ve got a tip for you. Last year we cleaned up with Fingal Bay ante-post and from the same stable of Philip Hobbs there is plenty of confidence behind the chances of 20-1 shot Cheltenian in the County Hurdle.
The selection certainly shaped well when runner up in the Betfair Hurdle and is clearly back in the same sort of form that saw him win the Cheltenham Bumper at the Festival back in 2011. Richard Johnson was very keen on his prospects at a Cheltenham preview event on Tuesday night. At 20-1 he looks a fair each-way punt.
At Wincanton, Atlantic Roller (3.10) looks to have every chance of making up for his blunder last time when unseating over track and trip last time. A couple at Kempton that make some appeal at double-figure odds are Vivat Rex (7.15) and Jolly Red Jeanz (8.15).
Vivat Rex finished last of eight on his most recent start, which is not promising on the face of it, but he is a front-runner and went off much too fast to last home. On his previous start, at Wolverhampton, Vivat Rex was a solid third behind Dream Child, who was a winner next time out and then touched off from a 10lb higher mark. This will be only his seventh start, giving him far more scope for progress than most of his opponents, and the excellent Jim Crowley is booked to ride him for the first time.
Jolly Red Jeanz is handicapped to reverse recent course form with New Leyf as he is 8lb better off for a two-length beating at this course, though it is only fair to add that New Leyf won with something to spare. She is commendably consistent at Kempton, though, and 10-1 is a decent price for a horse just 2lb higher than her last winning mark.
Cheltenham Festival stat of the day
by Paul Jones, author of the Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide published by Weatherbys
The entries are released today for the Foxhunters’ and if Salsify can win this race for a third time following his successes in 2012 and 2013 (an injury prevented him from attempting the hat-trick last season) then he would become the race’s first three-time winner. He prepped when finishing fourth in the Raymond Smith Hunter Chase at Leopardstown, which has featured the last three winners of this race. It was his first run for over a year and should have helped blow the cobwebs away. The Irish have been very strong in the Foxhunters’ of late, achieving a 1-2-3 last season which could easily have been a 1-2-3-4-5-6 if Salsify (injured), Mossey Joe (not ready in time) and Warne (waited for the Aintree Fox Hunters’ in which he bolted up) had made the trip over. That showed where the balance of power has rested in the last few years in the hunter chase division. The Irish would have posted a 1-2 the previous season but for Oscar Delta’s dramatic exit on the run-in and it wasn’t so long ago that they were responsible for nine of the 12 top-four finishers between 2006 and 2008. Maybe one reason why the Irish have such a strong record of late is down to the qualifying structure, as four years ago they expanded their hunter chase season to start in November, giving them a head start of seven weeks over the British hunters.
The Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide is published on 20 February and is available online via www.weatherbysshop.co.uk or by calling 01933 304776.
Tipping competition, day three
Our winners so far:
Monday
Flemi Two Toes 4-1
Bobs Lady Tamure 3-1
No Deal 2-1
Tuesday
Guards Chapel 6-1
Bearly Legal 5-1
Allez Cool 7-2
And our leader is. . .
moidadem +7.50
. . . who has had No Deal, Bearly Legal and Allez Cool. Close up are: goofs +5.50, Fixxxer +5.50, wiggy12 +5.50, paragoncup +4.50.
Apologies for the earlier scores that were posted on here, which did not reflect the disqualification of Harris after he was first past the post yesterday. Allez Cool was in fact the winner of that race and the scores have now been recalculated.
Today, we’d like your tips for these races: 2.40 Wincanton, 3.55 Bangor, 8.15 Kempton.
This week’s prize is a copy of the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide, by Paul Jones. The famous guide to winner-finding at those four days in March is now in its 16th year and more prized than ever. If you don’t win, you can buy a copy 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 -6.
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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