Cheltenham selections Thursday 13th March
We are already onto Day Three of the Cheltenham Festival and Thursday traditionally can be the toughest (but often most rewarding) to find winners. All the races look open, but I am focussing on the four handicaps. We continued a fine start to the week yesterday with wins for Stumptown (advised 3/1) and nap selection Jazzy Matty (SP 15/2) whilst Beat the Bat was placed for the each-way bet (advised 10/1).
Cheltenham 2.00: Firefox & Pic Roc
The re-establishment of a novice handicap chase on the card definitely adds an extra betting angle to the day and this does look a classy renewal of the contest.
FIREFOX could easily have gone for the Arkle having already been placed in three Graded novice chases this season, including a third to Majborough at the Dublin Racing Festival. However Gordon Elliott has chosen the handicap route for him and he might just have got in lightly with the presence of Springwell Bay ensuring he does not need to carry top weight.
He is proven at this trip having gone down narrowly to stablemate Croke Park in another Grade 1 at Fairyhouse at this distance, having already won his beginners in facile fashion at Down Royal. He was a very respectable third in the Supreme last year having met trouble in running around the home turn, so this track will hold no fears either.
However in receipt of weight, PIC ROC could take a lot of beating. This horse is building up a real consistent level of form and ran a cracker at Newbury over 2m7f last time before just getting outpointed by Lord of Thunder, who holds decent claims himself here.
A marked jump to the left at the last probably cost him the race, but on this track that constantly turns left, that trait might be less of an issue here. I like his forward going style around here and he almost made all to win the highly competitive EBF final over hurdles at Sandown last season.
Cheltenham 2.40: Win Some Lose Some & Jeriko du Reponet
A race that JP McManus has a strong record in and I like both of his contenders this year in the Pertemps Final.
First preference would be for WIN SOME LOSE SOME who qualified for the final by winning the Leopardstown heat at Christmas. Unsurprisingly, he has been kept fresh for this to avoid hurting his handicap mark any more.
That win was his first run over 3m and he relished it in the style that suggest this stiff finish will really play to his strengths. He somehow won at Clonmel over 2m3f despite getting outpaced down the hill, rallying strongly to get up on the line. He acts well on sound going so today’s conditions will be fine and a 13lbs rise may not be enough to stop him.
JERIKO DU REPONET was highly regarded last season by connections and took his chance in the Supreme last year after beating the top class Lump Sum at Doncaster. The Henderson horses though were under a cloud here and he has been re-invented as a stayer this term.
A solid fifth over 2m at Newbury in the autumn, he was then stepped right up to 3m for a qualifier at Exeter, qualfiying with a third place despite a bad error four out that might have ultimately cost him victory. As a result his mark has been protected and first time headgear might sharpen him up enough to contend here.
Cheltenham 4.40: Jagwar & Thecompanysergeant
Again novices should come to the fore in the handicap chases as has been the case all week so far.
The claims of JAGWAR are obvious after he made it 3-4 over fences on Trials day here over this course and distance. He travelled and jumped really well that day, proving his versatility after previous wins on flat tracks at Bangor and Wetherby. A 7lb rise looks fair in the circumstances.
THECOMPANYSERGEANT is fo real interest having run a fine first race for Gavin Cromwell over hurdles recently. Well fancied that day, he has already built up a solid record over fences for his previous yard. That included a win at the Galway Festival on good going and a fair sixth in the Munster National. I expect Cromwell to be able to find that little bit extra from the gelding to make him well handicapped here.
Cheltenham 5.20: Git Maker & Midnight Our Fred
GIT MAKER was a fine second in this race last year from just a one pound lower mark and looks to have been campaigned with this repeat bid in mind. He has just had thr two races so far, one ober hurdles and then he kept on nicely from the rear in the National Trial at Haydock last time after jumping poorly early on. The ground might have been too heavy for him that day, but headgear goes on today with the aim of sharpening him up early on.
MIDNIGHT OUR FRED continues to rise in the weights for not winning, but surely there is a big pot in him. He produced a career best for another second in the Paddy Power, just getting run down by Perceval Legallois late on. He has been kept back for a Festival bid since. His track record here is solid with three second places here last season including over 3m4f in the spring. That proven stamina will be required in a race of this nature, but his prominent racing style also lends itself well to Cheltenham.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Firefox – 2.0 Cheltenham – 6/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Pic Roc – 2.0 Cheltenham – 11/1 Betfred (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Win Some Lose Some – 2.40 Cheltenham – 15/2 William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 6)
1pt each-way – Jeriko du Reponet – 2.40 Cheltenham – 15/2 William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 6)
1pt each-way – Jagwar– 4.40 Cheltenham – 9/2 William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Thecompanysergeant – 4.40 Cheltenham – 17/2 William Hill & Betfred (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Git Maker – 5.20 Cheltenham – 14/1 Bet365 (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Midnight Our Fred – 5.20 Cheltenham – 6/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 5)
