Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Cheltenham selections - Wednesday

I'll be opposing favourite Aran Concerto in the opening Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle at 2.00pm. Paul Nicholls' Silverburn is good value at around 6/1 and My Turn Now, closely matched with Silverburn, appeals as a decent each way bet at around 12/1.

Denman is the form choice in the Royal & Sun Alliance Chase at 2.35 and is priced accordingly. I think he'll win; however favourites have a poor record in this race, and Ungaro is one to be respected, although he'd maybe prefer better ground.

Well Chief was put up by the stable as their banker of the meeting following his recent Newbury victory. Timmy Murphy was quoted as saying the horse was 'as good as ever' after that race. This horse ran second to Moscow Flyer a couple of years ago and I don't think there's anything of that calibre on show here. I take Well Chief to win the two mile chasing crown.

The Coral Cup (4.00) looks extremely difficult; Gary Moore's Verasi at around 16/1 is the each way selection. Similarly the Kim Muir (4.40) with 24 runners, all ridden by amateurs, is hardly a walk in the park but Paul Nicholls' course winner and distance winner Lou du Moulin Mas makes some each way appeal, particularly with a decent jockey booked. Hill's are quoting 20/1 at the time of writing which looks big.

In the concluding bumper Aranleigh has been well backed over the past fortnight. Carl Llewellyn's Den Of Iniquity should give a good account of himself in a race that has traditionally gone the way of the Irish.

1 comment:

GeeDee said...

Silverburn, backed in to 7/2 on course, ran a sound race to finish fourth and My Turn Now, a 15/2 shot, finished sixth.
Denman won at odds of 6/5.
Well Chief was sent off the even money favourite but got no further than the second fence.
Verasi (16/1) was going backwards when becoming involved in some bumping and was never a factor afterwards.
Lou du Moulin Mas (10/1) finished a rather disappointing eighth while Den Of Iniquity (7/1) raced prominently until the home turn but then folded tamely, eventually finishing seventeenth