Friday, December 13, 2013

Small fields at Cheltenham's December meet

Several small fields at Cheltenham tomorrow restricting betting opportunities - I'm not inclined to oppose The New One in the International or Kings Palace in the Albert Bartlett while the novice chase at 12.40 offers Shutthefrontdoor the chance to reverse recent running with Le Bec on three pounds better terms but the race makes little appeal from a punting perspective.

The Stewart Family Thank You Gold Cup looks an open affair. Paddy Power Gold Cup form from four weeks ago is well represented with Colour Squadron (second), Attaglance (fourth), Tap Night (eighth) and Easter Meteor (fell when in lead two out) all reopposing eventual winner Johns Spirit. Although tapped for toe three out, Attaglance ran a nice enough race that day - at 8/1 he's worth an each-way interest.

In the finale a case can be made for all four runners. On ratings Gemix is the one but Salubrious took the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' handicap hurdle at the Festival in March and Willie Mullins has sent just one over from Ireland - bay mare Glens Melody - with Ruby Walsh taking the ride. I'm tempted to chance Glens Melody, the outsider of the quartet.

1 comment:

GeeDee said...

Below par effort from Attaglance (7/1). The gelding was prominent very early but failed to hold his pitch, steadily losing places as the race progressed - he was the last of the field to complete in ninth. I'm not convinced his jumping would survive a close inspection.

Glens Melody may have been the outsider of the quartet when I wrote the post but the mare was sent off 15/8 favourite on the day. Coming to the last she was left for dead by the unexposed More Of That (11/4) and Salubrious (3/1), the former winning with enough in hand to suggest there's more of that to come.