Tuesday
5.15 Pulteney Land
Investments Novices Chase
Kapga de Cerisy looks
an interesting runner in this. He's entered in two other races later
in the week but this would appear to be the easier task of the three
given this is a novices race. Quite highly tried as a hurdler he ran
in a Grade 1 at Chepstow and in the Fred Winter here last year,
running quite well until being outpaced. This longer trip should be
more to his liking. He's won his last two races at Sandown, fairly
powering away. Last time he beat Fago who was quite well fancied for
the Arkle at the time. If you believe that form then he looks fairly
treated off his mark. He seems to go on any ground and jumped well on
his penultimate start. Last time his jumping was not great but I'm
hoping a slightly longer trip and more spaced out fences will be more
to his liking. 20/1 is a standout price with Boylesports.
Kapga de Cerisy 1 pt ew
20/1 Boylesports NRNB
Wednesday
2.05 Neptune Investment
Management Novices Hurdle
Whispering Gallery has
entries in four races at the Cheltenham Festival and whilst his World Hurdle
entry is probably a bit ambitious; this, the Supreme and the Albert
Bartlett are realistic. Given he's won over 2 miles on the flat you'd
think he'd prefer the longer races if the rain stays away. He's a
Group 3 winner on the flat in Dubai - where he's finished in front of
Opinion Poll twice. Winner of his only two hurdle races in good style
he could be top class. He never came off the bridle in those two
races but on the flat he found plenty and I feel the Cheltenham hill
will suit him if he's in contention coming to the last. He will go on
any ground and at a price of 20/1 is worth an interest with Bet 365
NRNB and Best Odds Guaranteed.
Whispering Gallery 1 pt
ew 20/1 Bet365 NRNB BOG
Friday
4.40 Martin Pipe
Handicap Hurdle
This race has 196
entries and the bookmakers aren't going any bigger than 66/1 on any
of them. Not the obvious place to start looking for value! Barbatos
was a course and distance winner on New Years Day last year. It was a
good race and the horses from it have come out and won 13 times from
62 runs since. Barbatos was not seen out again last season due to
injury and made his seasonal reappearance at Cheltenham at the end of
January. It was his first run for over a year, on unsuitably heavy
ground and over an inadequate trip. Despite that, he was only beaten
25 lengths. This longer trip and better ground should enable him to
work with a mark of 138 which looks fair. 33/1 with Bet 365 NRNB and
Best Odds Guaranteed seems a decent price.
Barbatos 1 pt e/w 33/1
Bet365 NRNB BOG