Good morning and a very warm welcome to the final day of my FREE tipping service for the Cheltenham Festival.
A small each way return on Mourad yesterday takes our fund for T-Day to £133. Lets see if we can get it well past £200!
1.30 Triumph Hurdle
SMAD PLACE £5 each way @ 10/1
Alan King won this race in 2005 and 2007, and trained the runner up in both 2008 & 2009, so it pays to follow his well fancied Smad Place
2.05 County Hurdle
ALARAZI £5 each way @ 8/1
Alarazi won the Imperial Cup at Sandown on Saturday and now goes for a £75,000 bonus by winning this race.
2.40 Albert Bartlett
KILCREA KIM £5 each way @ 9/1
Kilcrea Kim is a proven stayer with winning form and can go well for the Hobbs/Johnson combination who have already had two winners this week.
3.20 GOLD CUP – Feature race of the day
MIDNIGHT CHASE £5 each way at 14/1
The last three winners of the Gold Cup all line up for this race. Imperial Commander is favourite to retain his crown and I give him a big chance. The Paul Nicholls former winners Denman and Kauto Star are getting on in years and I prefer Denman of the two to go closest. Long Run is the young pretender having won the King George impressively at Kempton in January, but he has two bad runs at Cheltenham to overcome and I do not think he is very good value.
Kempes won the Irish Hennesy Gold Cup and could go well for AP McCoy, but I am tipping Midnight Chase each way. He has won four times in a row at Cheltenham, and was placed at the Festival in 2009. He is stepping up in class but he is improving and his bold front running will make this a true test of stamina.
4.00 Foxhunters
DANTES STORM £5 each way @ 8/1
This is for amateur riders and hunter chases. Last year Baby Run was a thrilling winner ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies. This year he is a hot favourite and will be ridden by Sam’s younger brother Will. Another exuberant front runner, he should go close, but I like the chances of Dantes Storm who has an impressive point to point record.
4.40 Martin Pipe
FIRST POINT £5 each way @ 20/1
Trained by Nicky Henderson, who trained the winner in 2009 and the second last year.
5.15 Grand Annual
OH CRICK £5 each way @ 10/1
The 27th and final race of the Festival! Oh Crick won this race in 2009 and hopefully will run well again this year.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog – I hope you’ve enjoyed a wonderful week of racing.
Good luck!
Winston
