OH thank God. Because the BHA chief executive refuses to answer my emails, I’m not going to start with the whip this week. Every cloud and all that!
So let’s talk Cheltenham. Yes, the Festival gets under way on Tuesday, March 14, and I know in this paper we have brilliant pullouts every day and top class online coverage, making sure you don’t miss a beat.
This is the perfect time to highlight a bit of value here and there, so let’s start with the biggest race of the meeting, the Grade 1 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.
I’m pretty sure Galopin des Champs will be very hard to beat for Ireland’s champion Willie Mullins on the back of his power house finish in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown last time.
The seven-year-old was desperately unlucky last year when coming down late in the Turners Novices’ Chase with the race at his mercy.
However, I can’t help but think Minella Indo is massively over priced at about 20-1.
Trained by Henry de Bromhead, Minella Indo was, of course, the Gold Cup hero of 2021 and was far from disgraced in the race when chasing home stable companion A Plus Tard 12 months ago.
The Barry Maloney-owned gelding was back to winning ways at Tramore last time when beating Stattler, who is just 8-1 for the blue riband of jumps racing.
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That’s understandable as Stattler was giving 8lb and was only defeated a neck, but that said it was over two miles and six furlongs and the three and a quarter miles of the Gold Cup is much more up his street.
Minella Indo is a cracking eachway bet and I’m delighted that Mark Walsh is set to ride.
Another to have a nibble on now is Flooring Porter, who bids to land his third Grade 1 Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle on March 16.
There has already been a reduction in price for Gavin Cromwell’s champion over the last 48 hours and it won’t surprise me if come the day and he’s in the line-up he’s not challenging for the top of the market.
Flooring Porter has not been at his best this season, but was far from disgraced at both Navan and Leopardstown.
On that form he’s well held by rival Home by the Lee, but Flooring Porter comes alive at Cheltenham and I’m pretty sure he will be hard to catch once again.
Jockey Danny Mullins gave me a positive report on his partner in crime the other day, and he’s too big at 6-1.
I’m pretty sure at shorter odds people will smash into Facile Vega in the opening Grade 1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
He’s gone from 7-2 to 5-2 this week and I suspect he’ll go off less than 2-1.
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A shocking defeat at Leopardstown last time meant that Facile Vega drifted like a barge for this race but there’s every chance he just went a silly pace up front.
I’m informed there’s absolutely nothing wrong with him, and when he landed his Grade 1 bumpers here at Cheltenham and Punchestown he was dropped in off the pace.
Facile Vega has been made to front run this term, and I suspect Mullins will insist Paul Townend reverts to hold up tactics in the Supreme.
If he hadn’t run at Leopardstown he’s probably be odds-on so 5-2 looks a gift on value if nothing else.
The other eachway selection I want to mention is Love Envoi, who is likely to go in the Grade 1 Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle.
It won’t be an easy race for Harry Fry’s star if both Honeysuckle and Epatante turn up anywhere near their best, and the latter was hugely impressive dropped in class last time having been faced by the might of Constitution Hill earlier in the season.
However, Love Envoi is a massive improver over hurdles and has always promised to be a really good horse.
Last season she landed the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle showing the daughter of Westerner has no issue with Cheltenham, and the only defeat of her life came at the hands of the re-opposing but off-the-track-for-a-long-time Brandy Love.
When last seen at Sandown Love Envoi absolutely smashed up the useful Martello Sky – seventh in this event in 2022 – and I really like her as an individual.
She’ll try hard, stay and give us a real run for our money at about 7-1. Good luck!
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