Tag: Cause Of Causes

Cheltenham ante-post update

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

With the weights now out for the eleven handicap races at the Cheltenham festival, it is time to seek out a bit of early value. That is easier said than done with over 1,000 entries to wade through and the situation is further complicated with so many fancied runners not certain to get a run.

One horse that I have been following from the flat is Space Ship, now trained in Ireland. He was a good handicapper for John Gosden and is slowly improving over hurdles after three races. His flat form suggests that he will improve for a faster surface after failing to pick up in the soft ground that he has recently encountered.

The race for him is the Fred Winter and he can be backed at 16-1 (non-runner/no bet) with Bet365. He looked set to win at Gowran Park last time but just got stuck in the ground between the last two.

Another horse that I have been hoping to catch right is Cause Of Causes. He was just short of Champion Hurdle class last season but won the Ladbroke Hurdle in great style and has been slow to learn his new career over fences. JP McManus bought him last year and he’s come close in his two starts.

Whilst he can hardly be said to have crept in under the radar, his chase rating is still 7lbs less than his official figure over hurdles. The big problem is that he has no less than seven festival entries! My own preference (and that’s all it is) is for the Byrne Group Plate in which he has a featherweight 10st 4lb to carry. 12-1 (NR-No bet) seems worth a bet although the odds aren’t that great that I’ve even picked the right race!

I’m also going to take the 10-1 about Activial for the Triumph Hurdle. The offer of NR/No bet takes out the risk factor while Harry Fry debates whether to keep him for Aintree. I was impressed with his Kempton victory in a race that regularly throws up genuine Triumph contenders and I would estimate his chances at around 6 or 7-1 if he gets the go-ahead. He’ll give us a strong team with our ante-post wager on Le Rocher (14-1).

Space Ship at 16-1 (Fred Winter) Bet365*

Cause Of Causes at 12-1 (Byrne Group Plate) Bet365*

Activial at 10-1 (Triumph Hurdle) Bet365*

*All non-runner – no bet

Leopardstown Friday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The King George confirmed Silviniaco Conti as a serious Gold Cup contender with his stamina proving decisive in the closing stages. Credit to Cue Card for running so well until tiring between the last two fences but I have to say that he does not look like a Gold Cup horse. If he was going to win over three and a quarter miles at Cheltenham he would surely have managed three miles around Kempton.

The Christmas Hurdle turned into the predicted duel between The New One and My Tent Or Yours and I was very surprised by Tom Scudamore’s tactics on the runner-up. Twice previously he has accepted the blame for hitting the front too soon and yet here he was setting the pace? Presumably he felt that he could not beat My Tent Or Yours in a six furlong sprint. It was inconclusive as far as the Champion Hurdle goes.

The highlight of Kempton’s card on Friday is the Desert Orchid Chase in which Sprinter Sacre reappears against Tingle Creek winner Sire De Grugy. Almost unbelievably, the race is not televised. Something must be wrong when Channel 4 cannot even screen the best chaser in training? He should extend his winning sequence to eleven but won’t be a betting proposition/

The same cannot be said of Cause Of Causes in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown. Tony McCoy teams up with the former winner of Ascot’s Ladbroke Hurdle in preference to three other JP McManus-owned runners.

The Gordon Elliott-trained five-year-old was smart over hurdles but has been slow to warm to steeplechasing. He has been beaten in modest company but appeared to be finally getting the hang of it last time out and looks well weighted on 10st 11lb.

He battled on well under Ruby Walsh to finish second to Sraid Padraig at Fairyhouse in November. He will need to improve again to win this but he is a seriously good horse when he hits form and is worth a bet at around 12-1.

Willie Mullins suffered a couple of setbacks on Thursday when the odds-on Analifet and Champagne Fever were both well beaten. He will be hoping for better luck with Moyle Park in the Grade 1 Future Champions Novice Hurdle at 1.50. The Tullow Tank and The Game Changer are both useful but it will be a major blow for Mullins if the highly-rated Moyle Park cannot win this.

The best bet on Kempton’s card is Nicky Henderson’s Grandouet who ran a fine race when second to Hinterland at Sandown. Barry Geraghty held him up behind the leaders and was just done for a little toe when Hinterland quickened approaching the last. Grandouet responded well to pressure and was closing him down at the line. A similar performance would be good enough to beat Dodging Bullets.

Grandouet at 10-11 Bet365, Coral

Moyle Park at 7-4 Bet365, Coral

Cause Of Causes at 12-1 Ladbrokes