Tag: Faugheen

Punchestown Festival – Friday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

There are two Grade 1 races on Friday at Punchestown and Willie Mullins looks set to win them both. He saddles the Cheltenham first and second in the Champion Hurdle and has four entries in the Champion Novice event.

Mullins has dominated the Grade 1 races all week and opposition to his star hurdlers has dried up here. There are only two rivals to Faugheen and Arctic Fire and both look well out of the depth. Faugheen only had a length and a half to spare over his stable companion at Cheltenham but had the race won a long way from the finish.

Ruby Walsh is one of the finest judges of pace in the jockeys’ room and he made sure that the Champion Hurdle did not turn into a crawl. Arctic Fire was held up in the rear and ran on past beaten horses to finish second. That was a fine effort and he looked set to go one better at Aintree when taking a crashing fall at the last flight. Fortunately, both he and Walsh escaped relatively unscathed. Walsh will once again look to dictate matters here with Paul Townend presumably trying to keep closer tabs on the favourite. The outcome will probably be the same as at the festival.

Mullins and Walsh then team up for Nichols Canyon in a much more competitive Champion Novice Hurdle. The former John Gosden inmate is one of four Mullins-trained runners here, although he looks much the best on form.

He was classy enough to finish second in a Group 3 on the flat and his only defeats over hurdles can be excused. He unseated his rider at Leopardstown in December and refused to settle when finishing third at Cheltenham. He was always cantering over his rivals at Aintree before easing to a four and a half length win over Parlour Games. That shows that his Cheltenham form was all wrong and he is the one to beat on Friday.

The pick of his stable companions may be Outlander who was well beaten when runner-up to Shaneshill at Fairyhouse. He had previously finished sixth at Cheltenham and has ground to make up on Nichols Canyon on that evidence. Sempre Medici was a creditable sixth in the County Hurdle before winning Grade 2 at Fairyhouse over two miles. He is unproven over this trip while Alpha Des Obeaux could emerge as the biggest danger.

The Mouse Morris-trained gelding was second to Supreme Hurdle winner Douvan here in January and looked booked for the runner-up spot at Aintree when falling at the last. Thistlecrack went on to win the race and finished a close second here earlier in the week.

Nichols Canyon @10-11 Skybet

Cheltenham blog – The £100 million fall!

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The bookmakers were saved an estimated £100 million pay-out on the opening day of the Cheltenham festival when Annie Power crashed out at the final hurdle in the Mares’ Hurdle.

Bookmakers had feared a multi-million pound pay-out with Irish trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Ruby Walsh having four red-hot favourites on the card. Douvan started the ball rolling in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and was quickly followed by Un De Sceaux in the Arkle Chase.

The bandwagon rolled on in the Champion Hurdle when Faugheen led home stable companions Arctic Fire and Hurricane Fly in a Mullins 1-2-3. Everything appeared to be going to plan for Annie Power as Ruby Walsh moved her through to lead on the home turn. They quickened up going to the last but took off a stride to early and crashed out of the race.

The race was battled out by Nicky Henderson’s Polly Peachum and the Mullins-trained Glens Melody, runner-up to Quevega a year earlier. The photo finish went in favour of Glens Melody to provide him with a fourth winner on the day. Fortunately Annie Power and Ruby Walsh returned unscathed and it is only the punters left nursing their wounds.

Most of the special offers from bookmakers had focussed on the Mullins runners so they still face a hefty pay-out, but not nearly as bad as it might have been. There were enhanced prices offered on the first three Mullins winners for new customers and money back offers on the Supreme and the Arkle. With four winners already on the board, Mullins is now closing in on Nicky Henderson’s record of seven festival winners in one season.

Special Offer

Open a Racebets account and you can get 10-1 about either Sire de Grugy or Sprinter Sacre for tomorrow’s Champion Chase (maximum £5 stake per customer – new customers only).

Latest Festival Updates

Coneygree will definitely run in the Gold Cup after being taken out of the RSA Chase on Wednesday. Boston Bob is also thought likely to run in Friday’s feature race in preference to the Ryanair Chase.

Willie Mullins has taken Briar Hill out of the World Hurdle but will still be represented by Zaidpour and Abbyssial. All of the other major contenders stood their ground.

Market Movers

Wednesday – Don Poli (RSA Chase) 2-1 BetBright

Thursday – Don Cossack (Ryanair Chase) 7-2 Sky Bet

Friday – Coneygree (Gold Cup) 12-1 Sky Bet

Cheltenham Champion Hurdle Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The highlight of the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival is the Champion Hurdle at 3.20 with just eight runners set to go to post. Here is our runner-by-runner guide.

Faugheen (5-4 Betfair)

Unbeaten winner of last year’s two and a half mile novices’ hurdle and an impressive winner at Ascot and Kempton this season. His jumping has not always been fluent and there is a concern that Ruby Walsh may have to make his own running in this small field.

Bertimont (200-1 Racebets)

On the face of it, the grey is outclassed but he was only beaten two and a half lengths by The New One in heavy ground at Haydock. Dan Skelton has ruled out the prospect of the son of Slickly making the running and there will be a few each-way optimists tempted by odds of 200-1.

Arctic Fire (20-1 Stan James)

The third string for Willie Mullins but a decent each-way chance on his recent runs behind Hurricane Fly at Leopardstown. He never really threatened to challenge in the Irish Champion Hurdle but may be ridden slightly closer to the pace on Tuesday.

Hurricane Fly (9-1 Totesport)

The winner here in 2011 and 2013, he is bidding to join Hatton’s Grace and Sea Pigeon as the oldest winners in the race’s history. He has beaten Jezki three times in a row this season and is difficult to beat in these tactical races.

Jezki (9-2 Coral)

Although seemingly held by Hurricane Fly on recent form, he had a very similar build-up last year only to come out on top when it mattered most. Tony McCoy’s last ride in the race but needs everything to fall into place.

Kitten Rock (33-1 Bet365)

Has not beaten anything of this class but deserves to take his chance after four consecutive victories. He was impressive in a Grade 2 at Gowran Park last month but it would be a major surprise if he proves good enough to win.

The New One (7-2 Coral)

The apple of Nigel Twiston-Davies’s eye and bidding to make up for an unlucky run when third last year. He was stopped in his tracks by the fall of Our Conor but there is still a suspicion that he  is better over further. Has one short burst of acceleration and his jockey will be playing the waiting game.

Vaniteux (33-1 Bet365)

No match for The New One here in December and beaten by Rock On Ruby on New Year’s Day. A good third in the Supreme last year but does not look good enough.

Verdict

Tactics are going to be crucial here and Faugheen is likely to there to be shot at from some way out. That could play into the hands of The New One while Hurricane Fly and Arctic Fire both have solid place claims.

  1. The New One 2. Faugheen 3. Arctic Fire 4. Hurricane Fly

Champion Hurdle Ante-Post Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The Champion Hurdle is the feature race of the opening day of the Cheltenham festival and the betting market suggests that a new champion will be crowned on March 10th.

Faugheen has been at the head of the market all season and remains unbeaten in eight races for Willie Mullins. The gelding won the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle last year over two and a half miles and has won his trials at Ascot and Kempton this season. The form of both races is open to question, particularly the Christmas Hurdle where Irving and Sign Of A Victory both ran way below expectations.

When we think of the greatest hurdlers such as Sea Pigeon, See You Then and Istabraq, we think of their brilliant hurdling technique as well as their speed. Faugheen has not been entirely convincing at his hurdles this season and this will be his first real test at two-mile championship pace. Odds of around 5-4 look decidedly skinny.

Plenty of people will be hoping to see the old warrior Hurricane Fly win the race for a third time having been successful in 2011 and 2013. It would be truly remarkable to reclaim his title for a second time but it is by no means impossible. He has beaten the reigning champion Jezki three times this season and yet is still available at 8-1 with most firms. Hatton’s Grace (1951) and Sea Pigeon (1981) are the only horses to have previously won this race at the age of eleven and there is no doubt that he is in their class.

Jezki has had a similar campaign to last season when everything fell right for him on Champion Hurdle day. He looked held when being brought almost to a standstill at the final flight at Leopardstown and may be better suited by being held up at the back of the field. He was passed on the run-in by another Mullins runner in Arctic Fire and he could easily be good enough to sneak into the frame.

He was just beaten in the County Hurdle last year but has gone up nearly a stone in the official ratings since. He tracked Hurricane Fly’s run through last time and similar tactics could see him finish in the money at Cheltenham. The New One has won all five races since his unlucky run here last year when hampered by the fall of the ill-fated Our Conor. Like Faugheen, he won the two and a half mile novice at this meeting and is arguably a better horse over that distance.

Arctic Fire @16-1 Stan James

Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3 (Non-runner – no bet)