Cheltenham Festival Handicaps - 2016

Grasshopper said:
Great stuff, G-G.....hope it all goes well for you.
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Thank you - I will be a bag of nerves for them on the day though. Both of us have foals due very soon out of half sisters so a win would be absolutely fantastic. When he won in November, I think you can hear me screaming at the last hurdle on the replay. :)
 
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bob said:
Confirmed tonight by Patrick Mullins he is on target for the AB. Also put up as his e/w selection of the week.
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Thanks for that. As usual Slim Chance broke the news about this being an absolute certainty first.
 
With lots of horses unable to get into the handicaps as they are not rated high enough, could trainers be plotting high rated horses guaranteed to get in, running them all season to lower the mark eg) The Giant Bolster?
Just a thought.
 
harry said:
With lots of horses unable to get into the handicaps as they are not rated high enough, could trainers be plotting high rated horses guaranteed to get in, running them all season to lower the mark eg) The Giant Bolster?
Just a thought.
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Pretty sure I read that TGB is still going to run in the Gold Cup.
 
tiggers1972 said:
Pretty sure I read that TGB is still going to run in the Gold Cup.
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Is he?
I used him as an example because unexposed horses might hold so much back that they can't get in and it's all for nothing. Is it more sensible to target an exposed horse guaranteed to get in on a handy mark?
 
Ive also heard TGB goes for the GC. Let's hope he doesn't get in the way too much.


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Yes, in one of the stupidest decisions of the season he's due to run in the Gold Cup.

Now an 11 year old who can either run off level weights in one of the hottest Gold Cups of recent times, having been pulled up in last year's race, or run off 139 in the Kim Muir (unlikely he'd get into the 3 miler off that rating).

and they go for the Gold Cup :blink:

The horse has finished 7th in a Neptune, 2nd, 4th and 3rd in a Gold Cup so give him a chance to have his day in the sun.
 
I usually leave the handicap chases until the day but have a quick look at the hurdles beforehand. It's almost impossible to spot all the plot horses but I've had a little tickle (win singles + ew trixie) on the following (NRNB):
Our Thomas (Fred Winter). Connections know what it takes. The Doncaster race was decent form on good ground (the winner Ardamir is also worth a look) but there's other bits of form that say 128 might be a handy mark if it gets him in.
Arbre De Vie (Coral). Always liked this horse and one run in a novice chase is an interesting prep for him.
Leave At Dawn (Pertemps). Been tipped up in various quarters (including Slim) and backed down from 12/1 to 8/1. Mr Byrnes can get them ready and his course run was encouraging.
 
Some good reverse forecasts for yiz all.

1. Ultima: Kruzlinin, Un Temps Pour Tout.
2. Close Bros: Thomas Crapper, Thomas Brown
3. Coral Cup: Great Field, Kilcrea vale
4. Pertemps: Uknowwhatimeanharry, Leave at dawn
5. County: Afaire Donheaur, John Constable
 
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Great Field drifting (Not too dramatically) for County and shortening (slightly) for the Coral Cup.
 
Great Field rated 169P in the Festival Black Book.....the only horse in the County Hurdle and Coral Cup which gets the large 'P' on his rating....and he is only a handful of lbs off the top-rated in both races.

Essay reads:


Completed hat-trick in 9-runner minor event at Leopardstown last time, impressively by 4 1/2 lengths from Draco, leading from 4th and not coming off bridle, very exciting prospect.


That will do for starters.
 
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Was a no-brainer really as he'd have likely been too keen. Fingers crossed for the County for you Grass. 14/1 still available with Ladbrokes but of course they're not NRNB (shambles firm) and 10s the biggest available with that concession.

Kilcrea Vale been taken out for the Coral Cup too and I know a few pundits were keen on his chances.
 
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