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This weekend will see the final prep runs for many of the festivals big guns, but which horses currently represent value, will shorten after the weekend and should be backed now ?
Couple I like:
Defi De Seuil - Triumph
This horse has what it takes to go to the very top, the nagging doubt is that after several smooth victories he jumped out to his left at Chepstow on the run in, whether that was the deeper ground or maybe a muscle issue, who knows, but giving a horse his fifth outing of the campaign before March is almost unheard of these days and Hobbs should be applauded for getting so much experience into his charge.
He screams class and has such a high cruising speed, he's won his races on the bridle this season and will no doubt have to work harder this week.
6/1 now, I expect him to win well and be no bigger than 4/1 after Sat
Ballyoptic - Stayers
Unusually for a NTD horse this one has never visited the hallowed turf at the foot of Cleeve Hill so he has to prove he copes with the undulations of Cheltenham though his form at Chepstow gives some comfort he'll be OK.
Took a heavy fall at Wetherby and may have struggled for confidence when beaten by UNWIMH at Newbury as he didn't appear to attach the obstacles that day, the winner was impressive that day but Ballyoptic was giving the same opponent a much harder time in the Long Walk hurdle before falling at the final flight, the fog made life difficult for us that day but it's not impossible to think the pair would have had a good battle to the line.
Never easy being confident about a horse who has hit the deck twice in his last three outings but if his jumping holds he can be a player, he may not neat the fav this weekend but he could easily go close and that would be enough to see his price shaved.
14/1 now, I'll punt that he'll be 10/1 best after Sat
Others ???
Couple I like:
Defi De Seuil - Triumph
This horse has what it takes to go to the very top, the nagging doubt is that after several smooth victories he jumped out to his left at Chepstow on the run in, whether that was the deeper ground or maybe a muscle issue, who knows, but giving a horse his fifth outing of the campaign before March is almost unheard of these days and Hobbs should be applauded for getting so much experience into his charge.
He screams class and has such a high cruising speed, he's won his races on the bridle this season and will no doubt have to work harder this week.
6/1 now, I expect him to win well and be no bigger than 4/1 after Sat
Ballyoptic - Stayers
Unusually for a NTD horse this one has never visited the hallowed turf at the foot of Cleeve Hill so he has to prove he copes with the undulations of Cheltenham though his form at Chepstow gives some comfort he'll be OK.
Took a heavy fall at Wetherby and may have struggled for confidence when beaten by UNWIMH at Newbury as he didn't appear to attach the obstacles that day, the winner was impressive that day but Ballyoptic was giving the same opponent a much harder time in the Long Walk hurdle before falling at the final flight, the fog made life difficult for us that day but it's not impossible to think the pair would have had a good battle to the line.
Never easy being confident about a horse who has hit the deck twice in his last three outings but if his jumping holds he can be a player, he may not neat the fav this weekend but he could easily go close and that would be enough to see his price shaved.
14/1 now, I'll punt that he'll be 10/1 best after Sat
Others ???
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