Cheltenham Bumper 2018

[opatcho]

I've backed Mercy Mercy Me at 42's on the exchange

Fergal is the king of bumpers in this country, especially during the early-mid part of the season. As a result, I think he'd like to win the biggest bumper of the season.

Mercy Mercy Me impressed me at Sandown last year, and has been on the track since. He was green that day, and still put in a dominate display. I feel that Fergal's kept this off the track, saving him for this race - not seen anything suggesting he's been off with an injury

I think Mullin's has been left with a weaker bunch with hollowgraphic and stay humble missing out... feels similar to last year with Getabird picking up an injury

[Birds Nest]

I've backed Mercy Mercy Me at 42's on the exchange

Fergal is the king of bumpers in this country, especially during the early-mid part of the season. As a result, I think he'd like to win the biggest bumper of the season.

Mercy Mercy Me impressed me at Sandown last year, and has been on the track since. He was green that day, and still put in a dominate display. I feel that Fergal's kept this off the track, saving him for this race - not seen anything suggesting he's been off with an injury

I think Mullin's has been left with a weaker bunch with hollowgraphic and stay humble missing out... feels similar to last year with Getabird picking up an injury

Yes it does feel different this year with Mullins, there doesn't seem to be the same sort of vibes from the previous years, I think this one is going to the home team this year..

[Old Vic]

[Robbante]

Biggest potential winner of the week in Didtheyleaveuoutto, seems it may have been shafted by the ground. Connections adamant that he doesn't want it too soft... one thing's for sure if he wins this now then he's an absolute superstar (which i think and hope he might be)

[Kevloaf]

I thought Barry had said he'd be on didtheyleaveuoutto!

[Robbante]

I thought Barry had said he'd be on didtheyleaveuoutto!

Strange one that... fairly worried now that Didtheyleaveuoutto will be pulled

[Bayoffreedom]

Strange one that... fairly worried now that Didtheyleaveuoutto will be pulled

Mark Walsh riding

[Robbante]

Mark Walsh riding

Good stuff, cheers. A run for my money is all i ask!

[Rhinestone_Cowboy]

Biggest potential winner of the week in Didtheyleaveuoutto, seems it may have been shafted by the ground. Connections adamant that he doesn't want it too soft... one thing's for sure if he wins this now then he's an absolute superstar (which i think and hope he might be)

He is my only big winner left in this race. Bear in mind there is little rain forecast for the rest of today then dry till Wed eve. With it being sunny tomorrow, hopefully it will be closer to soft later Wednesday afternoon.

[Robbante]

He is my only big winner left in this race. Bear in mind there is little rain forecast for the rest of today then dry till Wed eve. With it being sunny tomorrow, hopefully it will be closer to soft later Wednesday afternoon.

Yes he'll likely be getting the best ground of the festival it seems, will definitely still be soft but he picked up well enough in softish ground at ascot

[kinloch brae]

Didtheyleaveyououtto even bigger now than post Ascot. Clearly nobody thinks he will cope with the ground.

[Bayoffreedom]

Didtheyleaveyououtto even bigger now than post Ascot. Clearly nobody thinks he will cope with the ground.

Must admit my planned 'biggest bet of the Festival' will no longer happen. Very closely related to Denman who did most of his running on decent ground (although did win on Heavy at Cheltenham). It will be a 'just in case' bet now

[Robbante]

Must admit my planned 'biggest bet of the Festival' will no longer happen. Very closely related to Denman who did most of his running on decent ground (although did win on Heavy at Cheltenham). It will be a 'just in case' bet now

I don't think he's going to run, hope i'm wrong

[kinloch brae]

I don't think he's going to run, hope i'm wrong

At the moment it is all speculation so having got this far they may as well give it a go. It is not as if they are going to be firing away on the front end. Odds against but they might get a pleasant surprise.

[ComplyOrDie]

There are a couple of outsiders that interest me in this, being a bumper I can't make big claims for them as they are all very lightly raced so could be anything, but obviously the ones at the head of the market have the best bumper form to day.

The bigger priced ones that appeal are Know The Score, Crooks Peak & The Flying Sofa. I will find it hard to back anything with conviction, but the basis I have for these are as follows:

Know The Score - Already a heavy ground winner, likelihood is we are going to have soft at minimum which will suit, by Flemensfirth so any cut in the ground will be a bonus. Ran once, won once, pretty easily in the end, 13 lengths the official distance but best work was late on. Pipe has won this with Moon Racer so knows what it takes to get one ready for it. 20/1 NRNB, he's been added to my book for this race.

Crooks Peak - C&D Winner is always a nice start, especially for these younger horses, as Cheltenham can find many a horse out. Hobbs has yet to fire in many winners, but this one still managed to pull a listed bumper out of the bag back in November. That day it was soft ground, so no further worries regarding the going, has also won on good. 2 from 2 in bumpers, and Hobbs is another trainer who usually has one or two decent bumper runners, with Johnson on board this is a positive too. 25/1 NRNB, another added to the book.

The Flying Sofa - Finished 3rd to Didtheyleaveuoutto on his race course debut, where as the latter was having his second start, in that race he finished just a neck behind Bullionaire who was a debut winner of a class 2 bumper at Newbury last season, so the form would show up as fair. Connections then decided, for some reason, to run him in a race, which looked too short at the time, and turned out to be too short a distance on the day too, finishing a never nearer 3rd, only beaten 1 1/4 lengths having never been able to challenge. Then turned up at Fontwell and stuck to the task well to win in what actually looked, for Fontwell anyway, a fair bumper. 33/1 NRNB, and the final one added to my book for this race.

All 3 are small stakes as it's not a race I have an affinity for.