Some analysis

[Middle_Of_March]

Best performance -
Worst performance from a fancied runner -
Best betting race -
Worst betting race -
Highlight -
Lowlight -
An eye catcher that didn’t win -
One to follow for next season -



For me:
Best performance - Laurina. Awful race but I’ve not seen an 18 length festival winner on the bridle in a long time.
Worst performance from a fancied runner - Apples Shakira. Had her ground and travelled great. But found nothing.
Best betting race - The Mares race with BDD antepost for any race at 14s.
Worst betting race - Apples Shakira was the last of my Samcro/Altior/AS antepost trixies so that hurt.
Highlight - The roar as ‘Samcro looms up on the outside’ on course
Lowlight - The Grand Annual. A sad end knowing at the very least NHH had probably died but possibly others too.
An eye catcher that didn’t win - Whiskey Sour ran a strange race. Could prove better than that in time.
One to follow for next season - Laurina. Was very impressed.

[Scooby91]

Best performance -* the story teller was the finest ride by any jockey of seen in a long time. However the performance id give to altior he just dosent stop giving when asked.

Worst performance from a fancied runner -* getabird. Was poor

Best betting race -*
Arkle by far footpad 33s 16s

Worst betting race -* supreme if the cap fits missed it through injury, poor judgement by myself on the others.

Highlight -* the story teller I really enjoyed watching

Lowlight -* my own judgement in the rsa and supreme

An eye catcher that didn’t win -* Mr adjudicator

One to follow for next season -*
Wholestone over 2 1/2 miles

[Faugheen_Machine]

Best performance - Native River just shaded it for me. Might bite and NR going head to head from the top of the hill was brilliant to watch and one of the best Gold Cup duels I've seen.
Worst performance from a fancied runner - Getabird. The money came but it was a rare poor performance by an Irish horse.
Best betting race - Ballymore. I only backed Samcro and didn't lay off a penny. A pleasing result.
Worst betting race - The Coral Cup. I backed 6 horses ew with Coral in the morning and didn't have any in contention coming down the hill. A very expensive race.
Highlight - Samcro's victory. Plenty went wrong for him and he still did it nicely.
Lowlight - the train journey home on Thursday morning having only had 6 hours sleep since Monday night.
An eye catcher that didn’t win - quite a few. Petit Mouchior would be high up my list and also Next Distinction, who stayed on from a mile back in the Ballymore
One to follow for next season - Kalashnikov

[Middle_Of_March]

A good shout with that Gold cup duel. Two fantastic performances from the front two to set that gallop and still beat everything else up the hill.

I backed The Storyteller as my bet for the brown plate. Great ride and in running, evehone arlund me seemed to be on kings socks other than me and one other bloke on Storyteller. We both seemed to just get louder and louder up the hill as ours got into contention and kings socks faded. A great race. A great ride. Well in Davy was my shout to him walking back.

[Westo97]

Best Performance - Got to be Summerville Boy taking into account two bad mistakes at last two hurdles
Worst from fancied runner - Getabird
Best betting race - Triumph hurdle , Farclas was my banker for the week
Highlight - Altior all day for me.
Lowlight - Grand Annual is just a horrible race . I don't even look at the race from punting perspective as its always carnage. Why not have two divisions and cap the field to 12-15 runners. Would appeal more than any Mares race for me.
Eye catcher - I thought Ibis Du Rheu ran a very nice race in the Close brothers, despite hitting a couple of fences. Should have a nice 3 mile handicap in it off current mark.
One to follow for next season - Next Destination stepping up to 3 miles. Looks a good contender for the Stayers

[Viking Flagship]

Best performance - Presenting Percy. No pocket-talk here either as I was on Monalee but was SO impressed with PP. I think they’re both lovely horses to look forward to for next year.

Worst performance - Apple’s Jade

Best betting race - Biggest single win was Blow By Blow (25/1) but I’d probably pick Delta Work (33s & 20s) as I was actually there on Thursday and it’s great to shout one home in a tight finish!

Worse betting race - in terms of being so wide of the mark, the Albert Bartlett. I’d also give a mention to the Kim Muir as both Mall Dini (33/1) and Squouateur (3rd leg of a treble) would have been big wins for me and to see them finish 2nd and 3rd was very frustrating.

Highlight - Queen Mother. A joy to watch Altior power up the hill.

Lowlight - The ground. I hope there isn’t a heavy ground festival for many years.

Eyecatcher - No Comment. Just didn’t stay. There’s a good race in him.

One to follow - Topofthegame. Lovely performance off a big weight and he’s gonna make a smashing chaser.

[ComplyOrDie]

Best performance - Laurina! Made massive claims about her prior to the festival, she done herself, connections and myself very proud indeed. Really hope they don't ruin her by going chasing. Unsure why you'd switch such a talented hurdler to fences.

Worst performance from a fancied runner - I have a host of them, but probably Apple's Jade, think she was just too fresh, overly keen and run her race way too early.

Best betting race - Ballymore (Samcro). But some nice priced winners in there as well, most notably, Mohaayed @ 33/1 in the County.

Worst betting race - Supreme. Screwed it up from a long way back, only seemed to get worse. Even the SkyBet offer on Summerville Boy didn't make up for it.

Highlight - Samcro & Laurina living up to expectations, exciting futures ahead for both.

Lowlight - Douvan falling, he looked to be tanking along. Petit Mouchoir, I really fancied him, can't wait for the re-match on better ground (hopefully). Every single horse that lost their life

An eye catcher that didn’t win - Next Destination - Should have run him in the Albert Bartlett as per my original opinion on him, wasted chance.

One to follow for next season - Danny Kirwan (Didn't run at the festival).

[darlojim]

Best performance - Laurina was in a different league, really hope they don't just go Mares next year.
Worst performance from a fancied runner - Apples Jade
Best betting race - Between the plate and triumph for me, winners paid around the same
Worst betting race - Mares, was convinced AJ couldn't lose and it cost me doubles, trebles and a lot more.
Highlight - Footpad for me was fantastic, hes so quick over his fences barring the obvious mistake its just a pleasure to watch him jump, can see him rising to the very top.
Lowlight - Ruby getting injured again, such a shame to lose such a top rider so early on in the festival. Plus ABP was coming back into it I felt.
An eye catcher that didn’t win - Next Destination flew up the hill, would have bolted up in the AB I think.
One to follow for next season - Might bite on G/S

[archie]

Best performance - Laurina

Worst performance from a fancied runner - Getabird ran too free, Apples Jade lugged right and never really looked happy so maybe something wrong. Discounting both of those I'd go with Apples Shakira who was backed like defeat was unthinkable but, as Nicky pondered a couple of weeks ago, may just be the best of a poor lot of his novices/juveniles.

Best betting race - Stayers because it was the 13th winner for Nicky, Gordon and Willie and Penhill landed the 10/1 for 13 or more in style.

Worst betting race - Gold Cup. The ground killed my Road To Respect win & ew bets (affected him more than Might Bite by the way) and I was foolish enough to do a saver on a slow old boat.

Highlight - Champion Hurdle. Two very good hurdlers in a cracking duel.

Lowlight - Grand Annual

An eye catcher that didn’t win - Kemboy

One to follow for next season - Melon either over hurdles or against Kalashnikov over fences.

[robith]

Best performance - Presenting Percy. I wrote him off all season, massively fancied Monalee. Bot oh boy did he put me in my place. Sensational.

I also thought from a tactical POV Footpad and Native River were brilliantly intelligent rides

Worst performance from a fancied runner - Pocket talk but I turned to my wife after the second fence and said "COC's not going to win this". Apple's Jade lacklustre too. Big wins would've been for me.

But really Getabird. He completely evaporated.

Best betting race - Supreme went well (Kalashnikov and Summerville Boy ew). Samcro delivering on my 10s was nice too

Worst betting race - The main ones on Thursday. Went a bit silly with dumb UDS/Laurina/Sam Spinner trebles. The one time my discipline broke all week, put a big dent in, and made me feel stupid

Highlight - Altior. Bottom of the hill, I thought he's spent. The grit and determination, wow. Min ran a corker in 2nd as well and he got him beat. Wasn't on in any meaningful way but applauded him down the rail.

Also my wife picking Relegate for the bumper and us getting 40s on the machine before the off. Incredible.

Everyone in the office being on Shattered Love on Thursday was special too.

Lowlight - Mentioned on the other thread but I'd never watched the Grand Annual before and I wish I'd kept it that way. Shout me down if you want but I found it an unedifying spectacle that bordered on disgusting. Genuinely nearly ruined my week, certainly meant I went home in a very sombre mood.

Being at course Tues/Weds I would also mention the packs of largered up blokes doing football chants and getting aggy. Look I was drunk as a skunk on Tuesday but no idea why people pay to sit in the bar all day, let alone get all fighty

An eye catcher that didn’t win -
One to follow for next season - Both of these would be Kalashnikov. Thought he ran great.

[Hurricane fly]

Best performance - tough to choose between Footpad and Laurina, but as I think PM/SC slit each other’s throats in the Arkle I’ll say Laurina. Probably the most impressive novice win since Our Conor to my reckoning

Worst performance from a fancied runner - Has to be Apples Jade, I think Davy gave the runner up a peach of a ride but she shouldn’t be able to see Apples Jades tail let alone beatbhe! Pre festival I’d have argued she is the best hurdle horse in training. Maybe she doesnt act around Cheltenham

Best betting race - Samcro, 12/1, 9/2, 4/5 and a 20/1 double with BBB for them both to place which was my first bet.

Worst betting race - Apples Jade. Even disregarding all the doubles and trebles she downed, I was a bit too tipsy, hadn’t had a place let alone a winner and put all the money I had on me on her. Sickener and completely my own stupid fault, won’t be taking my card next year to help keep me from such choices! Thank god for Samcro.

Highlight - the roar as Samcro moved up round the final bend, went down to the finish line half an hour before the off to make sure we were on the finish line and well worth it

Lowlight - Douvan falling, the clash we never thought we’d get was just unfolding

An eye catcher that didn’t win - Black Op I thought ran a great race

One to follow for next season - Ok Corral thought he ran a cracker, even though he is already 8

[archie]

https://www.racingpost.com/news/cheltenham-2018/notebooks-out-six-horses-worth-following-from-the-festival/324054

[opatcho]

Best performance - Presenting Percy. I wrote him off all season, massively fancied Monalee. Bot oh boy did he put me in my place. Sensational.

Yup, I must admit, I wrote this horse off as well and make it clear on here that I wouldnt back it. However, what I have learnt over the last few years is to be flexible with your analysis, and ensure you react to previous races on the day based on how winners are being run and how the ground is ridding.
On the day, it made complete sense and ended up backing him. It was only a small bet but goes to show how youre earlier analysis can change

[opatcho]

Best performance - I have to say Might Bite. He didnt have his conditions, so you have to give him credit to run so well behind Native River who was awesome on the day

Worst performance from a fancied runner - Apple's Jade didnt run her race. Sam Spinner, jockey had a mare, needed to run him like Native River - aggressively

Best betting race - For me Altior, had a huge acca waiting on him

Worst betting race - Sam Spinner, was my largest single bet of the week, felt robbed given how poorly that race was ran

Highlight - Altior winning the way he did

Lowlight - Fox Hunters, backed the winner last year but totally ignored it this year! DOH

An eye catcher that didn’t win - Need to re-watch the races, I was at the course for all 4 days

One to follow for next season - As above

[Kevloaf]

I love doing a full write up and analysis of the week. Will do a very thorough one for myself focused on the punting aspect in the coming weeks (maybe at the weekend) but for now...


Best performance - A lot of contenders which is good! Footpad, Presenting Percy, Laurina all extremely impressive but I'll give my vote to Altior who hated the ground, and the way he put 7L between himself and a grade 1 winner from touching down after the last to the line was nothing short of spectacular considering the runner up wasn't stopping either!

Worst performance from a fancied runner - Close between the two "Apple's"... but I'll go for In De Sceaux. Was well fancied by many, had his ground and a previous winner so no real excuses... but he performed poorly in HIS conditions. Pulling himself to the front again wasn't very good, and the way he got passed so easily wasn't good... and can't help feeling UDS ran his race so therefore was the worst performance as he was soundly beaten without being pulled up.

Best betting race - Ballymore was my biggest return/profit thanks to the Samcro any race 12/1 and 16/1 bets placed. Next best was the Four Miler, as I'd been strong on Rathvinden from quite a way out too. Honourable mention for the Arkle, as I had two of the 5 runners at 100/1 (4th and 5th in the end, boo-hoo!), the winner at 25s and 16s, 2nd at 20s and 3rd at 12s

Worst betting race - The Albert Bartlett was horrible. -25 pts and was extremely confident going in to it. Didn't create a book when I could have because I was convinced I had the winner. It was like the Supreme, which wasn't great either but at least I had the winner in that!

Highlight - A good friend (who I've mentioned on here before, who left me there on my own the day Min got beat!) won a huge amount on Presenting Percy. He'd been backing him at 33/1 and in multiples and it was amazing to be a part of that. I did well out of the race too but we're talking a very large payout for him and it was thrilling! Certainly a memory that won't be forgotten.

Lowlight - Cause of Causes pulling up. Was quite an anti-climax and I'd rather have been beaten fair and square than what happened. Watching the Grand Annual and especially NHH for obvious reasons too.

An eye catcher that didn’t win - I've seen this said and totally agree, Next Destination should be over 3 miles.

One to follow for next season - Loads of contenders, I'll plump for Mall Dini. Not exactly under the radar but I think he'll be winning a big race next season.