Day 2 Festival Yankee - Captain :- Yosser

[Yosser]

Firstly it has been a pleasure speaking and debating with you all (bar 1 blip) on the main forum and private messaging and have thoroughly enjoyed picking apart horses and races with you to get to where we are now. The races are set, the horses are (sort of) decided so now we have reached the crescendo that is the Festival itself.

I am an each way thief, especially regarding multis. Usually if i can't get the win part i like to think there is still good value in the place part but still with a good chance of landing the 'big one'. As my day falls on the day of the Cross Country, i will have to nominate the Naiad as a selection (unless others don't agree that is a wise choice) but there are plenty of races and horses to make cases for.

We have -

Turners Novices' Hurdle
Brown Advisory
Coral Cup
Cross Country
Champion Chase
Grand Annual
Champion Bumper

The thread is now open, and you can throw as many cases as you like at it

[IstabraqBarRegular]

The New Lion
Dancing City
Be Aware
Busselton
Jonbon
An Peann Dearg
Copacabana

[ComplyOrDie]

E/W thievery noted, here are some I like.

Turners - James's Gate
BANC - Better Days Ahead
Coral Cup - Jimmy Du Seuil/Sandor Clegane
Grand Annual - Unexpected Party/American Mike/Asta La Pasta

[Istabraq]

The G Annual is looking like a weak renewal so I can’t see anything wrong with last years winner off 6lb higher.
won 4l going away and if there’s nothing better handicapped this year he’d have to be a player…

[Yosser]

Skelton spoke positively about him the other day. Looks like he has been laid out for it good style. 2 shouts for Unexpected Party already.

I haven't gone through the handicaps after the weights have been released but will be doing the as the week goes on. Basing my personal bets on Saxons trends. They came up trumps last year.

[Istabraq]

Skelton spoke positively about him the other day. Looks like he has been laid out for it good style. 2 shouts for Unexpected Party already.

I haven't gone through the handicaps after the weights have been released but will be doing the as the week goes on. Basing my personal bets on Saxons trends. They came up trumps last year.

Worth noting I’ve got Skelton in for 9 winners.
Feel free to ignore me….

[AaronLad]

There's plenty of each way thievery to be had on the Wednesday.

Festival form cannot be ignored and on the wednesday we have it in abundance.

In the champion chase we don't just have 1 returning champion but we have 2, defending champion captain guinness and the vacated champion energumene.

In the coral cup, we have entries for both the winner and runner up from last year, with the runner up looking primed to go 1 better this year.

As mentioned in posts above we have the reigning grand annual champion unexpected party looking to give Dan Skelton back to back victories in another festival handicap.

The last time the x country was run in 2023, Galvin was finishing runner up behind delta work, Although now in the form of a handicap he surely can't be ruled out off 1lb lower than when a fine 4th in last years grand national.

And finally we have the unusual scenario of jalon d'oudairies 3rd in last seasons bumper, returning for another shot a year older and stronger.

[Tickety Boo]

Each Way steals

Be Aware - Coral
Marine Nationale - CC
Unexpected Party - Grand Annual
Windbeneathmywings - Bumper

[Istabraq]

Each Way steals

Be Aware - Coral
Marine Nationale - CC
Unexpected Party - Grand Annual
Windbeneathmywings - Bumper

To my eye that is very very very solid….

[HoldenTheReins]

I'm not sure he'll get in but I'd love to see Asta La Pasta in the Grand Annual.

[Yosser]

Don't think too many would argue the case for Marine Nationale as an each way player. Connell looks to have changed his modus operandi this season. Him and William Munny look to be getting the Willie, slowly, slowly, come to the boil at Cheltenham treatment. I think he will be a little closer to Solness during the race this time.

[Eudipe]

I like Found A Fifty as an EW angle in the Champion Chase. A fair second in last year's Arkle, I think he is still progressive and he showed a nice change of gear early in the straight when narrowly beating Solness (who was in receipt of 7lbs) at Navan in November. That form has obviously been well franked by the runner-up since and I'm willing to put a line through Found A Fifty's no show at Xmas (when he scoped dirty). I have backed him for this NRNB as he has also been mooted for the Ryanair but, on a Tatts Cheltenham preview tonight Elliott said he had no horse for the Ryanair which I'm hoping is a positive for Found A Fifty coming here.

[Yosser]

I like Found A Fifty as an EW angle in the Champion Chase. A fair second in last year's Arkle, I think he is still progressive and he showed a nice change of gear early in the straight when narrowly beating Solness (who was in receipt of 7lbs) at Navan in November. That form has obviously been well franked by the runner-up since and I'm willing to put a line through Found A Fifty's no show at Xmas (when he scoped dirty). I have backed him for this NRNB as he has also been mooted for the Ryanair but, on a Tatts Cheltenham preview tonight Elliott said he had no horse for the Ryanair which I'm hoping is a positive for Found A Fifty coming here.

I watched that after work yesterday. He was pretty open, much more than usual. Probably because we are so close and there aren't many secrets but he was pretty adamant that the yellow clay would be turner's bound. He referenced Final Demands win over Wingmen and said he would expect the yellow clay to beat him by the same distance. Also said Wingmen is AB bound

[Carnage at Taunton]

Yellow clay is definitely one I would put up as a serious threat to the fav, and at current odds he could sneak in as an e/w prospect or the win, depending on others you pick I guess?

[Yosser]

Reet, so my festival handicap shortlists have been drawn up. As my Yankee falls on the Coral Cup and Grand Annual i will name them just to see if they float anybody's boat. The problem is though, that how certain are the targets. Horses like Be Aware and Unexpected Party we at least know are being aimed for their respected races. Be Aware isn't on my list but has to be considered regardless as we don't want a Non Runner. Unexpected Party is on my shortlist but is a couple of pounds higher than i want. So here is what i have whittled them down to

Coral Cup :-

Altobelli
Farren Glory
Gala Marceau
Al Gasparo
Supersundae
Santos Blue
Bunting

Grand Annual :-

Fringill Dike
Unexpected Party
So Scottish
San Salvador
The King Of Prs
Tarprain Law

Feel free to tell me they are all shit