Another one for the Martello Tower Charge
Ben Linfoot adds to his Cheltenham Festival ante-post portfolio with a 16/1 Value Bet in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle.
There won’t be another card between now and March 10 with as many Festival pointers as Sunday’s at Leopardstown, with the four Grade One races providing plenty of drama and plenty to ponder ahead of Cheltenham.
It’s fair to say it wasn’t a good day at all for the bets at the bottom of this page, with the three in action all losing and drifting in their respective markets. Vercingetorix was bitterly disappointing and just seemed unable to go with what was a frantic pace from a very early stage in the Gala Retail Spring Juvenile Hurdle, while Silver Concorde and Valseur Lido didn’t enhance their Cheltenham credentials following defeats.
I was actually quite pleased with Silver Concorde’s effort in the Deloitte, as it was a big step up from his hurdling debut defeat and he stayed on quite nicely into fourth under considerate handling. However, Dermot Weld’s comments afterwards saying he could now bypass Cheltenham altogether were obviously disappointing to hear.
As for Valseur Lido, he ran a cracker in second in the Flogas and that’s probably the best novice chase we’ve seen on either side of the Irish Sea this season. Given it was his first run since November, there could be more improvement to come from him too. But the manner of his defeat wasn’t ideal if you’re wanting him to go up in trip at the Festival and nibbles of support for Don Poli in the RSA Chase betting this week could be telling.
Still, moving on, there was plenty to learn from Sunday’s card and I was particularly interested in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle, a race that has a fine recent record at Cheltenham despite being run over a trip of 2m 2f, an in-between distance when it comes to novice hurdles at the Festival itself.
The winner, Nichols Canyon, looked very good and benefitted from an uncomplicated Ruby Walsh ride, making virtually all to banish the memories of his third-hurdle exit at the same track over Christmas. He could have the speed for a Sky Bet Supreme, but with stablemate Douvan seemingly set for that particular assignment the Neptune looks a more likely target for him.
The one to take out of the Deloitte, though, could well be Windsor Park. He was the only horse who made any sort of significant inroad into Nichols Canyon’s lead from off the pace and that he got to within four lengths by the line was to his great credit. He could be a big player over three furlongs further in the Neptune and is worth considering at 12/1, though he might not be too much shorter come the day itself given Willie Mullins’ strength-in-depth in the contest.
Windsor Park’s run did, however, boost the form of the Grade 2 Nathanial Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle run at Leopardstown on Irish Champion Hurdle day. Weld’s horse was fourth in that race and was beaten a length-and-a-quarter further by Outlander than he was by Nichols Canyon in the Deloitte. Another one for Mullins, on that line of form perhaps Outlander shouldn’t be a bigger price than his stablemate for the Neptune.
But, I digress. The one I’m interested in for the Festival is MARTELLO TOWER, as he looks a decent bet at 16/1 for the Albert Bartlett considering how well his form is working out.
Trained by Mags Mullins, Willie’s former sister-in-law, Martello Tower’s form has been franked time and time again this season, with Windsor Park’s sound effort in the Deloitte just the latest boost to the profile of the Barry Connell-owned horse.
Martello Tower gave Windsor Park 5lb and beat him by one-and-a-half lengths in the January 25 Leopardstown race when second, and he gave the same amount of weight to the winner, Outlander, too, over a distance half a mile short of his best.
Earlier in the season, at Limerick, he won the Grade 3 Cliona’s Foundation Novice Hurdle over three miles (a race Faugheen won last season before his Cheltenham victory) when digging deep to deny Outlander (again) by a neck in a thriller. He gave Outlander 6lb that day as well, and, though it was only a three-runner race, the form has substance.
Of course, Outlander came out and won next time in a Grade 2 and is now one of the favourites for the Neptune, as discussed, but the third from that race, the 31-length third, Measureofmydreams, has also won since at Thurles when beating a better-fancied stablemate by two lengths. He wasn’t disgraced in fourth in Grade 3 company at Clonmel on Tuesday, either.
As well as this good form, Martello Tower has shown plenty of the attributes required in an Albert Bartlett winner, notably his stamina and his toughness.
Both of those were on display when he won over three miles at Cork on his seasonal reappearance and were most evident in that win at Limerick. He didn’t jump brilliantly at Limerick, but that performance came on the back of a heavy fall two out in the Monksfield at Navan so he was understandably safe at one or two obstacles.
I thought he jumped much better at Leopardstown last time, especially in the latter stages of the contest when the pressure was on, and the way he fought off Killultagh Vic, Windsor Park and No More Heroes after the last to take second was impressive. Back at three miles, on a stiff track that really should play to his strengths, he looks likely to be a huge player.
Most of his form is on testing conditions, which might be a concern granted a dry week. But at least he won the only time he’s encountered good ground, even if that was just a maiden hurdle at Killarney last May.
All in all, Martello Tower looks to have very solid credentials indeed and I would rather back him at 16/1 than anything else in the market.
Of those above him in the betting, Willie Mullins’ Black Hercules is the one I fear the most and he’s an understandable favourite. He showed high-class form over two miles including when fourth in last year’s Champion Bumper, but stamina looks to be his main attribute and he won a Grade 3 over three miles at Cork last time.
However, chasing looks the end game for him and he does remind me of the same stable’s Boston Bob who was a beaten favourite in the Albert Bartlett before going on to greater success over fences. As for his hurdling form, it looks no better than Martello Tower’s.
Gordon Elliott’s No More Heroes might not have been 100 per cent when running behind Martello Tower at Leopardstown and he was a 5/1 favourite for the Albert Bartlett before that reverse. He’s in good hands when it comes to bouncing back at the Festival, but he does have something to prove now and the previous impression he made has ensured his odds haven’t drifted to a tempting price.
Caracci Apache is talented but comes with his quirks and looks a risky proposition to me, though he was too strong for Blaklion last time who might be vulnerable back in Grade One company given he’s found at least one too good in both of his last two runs.
Value At Risk looks likely to improve for the step up in trip judging by his second at Cheltenham on trials day, but he does have to go and prove it and he’s another one who is shorter in the betting than Martello Tower despite not having form as strong in the book.
Of the others, runaway Lanzarote winner Tea For Two would have to come into calculations if he ended up in this race, while Shantou Bob was the other one I considered at the prices given he’s available at 33s.
He showed some good form earlier in the season, particularly when he rallied to great effect at Sandown only to be denied a nose by Vyta Du Roc and he lost a left fore shoe that day.
At Warwick last time he hung left again when beaten by Three Musketeers, but he broke a blood vessel in that race and has since had a wind operation. He’s interesting at 33/1, as he’s another that should improve once unleashed over three miles, but his less than ideal preparation puts me off.
There was nothing wrong with Martello Tower’s preparation at Leopardstown last time, though, and at 16/1 he looks the Albert Bartlett value at this stage, given his excellent form and tenacious attitude.
Value Bet Cheltenham Festival 2015 Portfolio
1pt win MARTELLO TOWER in Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at 16/1 (General)
