1.20 Mares Novice Hurdle
Bambino Fever claimed the bumper at the Festival 12 months ago and is a very short price to win again here over hurdles. To many she will be viewed as a banker but already beaten by Oldschool Outlaw I don’t think she is a play at the short price in a novice hurdle that has a rotten record of winning favourites. I would have wanted more rain earlier than expected for Oldschool Outlaw to be considered, should we get lunchtime downpours that will aid her chances. She has already got the better Bambino Fever and should be respected. The selection is each-way play from the UK, La Conquiere is a really nice seven-year-old mare who has been given plenty of time. She ran a huge race on stable debut at the Aintree Festival last year, so far she has run three times this season over hurdles winning twice and then finishing second in a muddling race when taking on more experienced runners in open company. At 16/1 at time of writing, she is a cracking each-way bet.
1 point each-way La Conquiere
2.00 Jack Richards Novice Handicap Chase
A race I felt I had the winner of until Henry De Bromhead ran Koktail Divin in an alternative race. The pick will be Meetmebythesea for local trainer Ben Pauling. This has very much been a talking horse on the preview scene and off 139 looks to be well handicapped. He seems ground versatile, and I have no concern about the Newbury effort last time out which came in better company. He goes back up in trip which should unlock the improvement required to score here in a big field handicap.
1 point each-way Meetmebythesea
3.20 The Stayers Hurdle
This for me is the most interesting race on the card for Thursday. Will Kabral Du Mathan stay? Can Ma Shantou improve again, Is Ballyburn’s metal capacity to win still there. I have answered maybe to all of those thoughts. That really leaves us the two horses in the same ownership to consider, Teahupoo and Bob Olinger. At The prices and the likely ground it’s got to be Bob Olinger. His trainer has I think been working back from this race for the last 12 months, yes he is getting on at 11 years old now, but the Christmas run was fantastic, and his profile is rock solid. He loves the track and I think will at least be in the first three here.
1 point each-way Bob Olinger
4.00 The Ryanair Chase
At the time of writing there was a small suggestion if the ground was too quick we may not see the favourite Fact To File run here, I would be surprised if that was the case and he really should be well up to winning this year’s renewal. If you were picking holes in him you could perhaps consider at times he hasn’t tended to put one strong run in top class company after another. Take for example this season, just touched off by Gaelic Warrior in his first start of the season a huge run, then when 3/1 for the King George he runs flat. Last time out at the Dublin Racing Festival he was unstoppable. I am amazed they opt to come to this race over the Gold Cup and he will take all the beating. I think Jonbon and Bambridge will be the two in behind most likely to cause him a few issues.
1 point win Fact To File
4.40 The Pertemps
A fairly middling renewal of this race that maybe needs to see some further tweaks to the qualification criteria. Idy Wood will relish the ground for BetVictor brand ambassadors Jamie Snowden and Gavin Sheehan and could out run his price on this ground. For me the bet is a boring one but Supremely West off 135 looks to my eye ready to strike for the Skeltons. The form behind Ma Shantou looks strong from October here at Cheltenham on similar ground. The runs since were very much with an aim to this final. He is primed to run a huge race and will go close.
1 point win Supremely West
5.20 Kim Muir
A tough race to round off Thursday, Kim Roque will be my selection for Joseph O’Brien, this French import goes back up significantly in trip today have run twice this season over shorter here at Cheltenham. He is yet to win for new connections since arriving in Ireland but showed enough on all three runs to think he could be a type to step forward. I think he will handle the ground better than plenty in here and may just be well handicapped enough to score.
1 point win Kim Roque
