WINNING NAP TO START CHELTENHAM: SHAMROCK napped VROUM VROUM VROUM (WON 4/6) to get his Cheltenham off to a flying start. He now previews all seven races on day two.
Not a bad start to this week’s proceedings with four winning races from seven including the nap Vroum Vroum Mag.
I’ll repeat what I said about her yesterday. “We still don’t know how good she is.”
The place markets came to my rescue and I was particularly pleased to see Morning Assembly sneak into fourth.
Even if you NEVER play on the place markets just do one thing today. Check one of the Cheltenham BETDAQ place markets out. You’ll be amazed at the prices – especially in the competitive handicaps and you can very much have several bites of the cherry.
Yesterday’s scorecard read:
SHAMROCK’S BETS:
1.30 MIN (WIN), TOMBSTONE (PLACE)
2.10 DOUVAN (WIN) WON 1/4
2.50 MORNING ASSEMBLY (PLACE) 4th 10/1
3.30 NICHOLS CANYON (WIN AND PLACE) 3rd 15/2
4.10 VROUM VROUM MAG (NAP) WON 4/6
4.50 NOBLE ENDEAVOR (WIN AND PLACE)
5.30 DOMESDAY BOOK (PLACE)
Seven more top class races to look forward to on Wednesday:
1:30 Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered As The Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle) (4yo+, Class 1, 2m 5f 26y, 11 runners)
Just the four Willie Mullins runners here (don’t worry he has a much more acceptable SEVEN in the Bumper later on today!!) and Yorkhill is the better fancied of the quartet. He by-passed the Supreme over a shorter distance yesterday in preference for this but given he has won over both trips it seems very much a case of both distances coming alike. He faces a very strong home challenge in the shape of Yanworth who has been particularly strong in the BETDAQ market and was hugely impressive when winning the prep race for this over C&D in January.
A Toi Phil interests me, win and place. He refused on his debut for the yard (yes, I napped him that day) but has shown good form since with two wins at Leopardstown and very much deserves a crack at this after a runaway victory in a Grade 2 last time out. He’s certainly of interest win and place at around 12/2.9 respectively.
2:10 RSA Chase (Grade 1 Novices’ Chase) (5yo+, Class 1, 3m 80y, 8 runners)
This race has been more than capable of springing a surprise over the years – will the bookies / layers again get a respite? The market pretty much makes it a match between More Of That and No More Heroes but I’m not sure it is that clear cut.
With the dead eight runners it’s another good win and place opportunity and I prefer Mullins and Walsh with Roi Des Francs. He was a Grade 3 winner over hurdles but already looks a better proposition over fences.
2:50 Coral Cup (Grade 3 Handicap Hurdle) (4yo+, Class 1, 2m 5f 26y, 26 runners)
HELP !!! The Irish last won this in 2011 when Carlito Brigante struck for Gordon Elliott. The same trainer has an excellent chance today with Diamond King who has improved for all three starts since joining Elliott from Don McCain’s stable.
3:30 Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+, Class 1, 1m 7f 199y, 10 runners)
Will it be Un De Sceaux or Un De Oh No……….
Popular opinion seems to be he can only beat himself. Two falls from seven starts has to be a worrying stat if you intend taking the odds-on – particularly as he was under no pressure at the time of those hiccups.
We saw a much better performance at Ascot last time out when he landed the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase by five lengths over Sire De Grugy showing just how much he has in hand. I’m napping him, but will probably watch the race from behind the sofa 😉
4:10 Glenfarclas Chase (Cross Country Chase) (5yo+, Class 2, 3m 6f 37y, 16 runners)
Only Philip Hobbs has got in the way of a total Irish monopoly recently in this race and Hobbs could again spoil things with the remarkable Balthazar King who bids for a hat-trick after wins in 2012 and 2014. He comes to this race fresh after a heavy fall in the Grand National which mercifully he survived and can again go well in what is very much a specialists race.
Josies Orders may be hard to beat though. Nina Carberry rides the eight-year-old who won races over this course in November and December – arriving late on the scene on both occasions.
4:50 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) (4yo, Class 1, 2m 87y, 22 runners)
Only a speculative win and place bet recommended here on the lightly raced Campeador who has proved popular in the ante-post markets.
5:30 Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1 Standard Open NH Flat Race) (4-6yo, Class 1, 2m 87y, 24 runners)
Willie Mullins has seven entered and I think it could very much be a case of ‘ladies first’, just like yesterday. Augusta Kate receives the mares allowance and has looked sensational in wins at Listowel and Navan. The race is jam-packed with potential improvers and dark horses (DAQMAN has also found one) but Augusta Kate will very much do for me with that handy allowance.
SHAMROCK’S BETS:
1.30 A TOI PHIL (WIN AND PLACE)
2.10 ROI DES FRANC (WIN AND PLACE)
2.50 DIAMOND KING (WIN AND PLACE)
3.30 UN DE SCEAUX (NAP)
4.10 JOSIES ORDERS (WIN)
4.50 CAMPEADOR (WIN AND PLACE)
5.30 AUGUSTA KATE (WIN, NEXT BEST)
£25 IN FREE BETS
Did you know that as well as checking the realtime prices on BETDAQ below – you can also log into your account and place your bets directly into BETDAQ from BETDAQ TIPS.
