AP McCoy tipped us off about Darlan’s potential at the start of the season and I was pleased to see him win at Cheltenham on Friday, though needed all the champs brilliance to do so. Darlan has clearly got a serious engine but does need to brush up his jumping.
It’s interesting that AP has chosen to ride Sunnyhillboy in Saturday’s big race – the Spinal Research The Atlantic 4 Gold Cup – and suggests he’s been readied for this. I have followed Sunnyhillboy over many a cliff and am tempted to give him one more chance in a race of this nature. I strongly fancied him at the Festival before he crashed out and since then he’s run a great race in the Irish National and had a nice spin over hurdles to prime him for Saturday. My one worry is that he will get too far back in the race and fly up the hill, so I shall wait and back Sunnyhillboy in running.
I shall also being having a bet on Roudoudou Ville at 12 or bigger on Betdaq, as I know the Dartnall team are confident of a big run.
Elsewhere on the card Hinterland in the Triumph Hurdle Trial at 12.10 and Oscar Whisky in the finale at 3.35 both look like good things. My main play of the day will be to lay Grandouet in running in the Champion Hurdle trial at 3.05. Grandouet is such a sweet traveller that I’m sure he will trade very short as he cruises in behind Overturn. However, I’m not sure how much he finds off the bridle and I’d fancy Menorah to out-battle him up his beloved Cheltenham hill. Clerks Choice is not without a chance on the decent ground either.
What a brilliant Monday Night Football we have to look forward to. Chelsea (2.52 to back on Betdaq) v Manchester City (3) promises to be a thrilling, crucial and informative contest. Gary Neville has analysed Chelsea’s defending on the show a lot over the last few weeks and he seemed impressed by what he saw at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night against Valencia. Gary’s explained the dangers of playing a high defensive line with the modern day offside law and the pace and movement of strikers in the Premier League. It looked like Andre Villas-Boas had tinkered with that tactic for the make-or-break Champions League game and it will be fascinating to see what he does on Monday night to counter Aguero, Dzeko, Silva and co. whose movement against Norwich last weekend was simply mesmerising.
There are intriguing battles all over the field. Chelsea also offer a real threat going forward with Didier Drogba back to his best on Tuesday night, Daniel Sturridge thriving on the right hand side and Juan Mata pulling the strings from the left. Mata has been the most impressive of the lot in recent weeks, particularly when he drifts in to central areas. He’s not the fastest but he has lightning quick feet and great vision so could be the man to unlock City’s defense.
I think this game will have a major bearing on the title race. A win or even a point will see City’s price to win the Premier League shorten even further, which is currently 1.7 to back, 1.75 to lay on Betdaq. If they get through this tough run of fixtures with their five-point lead still in tact they are going to be very hard to catch. A win for Chelsea and it’s game on. I hope can join Gary and I on Sky Sports HD1 and in Sky 3D from 7pm on Monday. It promises to be a great night.
ED’S BETS
Sunnyhillboy and Roudoudou Ville (Cheltenham 2.30)
Hinterland (Cheltenham 12.10)
Oscar Whisky (Cheltenham 3.35)
LAY IN RUNNING Grandouet (Cheltenham 3.05)
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