SENSATIONAL SHAMROCK: SHAMROCK delivered 6 WINNING RACES FROM 7 at Cheltenham on St Patrick’s Day yesterday – including his NAP LIMINI (WON 4/6), CAUSE OF CAUSES (WON 9/2) and BLACK HERCULES (WON 4/1)
As Meatloaf DIDN’T sing…….. 6 out of 7 ain’t bad.
What a St Patrick’s Day with a profit on 6 OF THE SEVEN RACES yesterday.
It was almost a clean sweep too. The one that got away from a place return was Ballycasey who finished fifth – one place away from getting paid.
The full scorecard read:
SHAMROCK’S BETS:
1.30 OUTLANDER and BLACK HERCULES (WIN – back for equal stakes) lost / WON 4/1
2.10 TAGLIETELLE (WIN AND PLACE) 4th 14/1
2.50 VALSEUR LIDO (PLACE) 2nd 11/1
3.30 ALPHA DES OBEAUX (WIN AND PLACE) 2nd 8/1
4.10 BALLYCASEY (PLACE) lost
4.50 LIMINI (NAP) WON 8/11
5.30 CAUSE OF CAUSES (WIN AND PLACE) WON 9/2
Hard act to follow but here goes…
1:30 JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo, Class 1, 2m 179y, 15 runners)
You get the feeling that Paul Nicholls wants to win this – he’s got five runners – eve more than Willie Mullins 😉 The Nicholls trained Zubayr won the Adonis at Kempton which has proved such a reliable trial for this in the past.
Mullins and Walsh have won the opener for the first three days and we are sure to get a big run from the combo today with Footpad who handled the step up in class with aplomb when landing the Grade 1 GAIN Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown last time out. Ivanovich Gorbatov has plenty to find from that run – even allowing for the fact that the ground might be more suitable here.
2:10 Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3) (5yo+, Class 1, 2m 179y, 26 runners)
Great Field won well on his debut under rules at Leopardstown and may be the pick of the Willie Mullins runners here. The stable won it last year with Wicklow Brave.
2:50 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Registered As The Spa Novices’ Hurdle) (Grade 1) (4yo+, Class 1, 2m 7f 213y, 19 runners)
Prolific winners Long Dog (Ireland) and Barters Hill (GB) go head to head and something has to give. Long Dog has won plenty of softer races when he has gone off long odds-on but proved he has plenty of class too when winning the Future Champions Grade 1 at Leopardstown last time out. He’s tough too, just what’s needed here.
3:30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+, Class 1, 3m 2f 70y, 9 runners)
10 runners and the perfect 5-5 split between Ireland and GB in the race of the week.
Lord Windermere gave Ireland their only win from the last nine when popping up at 20/1 two years ago but this is as strong an assault on the race that I can remember. Best Mate and Kauto Star won five between them in the early 2000’s.
Don Cossack is best of the Irish on the ratings and I have to stick with him. I’ve no idea whether he would have won the King George before falling but he would have gone very close and he looked none the worse for the fall with a spin round Thurles last time out in the Ladbrokes Ireland Kinloch Brae Chase in which he sauntered home as his 1/8 price tag suggested.
Just tentative place selections in the last three races on the card…..
4:10 St. James’s Place Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup (5yo+, Class 2, 3m 2f 70y, 24 runners)
AUPCHARLIE
4:50 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (4yo+, Class 2, 2m 4f 56y, 24 runners)
CHILDRENS LIST
5:30 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase Challenge Cup (Grade 3 Handicap) (5yo+, Class 1, 2m 62y, 24 runners)
DANDRIDGE
SHAMROCK’S BETS:
1.30 FOOTPAD (WIN and PLACE)
2.10 GREAT FIELD (WIN and PLACE)
2.50 LONG DOG (WIN and PLACE)
3.30 DON COSSACK (NAP)
4.10 AUPCHARLIE (PLACE)
4.50 CHILDRENS LIST (PLACE)
5.30 DANDRIDGE (PLACE)
£25 IN FREE BETS
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