Well what a day yesterday was! We well and truly turned the week around!! 6 winners for the Irish. Unbelievable sport!
I never doubted Willie and Ruby but they proved a lot of people wrong yesterday. And another Cheltenham winner for Pat Kelly, by god he’s one of the shrewdest men in racing.
Gold Cup Day today, which happens to be Paddy’s Day this year and lets hope it’s another massive day for the Irish and we can fill the pockets for the weekend’s festivities!
1.30 JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1)
JP won this race last year and has a strong hand again this year. Of the two market leaders I am going to favour Defi Du Seuil for Richard Johnson and Phillip Hobbs. Unbeaten over hurdles, his jumping has improved with each run, he’s a course winner and he can triumph in the Triumph. Bapaume of Willie Mullins’ at bigger prices is well capable of being on the premises too.
2.10 Randox Health County Handicap Hurdle
Another competitive handicap this one and I’m going to throw two darts at this. Ivanovic Gorbatov won on the day last year and looks nicely treated here in his first run in a handicap having been campaigned in Grade 1 company all season. Mick Jazz is the opposite, he’s improving with each run and looks like he has a big one in him. I expect both to go well but beware this is a lottery of a race!
2.50 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
Gordon Elliot has had 5 winners so far this week but before the festival had given Death Duty as his banker of the week. That’s good enough for me and I like this horse a lot. He jumps, stays and can grind out a win. He looks an exciting horse for the future and he can keep Gorodns remarkable week going.
3.30 Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1)
This year is Djakadam’s year!! Second the in 2015 and 2016 I think his turn has come. Willie and Ruby are on a roll now and Djakadam comes here off a nice break and will run well fresh. Cue Card at 11 can’t win in my opinion and Native River will find one or two too good. It’s finally Willie’s turn to win the Gold Cup and Djakadam is hopefully going to do it for him.
4.10 St. James’s Place Foxhunter Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase
On The Fringe had only Foxrock in front of him in his prep run at Leopardstown last time and Foxrock isn’t qualified to run today. He’s won this race the last two years and will be many peoples banker on Gold Cup day. Jamie Codd ride and he can do no wrong this week. Fill up the pockets with On The Fringe!!
4.50 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
Castello Sforza was fourth in the bumper in Cheltenham last year and while he hasn’t won yet over hurdles he has a big chance in this. Johnathan Moore is a very positive jockey booking and with the Willie Mullins horses flying this lad must have a big chance. It’s not a race I will get heavily involved in but it has been good to me in the past with the likes of Don Poli and Sir Des Champs.
5.30 Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Grade 3)
The last race of the festival and hopefully we’ll have made the millions made by now! If not, Rock The World looks to have a chance. Placed in the race last year he can be on the premises again in what looks a weaker renewal to last year. Jessie Harrington has been in the winners enclosure already this week and she could be there again after the finale.
Selections:
1.30 Defi Du Seuil 5/2, Bapaume 16/1 EW
2.10 Ivanovic Gorbatov 11/1 EW, Mick Jazz 9/1 EW
2.50 Death Duty 9/4
3.30 Djakadam 7/2
4.10 On The Fringe 7/4 NAP
4.50 Castello Sforza 14/1 EW
5.30 Rock The World 12/1 EW
Treble: Death Duty, On The Fringe, Djakadam 37/1