We’re back for more.
You shouldn’t really live off tips in the Cheltenham Festival, because then if you lose you’ve somebody else to blame. Be brave, back yourself, make your own selections and live or die by your own sword.
They say the only time you should really pay attention to tips is when your tipster picks the same selection as you had in mind originally. Then you know your judgement isn’t too far off the mark and you’re onto something good.
Day One didn’t disappoint. Buveur D’Air showed his lion heart yet again as he just wouldn’t take no for an answer up the Cheltenham hill. The Supreme Novices’ Hurdle again showed itself up as one of the most competitive races of the whole week, Summerville Boy perhaps the most impressive winner of the day.
Ruby Walsh delivered like he always does. Lizzie Kelly rode her first ever festival winner, and at the end of the day, while punters were ruing Apple’s Jade’s off colour showing in the Mares’ hurdle, they weren’t down fortunes at the end of the day despite bookies dodging that expensive bullet.
So we go again.
Led by the piping hot Queen Mother Champion Chase, Wednesday’s card is brimming with the best thoroughbreds in the game and some of the head to heads are of the titanic proportion.
We’ve taken a good look at the form books, the cards and the odds and we’ve tried to work out the best value bets for you on the second day of four.
Here goes.
Black Op 11/1
Tom George and Noel Fehily landed the first on Tuesday with Summerville Boy and the in form pairing have every chance of doing the same here in the 1.30 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.
This impressive sort would have won last time out only for a momentum halting final fence blunder. He’ll love the ground, has form as impressive as any rival bar Samcro – but the combination of Gordon Elliott’s shaky opening day form and overpriced odds of 11/1 on this lad here tip the balance.
Presenting Percy 5/2
It’s so hard to choose between Presenting Percy and Monalee in the second race of the day, the 2.10 RSA Chase, but Pat Kelly’s Pertemps Final Champion of last year just about shades it.
Behind only Our Duke in the Red Mills Chase and form like that will see him hard beaten here.
The Organist 20/1
Definitely worth an each/way bet. Any Oliver Sherwood horse has to be taken seriously, and some early morning support shows JP McManus’ horse is coming here in good form.
Leighton Aspell is an experienced pilot, and off a featherweight, this horse has every chance in an open 2.50 Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle.
Our bet of the day.
The Last Samuri 8/1
He is the best horse in the 4.10 Glenfarclas Chase. Second in the 2016 Aintree Grand National, Kim Bailey’s high class ten-year-old has decent form this year. He will be in the shake up this year. We give him the nod to get his nose in front.
