If the ground was riding really soft today, I would not be opposing Teahupoo in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (4 p.m.) but the going is officially ‘good to soft’ this morning and it will dry further throughout the day. On that terrain, I would rather be on Teahupoo’s stable mate THE WALLPARK who has won four of his last five starts.
His most recent outing was when he was fourth to another of today’s runners, Crambo, at Ascot just after Christmas. Since then he has been kept fresh by Irish trainer Gordon Elliott with this Grade 1, worth more than £180,000 to winning connections, in mind.
At seven years old, The Wallpark should be at his peak and he should thrive on the quick surface. Back him 1 point each way at 9-2 with bet365, BetVictor or Betfred, all paying four places. Other bookies are going 5-1 but with less places in this 14-runner field.
I had put up Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien’s Galileo Dame Non Runner No Bet (NRNB) for the JCB Triumph Hurdle tomorrow only for her to be switched to the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, the first race on today’s card (1.20 p.m.). She could easily win this mares’-only contest as the only four-year-old runner but 4-1 is a skinny price for a 24-runner race.
I would rather take a chance at a big price with English trainer Jamie Snowden’s HOLLYGROVE CHA CHA, who has won five of her six races under rules. Her only defeat came behind Paul Nicholls’ talented mare Jubilee Alpha, who also lines up today.
Snowden knows how to train a horse for this race because his mare You Wear It Well won it two years ago. Back Hollygrove Cha Cha at 25-1 with SkyBet or Paddy Power, both paying five places instead of the four places with other bookies offering slightly bigger odds.
I will give the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (2 p.m.) a miss now that Path D’Oroux is going for the TrustATrader Plate (4.40 p.m.). I initially put up Irish handler Gavin Cromwell’s horse each way for the novices’ race NRNB. However, I then put him up again a week ago, also each way and NRNB, for the TrustATrader Plate when the trainer had a change of heart over his target. Hopefully, the astute Cromwell has opted for the easier race.
I will also swerve the Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (2.40 p.m.), betting wise, in which there will be plenty of ‘plot horses’. This one is too hard for me.
I put up Djelo each way at 16-1 more than two months ago for the Ryanair Chase (3.20 p.m.) and so I hope he runs a big race today. My worry with him is the way he jumps so low at his fences, thereby risking a fall, but, with jockey Charlie Deutsch in the saddle, he could not be in better hands.
The so-called ‘getting-out-stakes’ on day three is the Kim Muir Handicap Chase (5.20 p.m.) and I have already put up Walking On Air each way at 14-1 NRNB for this race. He is going to be ridden by amateur jockey Alan O’Sullivan, whose brother Michael died last month after a horror fall. Watch out for some emotional scenes in the winner’s enclosure if this runner, now heavily backed into favourite, prevails.
However, I am also going to put up a second horse each way in this race: GROZNI. His trainer, James Owen, has had his horses in good form at the Festival without having a winner and his amateur jockey, Mr Alex Chadwick, has won 20 races from just 71 rides this season for an impressive winning strike rate of 28 per cent.
Grozniwas sixth in this race last year off a slightly higher official rating and he has been running over hurdles to protect his handicap mark for this contest. Although this nine-year-old gelding is unlikely to be good enough to win it, he is a very sporting each way bet at 50-1, five places. Those odds are available with most, but not all, bookies paying five places.
Yesterday I put up six bets and had one winner at 5-1 and three horses placed at 16-1, 10-1 and 15-2. So I am pleased to say that’s two winning days out of two at ‘half time’ in the Festival.
Today, with the three ante-post bets and the three new wagers from today, loyal followers of Penworthy’s tips will have six horses running for them. I will be back tomorrow for my thoughts on the final day of this wonderful meeting.
Yesterday: + 6.5 points.
1 point each way Sixmilebridge at 16-1 NRNB for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Beat The Bat at 10-1 in the Coral Cup, paying 1/5thodds, 6 places. 4th + 1 point.
1 point each way Latenightpass at 16-1 for the Cross Country Chase, paying ¼ odds, 4 places. 2nd. + 3 points.
1 point each way Mister Coffey at 15/2 for the Cross Country Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. 5th. + 0.5 points.
1 point each way Marine Nationale at 5-1 for the Champion Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places. 1st. + 6 points.
1 point each way Traprain Law at 14-1 for the Grand Annual, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
Pending:
1 point each way Hollygrove Cha Cha at 25-1 for the Mares’ Novices Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Djelo at 16-1 for Ryanair Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way The Wallpark at 9-2 for the Stayers’ Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Path d’Oroux at 16-1 NRNB for the TrustATrader Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Walking On Air at 14-1 NRNB for the Kim Muir Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Grozni at 50-1 for the Kim Muir Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Ahoy Senor at 50-1 NRNB for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Wendigo at 14-1 NRNB for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Our Champ at 66-1 for the County Hurdle, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Kandoo Kid at 33-1 for the Grand National, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
2024-5 jump season running total: – 13.16 points.
2024 flat season: + 41.4 points on all tips.
2023-4 jump season: + 42.01 points on all tips.
2023 flat season: – 48.22 points on all tips.
2022-3 jump season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
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