Day 2 Revisited

Since my first blog on Day Two of the festival a number of the fields have changed. Here are my updated thoughts on these races on Day 2 of the festival.

Neptune Hurdle

No real change to the make up of this field so selections remain the same.

Picks: Windsor Park (win), Ordo Ab Chao (e/w) and small reverse forecast.


RSA Chase

The defection of Coneygree to the Gold Cup on Friday has seen Don Poli shorten into 7/4 at the head of the market. He remains a confident choice, and is a horse with unlimited potential over fences.
The one to chase him home could well be the JP McManus owned and Philip Hobbs trained  If In Doubt, who has won impressively on his last two starts in chases. His last run in particular caught the eye in a Listed handicap chase at Doncaster, where he earned an RPR of 157, which puts him right in the mix here.

Picks: Don Poli advised at 5/2 (nap) , If In Doubt (e/w) 14/1.

Coral Cup

A wide open handicap, as is usually the case at Cheltenham. One that looks to have a right chance at the foot of the weights is Marinero, from the shrewd Tony Martin yard. This fella was beaten only 6l by Douvan over an insufficient trip and on ground softer than ideal  in January, form given a substantial boost yesterday. He has won on both occasions he has raced on decent ground, a bumper on good to firm at Fairyhouse and most encouragingly when he was stepped up to 2m 2f on yielding ground at the same track. Martin's decision to drop back in trip on soft ground on his last two runs looks to me to have been a ploy to protect Marinero's handicap mark, and it looks to have worked as he gets in off 138. Promising young claimer Shane Shorthall takes off another 5lbs, and off a feather weight of 10-1 he can make his presence felt today.

Pick: Marinero 16/1

Champion Chase

No change. Small stake Somersby e/w.


Cross Country

No opinion.

Fred Winter

Old Guard, one of my original selections, doesn't run. Starchitect, as outlined in my previous entry, has a good e/w chance. Another couple worth keeping an eye on are Gwencily Berbas and Beatabout The Bush. Gwencily Berbas is near the top of the weights, but connections feel he may be well treated off 139 and a big run is expected. There has been a lot of support for this horse since his win last time out, and his price has collapsed in the last couple of weeks. Barry Connell is not a man to be underestimated, especially when the money is down.
Beatabout The Bush has a very different profile, and is lurking at the foot of the weights. His trainer, Henry Oliver, posited this race as his target after a facile victory at Sedgefield in January and he gets in off a mark of 130. The manner of his two victories have been impressive, and this son of Bushranger could improve again for the switch to decent ground.

Picks: Already Advised-Starchitect. Updated: Gwencily Berbas, Beatabout The Bush.


Champion Bumper

Already advised- Jetstream Jack 25/1, Modus 25/1.