Buywise Looks Overpriced At Cheltenham

Runyon Rattler ran an average race earlier, but I was worried as soon as I heard the jockeys describing the ground as being on the 'easy side of good', 'hard work' and 'dead' after the opener. I thought it would be genuine good ground, but a combination of watering and showers meant it was anything but. He never landed a blow, and he finished down the field in 8th.

I am sticking to Cheltenham for Saturday's selections, and my main fancy of the day goes in the Gold Cup at 2.25. This 20f handicap chase is a cracking renewal this year, and I think Buywise looks massively overpriced at odds of 18/1. He had a lovely prep run for this race at Aintree (20f good) three weeks ago in a handicap hurdle, and that will have blown away the cobwebs for a tilt at this race.

He was an excellent second to Annacotty in last years edition off 148, beaten just half a length, and this 9yo son of Tikkanen looks as though he has been trained with this race in mind. He has an excellent record at Cheltenham, and he has form figures of 515424 around here, including a good 4th at the festival in 2015 behind Darna. The ground will suit, the trip is ideal, Evan Williams is in good form and he is proven at the track. Hopefully he can go one better than last year, and he is worthy of each way support at odds of 18/1 off just 2lb higher.

Later on, also at Cheltenham, I can't resist having a small each way bet on the Richard Woollacott trained Millanisi Boy in the 3.35. Regular readers of the blog might remember me tipping up this lad last season at huge odds, and he ran a cracker to grab a place. He subsequently went on to win a novice hurdle at Chepstow (19.5f hvy), and the form of that race has worked out pretty well.  The 2nd, 4th and 5th have all come out and won races since, and the 5th was beaten just 5L in a handicap off 128.

Millanisi Boy's mark remained at 125 after that novice hurdle win, and he admittedly ran poorly on his final two starts of the season when upped in trip at Newbury (24f) in February and Exeter (23.5f) in April. He was dropped 3lb for that final run, and he returns to action at Cheltenham off a mark of 122. Harry Cobden takes off another valuable 3lb, and though his trainer Richard Woollacott has yet to train a winner around here, he has had a couple go very close. He had one come 2nd at 25/1 earlier on this week and, at odds of 50/1, I think Millanisi Boy could sneak his way into the first four.

STEVOS' SELECTIONS: 2.25: BUYWISE E/W 18/1 NAP. 
                                         3.35: MILLANISI BOY E/W 50/1.