Diary Of Cheltenham Festival Trials

With the festival only days away we have a short overview of some of the key races that will have impacted the betting in the month of February. These were the final warm up races for a number of the main players and it might be useful to have a little scour through a few of our comments.

Cheltenham Festival Trials Results from Saturday and Sunday 6th and 7th February

The weekend action started with Binocular getting back to winning ways in a 3 horse race at Doncaster and this was a nice performance that puts him back in the Champion Hurdle picture but later it was discovered that not everything was all right with him and he is sitting out the rest of the season.

Next up was Captain Cee Bee running at Naas in an effort to get some jumping experience before the Arkle looked very impressive but at the last did a Kauto Star and nearly came down once more. He clearly has an engine and will be one of the favourites for the March feature but the big question is will be get round when the heat is on coming down the famous Cheltenham Hill.

Punchestowns had to recover from a very bad mistake out the far side of the Sandown track in the totepool challanges novice to get back up and win well in the end from a pretty useful Paul Nicholls novice in Tchico Polos. This showed the class of the winner and his odds will reflect this in the RSA Chase Betting. An interesting each way alternative bet could well be Weird Al who keep up his winning ways over fences and you can get more information on our RSA Chase form feature.

Yet More Clues on Saturday, this time for the Queen Mother Champion Chase when Kalahari King came home like the class horse he is and trainer Ferdy Murphy will be delighted with this performance which puts him right in the picture for the feature race on day 2 of the festival.

Sunday and all eyes focused on Leopardstown and Pittoni won with his head in his chest in the grade 1 juvenile and this performance will secure his position in the Triumph Hurdle betting.

Dunguib kicked his hurdles out of the way in his prep race for the Supreme Novices but once again there is nothing that has his engine and this horse is a freak and he is bound to get the Irish off to a great start on the 16th March. 

Races Weekend 13th February

Diamond Harry won his prep race in the opener at Newbury at the expense of Bensalem and has had his odds shorten for the RSA Chase. Long Run ran his second race on UK soil at Warwick and disposed of his rivals with ease and will probably take his place in the RSA lineup.

Denman unseated A P McCoy three fences from home, he made a mistake at the previous fence and then took off to early at the third last. Ruby said he was bomb proof on the Morning Line well for once Ruby was wrong. His odds for the Gold Cup will now take a hit and Kauto Star is now a very short priced favourite for the race.

Mater Minded coming back from  injury in the Game Spirit Chase looked back to his very best as he was looking like winning with his head in his chest until the final fence where he went through the fence and Ruby earned his fee by staying on board but despite this error he is now the clear odds on favourite for the Queen Mother Chase.

Races Last week of February

Nicky Henderson sent unbeaten Zaynar to Kelso last week and was beaten by Quwetwo fairly and squarely at a very short price. This defeat has been taken by Nicky Henderson in his stride and  he has confirmed that he will take his place in the Champion Hurdle line up on the opening day of the festival.

Nicky Henderson would have been in a better mood following Oscar Whisky's victory in the Kylmar Novice Hurdle the following day and this puts him right to take on Dunguib in the Supreme Novices. The second favourite Menorah was beaten on the Saturday in the Lomax Hurdle and this has really shaken up the Supreme Novices Hurdle Betting.

Alaivan gets right back into the Triumph picture with a bloodless victory at Fairyhouse on Saturday. This now moves him back to the top end of the betting for this good looking Novice Hurdler and puts behind him his poor run behind Carlito Brigante at Leopardstown last time out.

Latest Festival Trials From Kempton and Leopardtown

Punjabi won in effortless fashion in the opener at Kempton on Racing Post Chase day. This race was designed especially for Punjabi and this will give him a much needed confidence boost before his run in the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday Fortnight.

On Sunday at Leopardstown in the Newlands Chase we saw a very good performance by Tranquil Sea and this confirms his win in the Boylesports Gold Cup earlier in the year. He will be one of the favourites for the Ryanair after this performance.

Those watching the workouts after racing will have seen Mikael D'Haguenet jump for the first time. There is some discussion regarding him running in the RSA Chase after a year off the track and no jumping experience and on this evidence you would not be backing him.