Cheltenham Wednesday - Don't Make A Drama Out Of A Crisis

The Turners Novice Hurdle is as tricky to second guess as the Supreme on Day One, but we motor on regardless, and I do expect a huge run from the Paul Nicholls trained No Drama This End who is seen as the next superstar for the Ditcheat yard, who have been having a lean period by their lofty standards in recent years. He is 100% a staying chaser in the making long term, but his exploits over hurdles stand out here with wins here at Cheltenham (over this distance) and at Sandown and finally Newbury. His last win did see an error four out, but he had to make his own running that day and a decent pace to attack from today ought to play to his undoubted strengths. I don’t think his stamina is a question unlike some, and that makes him a potent weapon even at this level, with Act Of Innocence my idea of an each way alternative for those who like to play at bigger prices.     

No Drama This End 1.20pm Cheltenham

Sometimes in this game you have to let your heart rule your head, after all its not just a gambling medium, and we all have our favourite horses. Nicky Henderson has been undecided over the correct or best target for the living legend Jonbon, but he has finally decided to give the Champion Chase a miss and surely that opens the door for another Willie Mullins winner with Majborough? He does have chinks in his armour but at his best he is a machine over fences despite a four out of seven record, winning the Dublin Chase last time out by 19 lengths from the classy Marine National who strolled hone in this last season, and a repeat of that would make him very hard to beat in what looks a substandard field to me.    

Majborough 4.00pm Cheltenham

Day One saw me finding what I hoped was each way value, but if I am right, the bumper will go to the jolly on this occasion with the Willie Mullins trained Love Sign d’Aunou hard to oppose. Bought after winning his only point-to-point by a length and a half at Loughanmore, he debuted under rules at Naas in late January when routing his opponents for a 24 length success, barely breaking a sweat in the process. Runner-up Largy Star is no slouch, but the truth is we have no idea just how good the five-year-old is or could become over time, but he looks the sort to follow until he is beaten, and hopefully that will not be this afternoon.  

Love Sign d’Aunou 5.20pm Cheltenham

The Rest of the Cheltenham Card in brief.

You will see my three best bets elsewhere, but as it is the one and only Cheltenham Festival, every race deserves at least a passing mention! 

2.00pm – I won’t lie to you and tell you I like the look of the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase this year, it’s a tough field lacking a standout contender to hitch my wagon to, with the unbeaten Romeo Coolio making hard work of things last time out and fails to set my pulse racing. At a bigger price I am slightly (and only slightly) tempted by Wendigo who could give the home team a winner. Available at 8/1 or so as I wrote, he has won two of his four starts over fences including by 22 lengths at Ayr last time out, and he looks to have a chance of a top three place with a clear round.

Wendigo each way

2.40pm – A two mile five furlong handicap hurdle will see plenty of punters going home with empty pockets no doubt, and none of these leap off the page as unbeatable, and the bookmakers seem to agree, betting 6/1 or so the field. Stormheart does look a worthy favourite after wins at Limerick and Gowran Park this season, but it is his earlier form behind the likes of Kargesse and Majborough over hurdles that gets him the vote. They suggest he is better than a handicapper, and as he arrives in top form for the all-conquering Willie Mullins stable, he is hard to bet against despite the depth of the opposition.  

Stormheart each way

3.20pm – The Cross Country Chase is a marmite of a race, loved by some and hated by others, but it’s on the card, so I feel duty bound to at least have a look. There is precious little value left in the 5/2 about Favori De Champeau I am sorry to say, even if he does look the likeliest winner, and I will risk (literally) a couple of quid each way on stable companion The Goffer. Second to Vanillier at Punchestown and fourth in this last year, he has it all to do to get the better of his conqueror on these terms, but he made a bad mistake that day and a clear round plus the 5lb claim of jockey Josh Williamson here ocid see him get a whole lot closer.  

The Goffer each way

4.40pm – A two mile handicap made up of largely out of form horses isn’t my idea of a way to throw my money way, but if you feel you have to put a bet on, then you could do a lot worse than Personal Ambition. He passes all of my stats tests (as do plenty of this field sadly) and arrives in good form after winning by 17 lengths at Newbury from the consistent Quebecois. His jumping leaves a lot to be desired but he obviously has an engine, and if Ben Pauling has ironed out some or hopefully all of those errors, he could be the surprise package here. 

Personal Ambition each way