The 3 day Cheltenham November meeting turned out to be bit of a roller-coast - but at least the weekend provided a ‘high’, to accompany the ‘lows’…
It was a quiet start to the meeting, with just the one Best Bet on Friday.
That was The Grand Visir, on whom I took a chance in the novice hurdle.
He wasn’t the most solid tip I’ve issued this season - but I felt he had chance, and when he strolled into an uncontested 20 length lead, I was more than a little hopeful that he might finally get the Best bets off the mark for the season.
However, after travelling well to the bottom of the hill, he was closed down by his rivals turning in - and it soon became apparent there was little left in the tank.
I’m not sure that I would side with him again, but if I did, it would need to be on a flat track - ideally on decent ground.
The only other suggested bet on the day, was a small play in the finale, for the Matrix.
I went with Princess T, who had been progressing rapidly, in recent runs.
I expected her to perform well - and hoped she might prove a step ahead of her mark.
Alas that wasn’t the case - and she never really featured.
I guess the one consolation was that I’d have been unlikely to select the winner, even if I’d had half a dozen goes at the race !
I’d have got the winner of the opener though - and probably with just one or two tries.
However, I chose to swerve the race, as it looked a bit too competitive.
Castle Robin made me pay for that, as he stayed on to beat Silent Assistant (another on my short list).
In fact, the 5 I mentioned in the preview filled the first 5 places - so my reading of the race wasn’t too shabby !
I also read the 2 mile chase pretty well - and made the right decision to swerve it.
I couldn’t see a clear angle for any of the 5 main contenders - and whilst 3 of them filled the places, I would never have tipped the winner Magic Saint, who was a relatively short priced favourite.
I would have tipped Mossy Fen in the novice chase, however - if the early 4/1 had been available.
Thankfully (!), it was long gone by Friday morning when the 5/2 on offer looked way too short.
And so it proved; with him disappointing, whilst ‘form’ horse Protektorat jumped from fence to fence and won impressively.
There was a boil over in the Cross country chase where both Easysland and Tiger Roll massively under-performed.
The pair dominated the betting (though Tiger Roll was very weak, close to the off) - but they never featured in the race.
Instead, Kingswell Theatre led from flag fall, fending off all-comers up the straight.
Saturday
There was rain in the air on Saturday morning - so I had to ensure that any selections could handle soft ground (but would also be able to run their race, if the rain didn’t materialise).
I ended up with 5 Best bets on the day - and the strongest selection was the first to run…
I’m not sure why I was quite so keen on Gumball - but I was !
I think I was a combination of thinking he had the measure of the favourite (despite what the form book said !) - and was likely to be under-estimated in the betting.
In truth, he wasn’t quite as under-estimated as I expected, as the early 10/1, quickly became 8/1 - and was 6/1 by the off.
That said, when horses I don’t expect to get backed, do get backed, they invariably go close - and boy did he !
There have already been a few tough results this season - but his effort probably topped the lot.
He set off in the lead and jumped from fence to fence.
It was clear that Dickie felt he was holding on to plenty and turning in, I expected him to be unleashed !
Approaching the second last, all looked good - but maybe he didn’t have quite as much in the tank as Dickie thought.
Whatever the reason, he just failed to take off - and that was that.
What a sickener :(
Next it was the Paddy Power Gold cup.
I suggested The Russian Doyen and Saint Sonnet in the race - and both ran OK.
However, they probably paid for chasing a well handicapped leader - and neither managed to get home.
The Russian Doyen was pulled up: whilst Saint Sonnet was a tired faller at the second last.
Golan Fortune was the next Best bet to run, supported in the Matrix by Whos my Jockey and Mrs Milner.
He travelled strongly throughout and still held every chance jumping the last.
However, he was involved in a titanic 3 way struggle up the hill - and was the first to break.
The 2 challenging him were On the Blind Side and Mrs Milner - and whilst I desperately hoped that if he was beaten, it would be by Mrs Milner, she herself was run out of things close home, by On the Blind Side.
Another unpleasant result to add to a lengthening list…
The final Best bet of the day was Whatsupwithyou - and when he swept into a 5 length lead turning in, it did look as if the horrible streak of near misses was finally going to come to an end.
He traded at 1.15 in running (not quite the shortest losing trade this season - but still quite impressive !).
However, not long after jumping the last, it became clear that his jockey had committed for home too soon - and was run down and passed, by Stimulating Song.
It all seemed inevitable….
In the opener on the card, Duffel Coat managed to get the better of the 2 I fancied (Adagio and Balko Saint); whilst Storm Control took advantage of the fact there had been no rain (at that point), and his stamina just lasted out on the climb to the line, in the amateur riders race.
In the final race of the day, Elle Est Belle lost out narrowly to Ishkahra Lady - but it was so dark, the judge couldn’t see which horse had won, so called a dead heat !
If I’d put her up, I absolutely guarantee that wouldn’t have happened !
Sunday
The final day of the meeting - and rain had turned the ground to soft.
Most of the fields had cut up badly - and there were only 2 races were I felt I could have tipped.
The first of them was the long distance chase - and although there were 3 non runners, I still took the plunge and sided with Ramses de Teille.
Hand on heart, I didn’t find it easy to commit to one.
I’d narrowed the race down to 3 - with Discorama just about edging it.
However, he was backed in to a silly price (like Mossy Fen on Friday) - so then it became a flip of a coin.
Generally, I get those wrong - but unbelievably, not today !
It soon became clear that Captain Drake was struggling (he was my other fancy in the race - and I did cover him in the Matrix).
Then Discorama started to pay the penalty for refusing to settle early.
With West Approach giving his fences feet to spare - and Big River as slow as ever, Ramses was left with just Yala Enki to beat.
I was pretty sure that Tom Scud was sitting on plenty turning in - and when he took up the running between the final 2 fences, I was sure the nasty streak was going to end.
He even pinged the last - but than Yala Enki started to battle back,
He got closer and closer - and at one point, I felt he edged ahead.
However, maybe that was just the camera angle - because by the line, it was clear that Rames has won - if only just !
There were joyous scenes in the forum - the kind you’d expect if you’d had a couple of points on a 33/1 winner - but I guess its all relative !
Anyway, the streak is broken - and we’re still owed 5 winners - the next few weeks could be fun :)
Earlier on the card, The Big Breakaway had made a winning chasing debut - getting the better of the 2 I fancied (which is exactly what happened on Saturday !).
Defi de Seuil ran no sort of a race in the 2 mile chase - and was eventually pulled up - I just hope he’s OK.
Put the Kettle on was a game winner - but the race told us little.
The Shunter landed a punt for connections in the Greatwood.
He had run in a novice chase last time - and it was hard to see him landing such a competitive race over hurdles.
However, that was assuming you got your knowledge from the form book…
Third Time Lucki couldn’t peg back For Pleasure in the novice hurdle. The winner was given a very enterprising ride (as was suggested might happen, in the forum ;) ).
Finally Good Risk at All claimed the bumper for a rampant Sam Thomas.
We really must keep an eye on him this season…
The star of the day however, was very much Ramses - who’s efforts managed to finally remove, a monkey from my back !
TVB
No comments:
Post a Comment