Cheltenham Festival 2009

[lukeyboy1325]

if big bucks ever goes chasing again i will be surprised, he has taken so well to hurdles now. he will be another inglis drever. i think barizan could potentially be a good ew bet in the triumph. lost to pistolet noir last time at cheltenham but the going was bottomless and he was giving away about 8lbs. he will need good going though. i am still on the denman side after how well he won the hennessy and cant wait for the gold cup. i am going on the wednesday next year. Well chief good thing :)

[nicola90210]

big bucks for the gold cup next year?? he is entered and a huge price if he can take back to chasing!

[no1hogg]

i was there to see it with my own eyes, very highly reconmended.

[olearym01]

ruby walsh is good

but he best is ap

a real legend

sir king mccoy

[anorcadiamond]

tony mcoy isnt half as good as ruby walsh i own character building that won the kim whuir at cheltenham i ride out with ruby out in willies

[Paxrep]

Thought Well Chief ran a blinder. Form is temporary, class is permanent!

[Kingmole2008]

what a festival, i was lucky enough to be in the stand when kauto came up the famous hill - already done my b**locks on kasbah the previous day though.. horses make us all look stupid sometimes!!

[turfmoor1]

Well done all Kauto backers - can't believe what I've just seen!! Where did that round of jumping come?! What a performance (and from Denman). Stole the show.

[alfriendo2008]

One more thing about Mr. McCoy why is he giving interviews on his mounts for the festival to William Hills? Check out their site and you will hear him rattling on for 11 mnutes about which horses he fancies for the entire meeting. And of course when asked for his nap of the entire Festival. Surprise, surprise he replies "Binocular". But did he (McCoy) bring his A game to the course on Tuesday? To my mind and a great deal of others the answer is an emphatic..NO!!

[alfriendo2008]

I know I am going to get the thumbs down for this but look at the way McCoy rode..or did'nt ride(?) Jonjo's "Don't push it" in the the Pertemps today. It had some decent form 1 and1/2 lenghths behind Big Buck's back on the 1st of Jan 2009 etc' etc. To my eye he did not even try with it. No and I'm  not speaking through my wallet..I would not have put dirty monry on it. I just knew it would be beaten. McCoy and Cheltenham do not go together.

[alfriendo2008]

McCoy had loads of horse underneath him when he came to the last in the Smurfit he just could not be bothered to press the go button on Binocular when he needed to... I mean he finished like an express train not like the R.Post said in their analysis section "kept on near finish". What a load of rubbish!!!

The fact of the matter is do not back Tony McCoy at Cheltenam unless you are best mates with your bank manager. His error of judgement cost punters millions of pounds.

[turfmoor1]

Kasbar Bliss & VPU both turned over; good call Sizing, I've had a mare there! That's as hard a day's punting as there's been in a while with 4 seriously hard handicaps to work out. No doubt Gold Cup day will be just as tough - has the ground come right for Albertas Run? Kauto will also relish it, mind.

[claronce]

forget the gold cup get you money on big bucks lay bucks and you will win big bucks and as for gold cup ge t your money PIPE i am telling you now he will win

[turfmoor1]

So both Cousin Vinny and Binocular beaten on the opening day; the competitiveness of festival races should never be underestimated! No excuses for either horse - can't believe people are criticising AP's ride - he had the horse in the perfect position and he just didn't pick up as expected. Feel a bit unlucky (always do!) with Medermit; think he would've won had he not been checked at the last by CV.

[azertyuiop32]

totally agree with you about binnocular. mccoy had him in the prefect postion and i thought he would just sprint away form them after the last. considering how much speed this horse has shown it was surprising that is what he lacked when it really mattered.

[truscientist]

binocular doesnt get up the hill and neither does kasbah bliss..why is that...open your eyes and look at the type of horses they are..its obvious

[azertyuiop32]

both these horses are essentially speed horses. i thought binnocular did get up the hill and got caught a bit flat footed after the last in the champion. he seemed to be running on at the end again

[truscientist]

u got it half right...he is a speed horse but the reason why he got flatfooted was bcos he cant stay up the cheltenham hill...the other two just knocked up the last little bit after doing all the donkey work..which made it appear like he was running on again...

[azertyuiop32]

i see what you mean and you do have a point

[chickyt610]

jered for me to ran a good each way race and imsingthe blues for the akle for me. does any 1 think whiteoak has a chance not beat far by ashkar and get 7 lbs of her back for being a filly i think she will run a race

[kkhanage]

barber shop E/W neptune win

[SIZINGPENYRHEOL]

Voy Poy is proven also but then so is Tidal Bay. He destroyed the Arkle field last year and while Voy Poy is better than anything he faced there I still think Tidal Bay is a better horse than Voy Poy his engine is Superb the way he gets wound up to full pace. His jumping lets him down but I think he is a better horse than Voy Poy but Voy Poy is a very neat jumper - so it should be a good battle - but Tidal Bay for me

[turfmoor1]

BTW - I couldn't agree more with your feelings about that AON chase form - a really bizarre race. However, I disagree with your opinion on VPU and Kas Bliss. They've 'been there, done it' and all that, and look rock solid to me. Can't have Tidal Bay (but seem to remember saying that last year!!!!). Game of opinions mate, that's why we love it.

[SIZINGPENYRHEOL]

Yes I agree Kasbah Bliss is proven and only found the great Inglis Drever too good. But I have always thought Punchestowns was the new Champion in waiting when Inglis Drever finally retired and now I hope he can prove me right.

[turfmoor1]

Re Gold Cup: No doubt Kauto has been primed for this and is the best horse (given you except Denman is not what he was). However, 3 miles + round Cheltenham is not for him at all, his jumping still doesn't do it for me and the stats are 100& against him - no horse has ever retained the Gold Cup. The race he won in '07 was run at a total crawl and what did he beat that day? Given that, I'd make him closer to 3/1 than 6/4 and therefore needs to be layed and that may be my only bet in the race.

[SIZINGPENYRHEOL]

2007 might have been a crawl. But 2008 when he LOST showed he STAYED when the Gold Cup was ran at a exceptional pace set by Denman. Kauto stayed on at the death. No way will Denman be up to that level of performance this year. When push comes to shove kauto got too much pace for anything else.

[turfmoor1]

Re Supreme Novices: Cousin Vinny is the class act, no doubt (but Amaretto Rose was in 2007 and that still haunts me!). However, one of the most underrated attributes among cheltenham novice races is basic toughness - a horse that wont be put off by being bumped around a bit - and it the conditions that can often prevail over class. Given that, the one I like at the prices is Alan King's Medermit. King breeds them tough and this horse reminds me a bit of Katchit.

[SIZINGPENYRHEOL]

I backed Ameretto Rose too but that for me was no solid favorite at all. Cousin Vinny is much more solid in my opinon the only thing is price IS too short. I think 9/2 who be a fair price but he is down to as short as 2/1 which is no value at all

[SIZINGPENYRHEOL]

The favorite I am willing to take on is Voy Por Ustedes. I think Tidal Bay over 2m 4f can get the trip and beat him. Tidal Bay is the horse who has got the nearest to Master Minded this season and he was knocked out of his stride in that race too. 3 mile was too long for him last time but if he runs in the Ryanair he can win it over 2m 4f

[SIZINGPENYRHEOL]

For the guy who put £10,000 on Michael Flips in the Supreme Novice, you got to be a brave man to put that much on a 20/1 shot and take on such a strong favorite in Cousin Vinny. Something tells me you are talking a load of shite. Are you sure you didnt mean £10 ???

[SIZINGPENYRHEOL]

I think Punchestowns is gonna upset Kasbah Bliss in the World Hurdle and I think Tidal Bay can beat Voy Por Ustedes in the Ryanair

[SIZINGPENYRHEOL]

Cousin Vinny for the Supreme Novices - he is very short price but he is a machine. I had him last year as well when he wan at 12/1 but I only had 8/1 as I backed him antepost because I heard a word out from willie mullins he was a bit special and I believed him -

[turfmoor1]

Do you think his jumping will hold in a combination of big field, furious pace and the general hustle and bustle of a championship race? That is the one doubt for me and I won't be a backer or layer @ 2/1. I see Kauto Star as the most vunerable of the favs - 6/4 is begging to be layed.

[SIZINGPENYRHEOL]

No-one knows for sure the Supreme Novices is always a furious race. However I believe Cousin Vinny stands out and is going to win - but in a race of this nature there are always unknown dangers lurking, like Ebazyian wan it in 2007 at 66/1. But if you dont do Cousin Vinny who do you do? I think Cousin Vinny will win.

[SIZINGPENYRHEOL]

But if you dont do Kauto Star who do you take him on with? I think Kauto will be primed for this race. A key question for me is how good really is Madison Du Berlias. The form of his win over Denman and Albertas Run dont make sense he totally destroyed them - there is something not right about that form. He cant be that good. I think Kauto Star will win. But Madison Du Berlais who knows how much this horse has improved?

[chickyt610]

albertas run hates sort ground so u can take him out of the race madison 1 helps it make more sense and denman was worked to hard at home to get to the race and was prob a bit flat and took a knock the day before the race i think it has to be kauto or neptune for me

[SIZINGPENYRHEOL]

and when it comes down to it Kauto is better than Neptune. Last year it was neck and neck between them but that race Kauto was in trouble from some way out. No horse including Denman will be able to set that same pace this year. Last year was a exceptional run Gold Cup but it looks like it has left its mark on Denman. Kauto is a class above anything in the field. I always thought he was more gifted than Denman anyway.

[chickyt610]

kauto should be good enuff to win but there are a couple of things puting me off. 1 is his rocored lefted handed in his last 5 races he has only one once and when he fell i felt he was beat in quite a average race.and his last win was at his fav track kempton would like to have seen him win some wear else really but he should still be good enuff to short for me tho

[SIZINGPENYRHEOL]

I am unsure whether he was beat when he unseated. Sam Thomas was on him and is not as good at ruding him as Ruby Walsh - simple as that. And he was off the bridle but so was everything else. I think Walsh on board he is still the top horse about.

[chickyt610]

even if had won it would not of been good form because he was not going to win by far even if he did. and i would not back a horse at such a short price when he is better going right handed not lefted 1 from his last five stars going lefted handed. if there is no rain albertas run for me at a price . but i do think kauto will be hard to beat but to short for me 7 to 4 i do agree hes got a chance i would only back him at 5 to2 or maybe even 3 which i think he will drifted out on the day

[SIZINGPENYRHEOL]

For me the Champion hurdle is always so competitve open race. Bincoular is a clas act by 11/8 is very short a price. Remeber he found one too good at cheltenham last year so he is not invincible, although he has improved since then he is up against proven champion hurdle performers.

[turfmoor1]

What's everyone's position on Binocular? I do think he's the most likely winner but can't touch him at evns. If (& it's a big 'if') the ground comes up good, then I think 16/1 will look huge about Sublimity. He'll thrive on the blistering pace.

[Kingmole2008]

couldn't agree more, Binocular is not an even money shot for me- i'm surprised that everyone's on the binocular bandwagon but what do i know?!! I backed Binocular at the meeting last season when he was done by Captain Cee Bee and with the way he didn't come up the hill then i can't see him being a Champion Hurdle winner. I much prefer Jered and the other speed horses on this livelier ground but i'll have a saver on Katchit as he always runs well there

[turfmoor1]

Having just seen the initial forecasts for Tuesday we may have to forget about fast ground horses - they're expecting a deluge! That'll bring in Celestial Halo. A heavy ground festival would be a nightmare fror my antepost bets. I was also on Binocular for last year's supreme - maybe we're just bitter!!

[CDNL46]

Diamond Harry to win the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle on the 11th. See him on You Tube

[flyingspud75]

im talking bollox,hurricane fly is injured!

[flyingspud75]

intresting nick,i see out of kayf tara and cost a bit.the only worry being hes only ran at sharp flat tracks.will he stay?and his timeform reading is only 138,the only horse to win on a lower mark was tourist attraction in 1995!hurricane fly for me,boring i know.master of arts is intresting.

[Kingmole2008]

10K at 20-1, 10K on the strength of chat with a jockey...... you'd have been better advised to have ya 10large on AP to be top jockey at 4-1.... oh yeah, and who took that bet?!! course ya did

[Kingmole2008]

i see ya profile says ya 19!

two things don't go together....

WORKING at Newbury and a 10K bet, those who put 10K bets on don't have to work my ole son!

[flyingspud75]

its not all about the profit for me ,its about seeing the best NH horses in the world and some of the bravest jocks in the world going hammer and tongs for 4 days.i can see your point 5card about twist magic i suppose,he will be nice and fresh and a good horse on his day but when katchit won it last year it was a poor race,in fact the supreme novice was a quicker time.

[flyingspud75]

katchit will never win the champion hurdle.binocular will take it.with celestial halo 2nd.kasbah for the stayers,with punchestown needing a wheelbarrow to get up the hill,you have to say master minded for the qm and the tank to reclaim his gc.good vid by the way.shocking tips though m8.twist magic!are you being serious!!

[5cardstudds]

Well that's your personal opinion, the purpose of my tips was to give a bit of value. I can see Katchit running a good race as he loves the track and I think Twist Magic is the best of the rest in the Champion Chase. Kauto should have enough class to see off Denman.

[turfmoor1]

Wow. Imaginative in the extreme. How many more years do we we have go through before people realise they'll never profit from these 'certainies'

[turfmoor1]

Great vid. Nothing quite like it - just 2 weeks to go!!!