A final selection for Day 1 is below, along with the list of horses already tipped and short narratives. Back throughout the tomorrow with Day 2’s Tips.
3:30 Cheltenham
NEMEAN LION – 3/4 Pt EW 33/1 & 28/1 generally
Taking on a hotpot favourite who on all known form should win but at 1/3 hardly a horse for me and us and although 2nd in last years renewal, he didn’t travel and could prove vulnerable here I hope. I like to take these on as you know and Nemean Lion is a horse I have liked for a long time who is starting to thrive. His jockey/trainer combo have an exveptional record together here and are in spanking form. Iberico Lord is the horse being backed on the back of handicap wins including the Greatwood here which is red hot form. Our horse was held up and had to give him a STONE in weight and still ran a cracker and Hendersons horses have been off. It is set to hammer down from lunchtime onwards tomorrow so the more rain the better for us as he stays very strongly so although speculative, I thing he can definitely go very well, even more so if he brushes up his jumping.
1:30 Cheltenham
MISTERGIF – 1/2 Pt EW 12/1 4 places generally
Master trainer states….He could be anything for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede. He’s raced once in an ordinary race down in Limerick, however his manner of jumping and the way he won impressed a lot of people including me. We don’t know how good he is, and we should find out on Tuesday, but he’s definitely one for each-way punters.
2:10 Cheltenham
JPR ONE – 1 Pt Win 10/1 Will Hill, 9/1 generally
MASTER CHEWY – 1/2 Pt EW 20/1 4 places Bet365/Livescorebet, 25/1 & 22/1 generally
Loved JPR ONE since he fell here when he jumped brilliantly before over jumping the last. Bolted up LTO and can go very close if reproducing the form here against the Irish brigade. This should be run at a clip and Master Chewy will be staying on as strong as anything and I felt he was well overpriced given the advantageous place termson offer.
2:50 Cheltenham
CHIANTI CLASSICO – 3/4 Pt Win 15/2 B.O.G generally
TRELAWNE – 3/4 Pt Win 9/1 Will Hill, 8/1 generally
4:10 Cheltenham
LANTRY LADY – 1/2 Pt EW 33/1 3 places Bet365, 28 Hills, 25/1 generally
Very impressed with this mare ths far, very strong at the finish in her races suuggesting the she will relish the step up in trip. A Grade 3 winner LTO, she is unbeaten and although not Blakemores choice from the yard, Jack Kennedy has ONLY ever had 3 rides for this stable at this Festival, gaining a winner, very close 2nd and a going well faller. The trainer knows the time of day and worth a bet to see how she goes.
4:50 Cheltenham
AN BRADAN FEASA – 3/4 Pt EW 28/1 boost Unibet 6 places, 25/1 6 places generally
MORDOR – 1/2 Pt EW 66/1 6 places generally
Two plays, I have been impressed by the smooth travelling An Bradan Feasa over C & D in two runs and he had well backed 2nd favourite Mila Tino behind on one occasion. I can see this big field, strong gallop suiting and feel he can run a cracker in a tough race for us at a juicy price. Elliot does well in this and again Mordor travels well so I thought at a fancy price, having finished in front of Larkin The park and Ndaawi at Leopardstown, looking all over the winner, worth a speculative poke at a monster price.
5:30 Cheltenham
MR VANGO – 1/2 Pt EW 22/1 3 places generally
Might be outclassed but he is the only one to have won over this extreme trip and will relish the ground. Would be a poinent winner for connections (Mark recently died) and I can see him jumping well going from the front so worth chancing.