Our racing expert Andy Holding found time to answer some questions on Twitter before his pre-Cheltenham break, including NAPs for the Festival which starts one month today.
Just a reminder that Andy Holding will be back with his daily column on Thursday 24th February. In the meantime, dive into his latest Cheltenham predictions for next month’s Festival.
Q: Which race do you think the following horses will run in?
- Sir Gerhard – Ballymore
- Dysart Dynamo – Supreme
- Galopin Des Champs – Brown Advisory
- Conflated – Gold Cup
- Jungle Boogie – Turners Novices’ Chase
Q: Which handicappers will you be looking out for when entries are released later this month?
Banbridge, The Tide Turns, Coeur Sublime and Winter Fog.
Q: Given some entries may have other targets, do any each-way picks stand out to you?
Three Stripe Life if he ends up contesting the Ballymore, Riviere D’etel in the Arkle, Appreciate It in the Champion Hurdle and Mrs Milner in the Mares’ Hurdle.
Q: What do you think about Appreciate It’s chances for the Champion Hurdle?
I think it’s significant that Sharjah hasn’t been entered in the Champion Hurdle and Appreciate It is now the lone Willie Mullins-trained representative. Clearly Closutton must fancy their chance against the mare and it’s not as if Honeysuckle has been knocking the ball out of the park on the figures so far this season. At this stage, 5/1 represents decent each-way value.
Q: Galopin Des Champs vs Bob Olinger – who wins?
Both horses are of the very highest class, so a tough one to call, but I’d just favour the former based on his superior times figures and slightly better jumping technique. Unfortunately, they are unlikely to clash at Cheltenham as the former is probably going to go down the three-mile route, leaving the door wide open for the latter in the 2m4f event.
Q: What are your NAPs for the upcoming Festival?
Facile Vega, Vauban, Galopin Des Champs and Shishkin.
Q: What races at Cheltenham 2021 produced an impressive race time?
Allaho was by far and away the best chaser in the Ryanair, and top dog over hurdles was Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle. Monkfish was the best novice chaser in the RSA and Appreciate it the quickest novice hurdler in the Supreme.
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Q: Which runner from Leopardstown in December is your choice for the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle?
Dunboyne was the big eye-catcher in this year’s renewal, but he rather fluffed his lines next time out at the same track. Not sure, therefore, he has quite the same profile or quality as the likes of Delta Work or Sire Du Berlais.
The other one to mention is Winter Fog, who travelled like the best horse before just being outstayed late on. Whether he ends up in the Pertemps or the Coral Cup remains to be seen, but either way, he’s well worth keeping on side.
Q: What is the handicap blot of the week?
Until the weights are released, it’s an impossible question to answer but, as ever, it will be interesting to see which Irish-trained horses who have been plying their trade in graded races are entered in the handicaps.
Q: And finally, what are your views on Telmesomethinggirl and the Mares’ Hurdle?
Not a race I’ve got a strong view on at this stage, but Telmesomethinggirl has to come into the conversation based on what she’s done so far this season. Her performance at Leopardstown last time out has been advertised by Royal Kahala and we know she loves Cheltenham.
If pressed, I’d say Mrs Milner rates the value bet around the 12/1 mark, as she has done very little wrong so far this season and is also a previous festival winner.
