Pertemps Network Final

The Cob

With the unexpected torrential rain hitting Cheltenham yesterday and the ground turning heavy, the usual good/soft form has been sent into turmoil and consequently, we are looking for deep ground specialists.

I put up Sassy Yet Classy as an early ante-post pick who heralds from the all-conquering Gordon Elliott yard, who has an unbelievable record in this race with multiple wins and places, and she still fits the profile with form on heavy and an improving profile.

However, with upsets more likely in heavy going we have to cover the race with The Cob who bolted up at Doncaster last year in a Grade Two hurdle in desperate conditions. He seemed to relish the heavy going, and that’s exactly the type of horse we need.

He gets in here off just 134 and a racing weight of 10st 4lbs and being proven over three miles in a classy Graded race makes him an obvious target, especially at tasty odds of 33/1. Ben Pauling is also in form as he teamed up with Kielan Woods to win with Global Citizen yesterday.

In a normal Cheltenham Festival on fast Spring ground, The Cob would be an easy pass over, but with the heavy ground in his favour we have to get involved at huge each-way odds.

Paddy Power Plate

Adrimel

The ability to act on the heavy ground will be the ultimate key factor in this competitive, but uninspiring handicap. The field isn’t littered with numerous novice chasers and with most of the older horses not exactly setting the world alight a longer-priced horse could easily pop up here.

My idea of the winner is Adrimel, who rattled up a hat-trick in National Hunt flat races, before thought good enough to be pitched in at the Cheltenham Festival Bumper. 

He didn’t excel in that Grade 1 event but was still considered a Grade 1 horse and was campaigned accordingly. What transpired was that he underperformed at the highest level, but also that he was very heavy ground dependent.

He is nought from three runs on Good/soft or faster and seven wins from eight starts on ground soft or heavy.

Adrimel comes into this race off the back of two wins on this trip and off a mark of 140, and still has scope to win a big handicap (Grade 1 horses are normally rated 155+).

At 16/1 he looks a perfectly plausible winner at a decent price and recommend an each-way play.

Kim Muir Challenge Cup

Come On Teddy

I advised Come On Teddy as an early ante-post Cheltenham wager for this event, and with the rain-softened ground in his favour, it just makes me more confident.

Come On Teddy was previously advised at 16/1 within my best five early handicap picks, and after some market support he is still a value bet.

Please see this previous write up for reference; at that stage Come On Teddy was dual entered for the Day 1 Ultima Chase and today’s Kim Muir. He has bypassed the historically stronger looking Ultima and gone for the Kim Muir.