Following a 10/1 winner and a 25/1 place yesterday, Steve Ryder is back with four tips from today's action at the last day of the Cheltenham Festival.
14:10 Cheltenham
Willie Mullins has a good record in this race including when winning this with top weight Arctic Fire in 2017 and I think Sharjah (best priced at 9/1) looks a solid each way selection. The Willie Mullins trained ten-year-old has a good record at the Cheltenham festival with two second placed finishes in the Champion Hurdle in 2020 and 2021. He has slightly disappointed in his three starts so far this season but as a result has dropped 7lbs in the ratings.
Sharjah now runs here off a mark of 155 which could underestimate him at this track and he should run well with up to eight places available.
15:30 Cheltenham
Galopin Des Champs will no doubt prove hard to beat if staying this extended trip but I feel the market is underestimating Conflated (best priced at 18/1) who has been kept fresh for this race. The Gordon Elliott trained nine-year-old was a shock winner of the Irish Gold Cup last season before falling when contesting 2nd place in the Ryanair Chase at the festival last season. He finished only a length behind Clan Des Obeaux in the Betway Bowl at Aintree on his next start before needing his reappearance run at Down Royal in November.
Conflated won the Savills Chase by five lengths over the likes of Fury Road, French Dynamite and Galvin and connections have decided to keep him fresh for this race rather than defending his crown at the Dublin Racing Festival. Hopefully that decision will pay off and provide Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown with another victory in the race.
16:10 Cheltenham
Billaway (best priced at 15/2) has only finished out of the first two once since March 2019 and that was over an inadequate trip of 2m5f at Aintree and he looks a solid each way option in this race. The Willie Mullins trained eleven-year-old has form figures of 221 in this race including a last gasp victory over Winged Leader last year. He always needs his reappearance run so his defeat at Thurles in January shouldn’t be looked at as a negative and he always looked in control at Naas last time despite only winning by ½ length at the finish.
Connections have fitted Billaway with first time blinkers this year which should make the job of Patrick Mullins easier and he should be staying on well at the finish once again in this race with up to five places on offer.
16:50 Cheltenham
The market is concentrating on the two novices Allegorie De Vassy and Impervious in this race but I feel Riviere D’Etel (best price at 20/1) is currently overpriced. The Gordon Elliott trained six-year-old was a high class novice chaser last season who finished only 1 ½ lengths behind Ferny Hollow in a Grade 1 at Christmas and ½ length behind Blue Lord at the Dublin Racing Festival on her next start. She finished 5th in the Arkle last season despite losing a shoe and making a couple of jumping errors late on in the race.
Riviere D’Etel finished only 1 ½ lengths behind Captain Guinness, who finished 2nd in the Champion Chase on Wednesday, on her reappearance before disappointing at Carlisle on her next start. She has had a back operation since and connections have given bullish reports about her work following this. She is only rated 2lbs inferior to the top two in the market and she looks overpriced for this race.
