After landing two 50/1 place finishes on Day 2, Aidan O’Hara returns for Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival with another slate of big-priced runners capable of outrunning their odds.
Aidan O'Hara Cheltenham Festival Day 2 Results
Laurets D'Estruval (1pt E/W) LOST
½ Point EW - Laurets Destrulval - 50/1 4 places (Ladbrokes) LOST
1 Point EW Free Spirit - 150/1 (Ladbrokes) - 125/1 4 places generally LOST
1 Point win Koktail Divin 15/2 LOST
1 Point EW Salver 50/1 (4 Places) PLACED
1 Point EW Conflated 33/1 (4 Places - 365/Ladbrokes) LOST
1 Point win Fakir D’oudairies 14/1 LOST
1 Point EW Boothill 40/1 5 places generally LOST
1 Point Win Inthepocket 14/1 (Advised already antepost) LOST
1 point EW Sony Bill 40/1 6 places Various LOST
1 Point EW Franciscan Rock 50/1 365 6 places generally 40/1 6 places PLACED
Mares Novice Hurdle
Mares Novice Hurdle Tips
I’ve taken a strong opinion in this race with Place De La Nation. I see her run in the Triumph run last year as the best form on show here. It was a very strong race, and back here over the same course and distance on similar ground, I must fancy her.
She is a big price because he was well beaten by Old school Outlaw in heavy ground last time, but that ground and run is just nothing like what conditions here.
Obviously if Bambino Fever is a star, we might struggle to win. For her win in the Bumper last year, everything went her way, so it’s hard to know how good it was. She is very short and I think worth taking on.
The stable doesn’t seem to have much confidence in my selection, going on jockey bookings etc, but that doesn’t really worry me around here, and in fact is going to give us a bigger price as a result.
That fact that she was entered and declared for the BetMGM cup here on Wednesday, tells us that she must be on a good mark, and as she is the highest rated here anyway that has to be considered a positive, given how tough that race is every year. Luckily for us she was balloted out and has come here instead
Stayers Hurdle
Stayers Hurdle Tips
I’ve had Honesty Policy in mind for this since his run at Ascot. I saw that as incredibly eye catching for a young hose stepping up from novice company for the first time.
He improved all last year until 2 very good grade 1 performances at Aintree and Punchestown. Those runs put him down as a real sayers hurdle contender for the future.
At Ascot he probably did a bit too much early and got passed early in the straight. He fought back towards the finish, is a way that just screams he’ll improve for the run. He has been kept for this since and although it would normally be preferable to have at least one more run, Gordon has done this in the past a few times with success, in this race.
I’d sense a changing of the guard for the stayer’s hurdle division this year, and Honest Policy and Ma Shantou look the most likely.
Jack Richards Novices Limited Handicap Chase
Jack Richards Novices Limited Handicap Chase Tips
This is a tough race; I’m not convinced it’s as strong as some of the earlier renewals. I’m going for a Willie Mullins horse here with an odd prep compared to his usual type. Where’s My Jet, has been gradually improving running in handicaps. His last run was eye-catching in that he was 6th at the DRF in a very good race. He travelled as well as anything down to the last, and it looks like he will be better on decent ground. He is also in here of his Irish mark, so had a nice low weight.
He was a decent novice hurdler, and another small bit of improvement could well bring him into this at up to 40/1 and that looks a bit of value
Where’s My Jet 1Point Ew 40/1 5 places 365/mgm/priced 33/1 5 places generally
Pertemps Network Final
Pertemps Network Final Tips
This looks a poorer race than usual renewal. I’m taking a real flyer here on a couple at huge prices. IDEM was a bit of an eyecatcher in this last year, coming from last to 10th. He has had his best run since to qualify, and I wouldn’t mind betting that he will be spot on for today and hopefully doesn’t get left behind early like last year.
I’m also going for IKE Sport, who qualified with an impossible task giving weight to Absolutely Doyen who had a 7lb claimer on and hosed up again since. This horse has some good runs in big handicaps over shorter and if he can replicate that here over this trip he can get involved here
1 Point EW - IDEM - 66/1 (6 places)
1 Point EW - IKE SPORT - 66/1 (6 places)
Pertemps Network Final
Kim Muir Challenge Cup Tips
I’m struggling to find ew value in this so I’m going with a couple of win bets.
The Enabler is a horse I had marked to do something over this trip on decent ground, after a couple of nice-looking novice chase runs. He was a classy bumper performer, and somewhat of a disappointment over hurdles. I think I’ve seen something to get interested in off this mark. Rob James is up which is always an advantage
Ill also go with a win bet on Monbeg Genius. He has great course form, and couple of very decent runs on good ground that would bring him right into this of a nice mark. 6th in the Bet365 was very good really, and he is down a few pounds from that in a weaker race.
