Cheltenham day 3

COPPERHEAD 1.55 Cheltenham, 1 point each way 40/1 generally (6 places, 1/5th)

With the yard in much better form and the horse too after his recent comeback run over hurdles which showed distinct promise, he looks a fantastic bet at 33/1 off a mark of 143. It was suggested by Colin Tizzard after that latest effort that this race may come too soon, but I’m delighted to see him entered and apparently ready to take his chance. He looked the real deal this time last year over fences and would have been a 2/1 shot for this if you’d have gone back in time but he subsequently lost his form but he was hardly knocked about at Chepstow and it really did look a pipe opener for a bigger future effort. His current odds are silly in a race such as this as he’s the class act by some margin and I’ve had a decent bet. Brinkley won well for us last time and is a horse I like. He’s very much on the improve but the drying ground doesn’t look ideal.

1:55 CHELTENHAM 

BRINKLEY 0.75 PTS EW 16/1

Brinkley has drifted a little in price and I’m putting that down to punters put off by the drying ground conditions he is yet to encounter. David Pipe is quoted as saying “he’ll have preferred it a bit softer” and Pipe is obviously best placed to know what his runner needs but I want to get involved with 16/1 now available as this progressive type is well related and there’s some confidence he’ll be effective with good in the going description. His older full sibling My Way has shown himself not to be ground dependent possibly even favouring good ground. Since his wind surgery Brinkley has proven himself ahead of the handicapper. I like the manner of both his recent victories as there came a point that horses in behind him looked to be travelling better, yet he has seen them off and done so quite readily. The handicapper has given him a fair whack for his latest Exeter win but visually you can see why. The higher weights have a better record in this race than many of the other Festival handicaps. I think 3 miles, the Cheltenham hill and a solid pace could be in favour for Blinkley who represents an in form yard. Hopefully he can continue his progression today.

2.30 Cheltenham Allaho 0.5pt win 11-2 Generally

I almost filed this under too difficult, but I had built up decent sums on both these horses, but at better prices, but strangely feel less confident the closer we get and the more horses come to the party. Allaho has been in two big Festival battles already in the Albert Bartlett and The RSA last year, Each time he has looked like he is just being asked to stay further than he can. Nothing he has done this year has altered that opinion and his last performance at Thurles over 2.4miles when beating Elimay, the strong favourite for the Mares Chase, was easily his best and most authoritative this season. I hope to see Our Rach ride a similar race to that she rode on Sir Gerhard by setting the fractions and kicking away up the home straight.

3:05 Cheltenham, Lisnagar Oscar, 1 point win, 10/1 generally

This race has been covered extensively in the attached blog.

https://tipstersempire.co.uk/blog/2021/03/17/stayers-hurdle-with-cd-racing/ 

13:55 Cheltenham: Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)

MRS MILNER 0.5 points each way @ 12/1 – Generally (6 places, 1/5)

Kansas City Chief likes to lead, but for a big field there may not be that much pace on. Redford Road, Brinkley, Storm Arising, Storm Goddess and Anything Will Do could chase the lead. Imperial Alcazar, The Bosses Oscar and Come On Teddy all like to be waited with.

The Irish have won the last five renewals of this race and I think the form from the Emerald Isle is stronger this year as well. Typically, the Pertemps Qualifier at Leopardstown in December is a good marker to that race, and both my selections ran there. Mrs Milner travelled fantastically well that day and led to the last, but looked outpaced towards the finish. The Bosses Oscar and Dandy Mag were two horses to get the better of her that day, but now finds herself 8 and 9 pounds better off at the weights than both those rivals. She also has experience of Cheltenham, when just touched off by a strong rival in On The Blindside in November. To think that she is only 4lbs higher than that run makes her very appealing, especially with better ground set to bring out more improvement.

1:20 Marsh Novices Chase

CHANTRY HOUSE (Without Evoi Allen) 11/4 generally – 1.5 POINTS WIN

https://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing/2021-03-18-cheltenham/13:20/w-o-envoi-allen

We already have a double from Shishkin going on to Envoi Allen. Put simply I don’t think Envoi Allen will be beat here. He needs no introduction really, he is just a class apart from these. He is an excellent jumper of a fence, he travels, he has gears, he stays, he has it all. He is a real superstar who will surely win this and go on to the Cheltenham Gold Cup next year.

Of the rest I think CHANTRY HOUSE is better than the rest and at the price to come home 2nd (even cause an upset and win), he looks uge value.

I love these markets at Cheltenham where you can bet a horse to come 2nd to the hot favourite and even if they do win, you still get paid.

CHANTRY HOUSE was 3rd in last year’s Supreme Novice Hurdle and looked every bit a chaser in the making. 

He was very impressive on debut over fences and then put in a lacklustre performance at Cheltenham in December. I am happy to put a line through that as it was reported he had a kissing spine, which explains the bad performance.

He bounced back last time out in very impressive fashion and was much more like the horse I thought could go to the top over fences.

He is a very classy horse who is highly thought of by connections and I think he will have too much class for the rest, other than Envoi Allen.

You will find a link above of how to bet without Envoi Allen.