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| Cheltenham Festival 2012 |
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By Billy Blakeman ValueChecker
Going Wrong Could be Right for Pulteney
27/02/12
Since the inaugural running in 2005, the Pulteney Land Investment Novices’ Handicap Chase, a race originally known as the Jewson Novices’ Handicap (run as the Centenary Novices’ Handicap last year), has not been a good race for favourites.
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Just one jolly has obliged in seven renewals, Reveillez in 2006, and it’s invariably an open race. This season’s running on March 13 looks no different, with most firms going around 8-1 the field.
Heading the ante-post market is Triolo D’Alene who looked a horse to keep on the right side of when making a winning British debut at Ascot. However, he doesn’t appeal greatly at around 8-1 and the Wikis suggest that Going Wrong, available at 16-1 at the time of writing, is worth supporting.
His northern trainer, Fredy Murphy, is a shrewd judge, and has won two of the last five renewals of this race, including last year with Divers. Admittedly, the selection has not achieved a great deal in terms of bare form, but he did beat a potentially useful type in Realt Mor over an inadequate trip at Sedgefield last time, and there’s a good chance that his current mark of 139 underestimates him.
The forecast good to soft going will be ideal for the nine-year-old, while the Festival race is run over an ideal trip, just over 2½m. His jumping will be tested like never before – and his two chase wins have been gained in small fields – but Graham Lee is a very tactically astute jockey, and if he can get Going Wrong into a good rhythm jumping-wise, the son of Bob Back ought to be thereabouts.
Ackertac is set to meet his Ascot conqueror Triolo D’alene on 4lb better terms for a 2¼-length beating. That pull at the weights, allied with the stiffer test of stamina at Cheltenham (the Ascot race was run over a trip 1½f shorter) can see Nigel Twiston-Davies’ charge reverse the placings on March 13, and he is likely to play a part in the finish.
Also, Bless The Wings has to be respected, having put in a good round of jumping when winning over the C&D of this race on his latest start. An 8lb rise does not look at all prohibitive, as the form looks solid enough, and he should also make his presence felt, a remark which also applies to the hugely progressive Hunt Ball, should he take his chance.
Recommendation: Going Wrong (each-way @ 16-1 with Bet 365)
