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| Punter's Diary by Malcolm Heyhoe |
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| Updated: 31st January 2008 - GG.com |
Festival Clues Aplenty In February
Searching for Cheltenham Festival clues and putting some punting profits in pocket ahead of next month’s betting bonanza is the name of the game in February. Traditionally Sandown sounds the klaxon for the month’s action with a high-class card on February 2.
As ever the feature race on an often informative afternoon has to be the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase and this grade one chase over two miles and three furlongs has been won in the past by such racing greats as Best Mate and it goes without stressing that the winner is always worth following.
Shrewd Lambourn handler Charlie Egerton has set his sights on this prize courtesy of his rising star Hobbs Hill, who remains unbeaten over fences and has been trained for this race since a stroll in the park-type success at Ascot last month. This intermediate trip is ideal for Hobbs Hill and he is a strong fancy.
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Providing the ground doesn’t get too chewed-up on the Esher
track, Champion Hurdle aspirant Straw Bear looks the one to be with in the Agfa Hurdle. This is a strong race for fancied horses and every one of the last 11 winners has figured in the first four in the betting. Nick Gifford has handled Straw Bear with guile and patience and he can take another step towards a second tilt at the Champion in March.
February 9 is a key date in any punter’s dairy where Cheltenham
Festival aspirations are concerned and the roads around the bowling
ball of a Berkshire venue are sure to be jammed with racegoers in pursuit
of that annual fix, the Festival clue.
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You don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to know that Denman is a sure-fire winner of the Aon Chase in
what should be his last race before the Gold Cup. Newbury is arguably
the mighty one’s favourite track and he should be heavy odds-on
to repeat his famous Hennessy success albeit in a small field grade
race at level weights. The terms will be different but the result should
be the same.
In the Game Spirit Chase, Voy Por Ustedes, the
reigning two-mile Champion Chaser, should be the one to beat as
long as he stays on his feet. An uncharacteristic tumble put him
out of last year’s
race but he seems stronger since that spill and should be too good
for up-and-comers such as Master Minded and Another
Promise.
The big betting race on February 9 is the wonderful Totesport Gold Trophy, one of the very best handicap hurdles staged all season. Class is always a pivotal factor in determining the winner and Nicky Henderson and Martin Pipe have placed a stranglehold on this prize with six victories in the last 11 seasons.
This time around the former may run Jack The Giant while
the latter’s son, David, has lined-up Whispered Promises for a big-race success. Both horses hold strong claims but the one for the cash might well be the fast-improving Five Dream from the Paul Nicholls yard. He ensured his inclusion in the final line-up with a decisive victory at Cheltenham the other day.
In the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on the following
day, February 10, there should be an open renewal of the Hennessy Cognac
Gold Cup when Robert Alner’s mud-loving grey The Listener will try and avenge his last-stride defeat in the same race twelve months ago at the hands of veteran Beef Or Salmon.
Michael Hourigan’s rising star Mossbank is another to add to a potent mix. He is a horse that is going places fast.
Over at Haydock on February 16 the Red Square Vodka Handicap
Chase takes
place over a grueling and brutally demanding three and a half miles
at the Lancashire course. John Spearing’s Simon looks
the one to be with here and he will be aimed at this prize en route
to a crack at the Grand National in April. He loves the mud and staying
is his forte.
February 17 also sees Ascot stage the Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase and a clash awaits between Joe Lively, the
current Royal & SunAlliance Chase favourite and Air Force One, who is bustling him up in the ante-post market. Joe Lively is a tough nut to crack and despite being better going left-handed, he should come out on top.
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All eyes at Ascot, however will be on Kauto Star who should gain revenge on Monet’s Garden for
that one’s defeat of the best chaser in training at Aintree in
October. The pair seem likely to meet in the graded Ascot Chase while over at Wincanton Osana seeks to enhance his Champion Hurdle credentials in the Kingwell Hurdle at the West Country track.
February’s action concludes with Kempton’s Racing Post Chase on February 23 and any runners from the Paul Nicholls stable should be noted here. David Pipe has a likely sort in recent Skybet Chase hero An Accordion while
elsewhere on the Kempton card Nicky Henderson’s Binocular should take the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle as a last step to a Triumph Hurdle challenge at Cheltenham. Over at Newcastle make a note of Negus de Beaumont in the Eider Handicap Chase. This could be his sort of contest.
Malcolm Heyhoe writes weekly horse racing articles for GG.COM-Horse racing betting, information, news, results and free daily tips
Archive January 2008
