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| Punter's Diary by Malcolm Heyhoe |
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| Updated: 1st March 2010 - GG.com |
Marvels In March
March's racing can only mean the four compelling days of the Cheltenham festival but the month's action slips into place with barely a ripple at Newbury on March 6 with the totesport.com Gold Cup Handicap Chase for the specialist two and a half mile handicap chasers while over at Doncaster on the same day, the staying chasers strut their stuff in the Grimthorpe Chase.
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On the following weekend Sandown stages its familiar eve of Cheltenham meeting with the Paddy Power-sponsored Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle taking pride of place on a cracking card. David Pipe followed in his father's famous footsteps by landing the prize with Gaspara in 2007 and the stable's chosen runner requires careful consideration.
Later on the Sandown card Wishfull Thinking looks a lively one for the EBF Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final after his runaway success at Exeter last time. The former Irish point-to-pointer is improving at just the right time for Philip Hobbs. Over at Wolverhampton the all-weather track stages the Listed Lady Wulfruna Stakes and the William Hill Lincoln Trial.
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The curtain rises on the 2010 Cheltenham Festival on March 16 with the Champion Hurdle and the Irish domination of this great prize looks set to continue with Solwhit and Go Native holding strong chances at the head of the market. Later on the card Quevega looks a good thing to follow up her brilliant success in last season's David Nicholson Mares' Only Hurdle. This year's renewal looks particularly weak.
The top two-mile chasers doff their caps for their season's highlight in the Queen Mother Champion Chase and all eyes will be upon Master Minded as he bids to land a remarkable third success in the two-mile championship crown. He looked as good as ever last time but faces a formidable challenge from the fast-improving Kalahari King, the classy northern raider from Ferdy Murphy's north Yorkshire stable.
On Thursday March 18 Big Buck's looks a good thing in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle after beating a seemingly impregnable Punchestowns in last year's renewal of the stayers' championship. The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding has looked nigh on invincible and faces few serious rivals though the erratic Tidal Bay might well give him a race if he is in a going mood at his favourite venue.
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In the Ryanair Chase on Thursday there is a wide-open race for the newly-established 2m 5f championship chase and perhaps Tranquil Sea and Poquelin, the first two horses home in the Paddy Power Gold Cup last November, can again fight out the finish with the state of the ground helping to decide the outcome between the two rivals.
On Friday March 19 the festival climax arrives in the guise of the Cheltenham Gold Cup and this looks a terrific opportunity for Kauto Star to set the seal on a wonderful career. The ra-ra girls have gone back in their box after Denman's dismal show at Newbury last time which left those racing administrators who saw the race as a two-horse contest looking pretty stupid. Both Cooldine and Imperial Commander have the class and potential to make this more than a Nicholls one-two. In the Foxhunter make a note of Roulez-Cool, who should be good enough to land the amateurs' prize.
At the close of Cheltenham week Uttoxeter stages the Midlands National on March 20 and punters need look no further for the winner than Silver By Nature, who is improving rapidly and looks a top-class staying chaser. More with a squeak than a bang, the turf Flat season kicks off at Doncaster on March 27 with the Lincoln on Town Moor and Penitent is an early mover the big mile handicap while over at Newbury the Nicky Henderson-trained Kerada might well take some stopping in the EBF Novices' Hurdle Final.
Malcolm Heyhoe writes weekly horse racing articles for GG.COM-Horse racing betting, information, news, results and free daily tips
Archive February 2010
