Sporting Life Racing Cards

Can Cue Card today continue to collect the £1 million bonus at Cheltenham or will Vautour and Don Cossack reverse the King George VI Chase type?

Well I do not fancy Cue Card to win the Gold Cup even though it might be marvellous to see him pull off similar task since the great Kauto Star. He has been taken fully to the minds of racing fans, but just doesn't hit me as a real three-and-a-quarter-mile performer and I can not see him billing within the Prestbury Park slope to Gold Cup glory.

It could be interesting to determine what competition contacts will have gone for had been it perhaps not for the lumpy bonus: maybe they might always have gone for Blue Riband, but with that £1m incentive at risk it must are making the selection an impression easier.

For Vautour, he put his workmanlike win at Ascot behind him together with his overall performance at Kempton, but we fear his most useful days should come over a shorter distance compared to the Gold Cup travel. I'm happy with my antepost coupon on Djakadam (today 4/1 favourite with Sky Bet) and Don Cossack (5/1) could be the horse I would sign up for of all the race over Christmas. He was remaining on during the time of their departure two fences at home and appeared as if he'd have outstayed the leading two. He only needs a little bit of assistance with his jumping which will come under close scrutiny at the festival once again.

Don Poli can look unimpressive in his model of winning, but he ground it out in examination problems when you look at the Lexus. It just seems which he must improve quite to beat some of the protagonists inside Gold Cup and I wouldn't be rushing to straight back him provided everything we saw at Leopardstown on Monday.

Do you believe Cue Card needs to have held the success in light of Paddy Brennan's whip ban?

That is such a grey area and I'm not sure we are going to previously get a reasonable solution to the difficulty of whip guidelines. The general opinion following the race appeared to be that Paddy Brennan had given Cue Card an excellent ride, nevertheless stewards took a dim view. It was definitely an exciting finish. I am happy I am maybe not a steward, but I wouldn't have been keen to see Cue Card's connections deprived of the win. Therefore, to answer the question i really do think he needs to have held the battle. I believe Brennan ended up being suitably penalized together with his 11 day ban and £4, 200 fine, that was a large chunk of their winning portion.

Give us one horse that you've seen this xmas which you believe will probably be worth an ante-post bet for Cheltenham?

Really, irrespective of Don Cossack inside Gold Cup, If only I'd reinforced Faugheen after his Morgiana defeat and before his Christmas time Hurdle winnings for Champion Hurdle!

Un De Sceaux has actually drifted when it comes to Champion Chase and it is today 11/8 with Sky Bet, that will be starting to look appealing despite his mishap at Leopardstown on Sunday. It had been an unfortunate start to his season, but he's sure to have his jumping technique done and I also haven't already been put off because of it.

No further Heroes impressed me inside three-mile level One Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Tuesday and can have a variety of options at Cheltenham Festival. He's owned by Gigginstown whom as usual are mob passed in addition they usually leave it belated to verify which ponies will run in which events, so in a few areas he costs a risky bet during this period. But this horse looks customized when it comes to RSA Chase, for which he could be today 7/2 obvious favourite and deservedly therefore.

"One horse we fancy the Festival which may be well worth backing before their after that getaway in the new year is this past year's Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle runner-up, Shaneshill. He is 6/1 with Sky Bet when it comes to JLT and therefore looks a touch of worth."
Alex on Shaneshill

One horse we fancy for Festival that may be well worth backing before their after that outing in new year is just last year's Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle runner up, Shaneshill. He is 6/1 with Sky Bet the JLT which looks a touch of price. He made the most wonderful begin to his chasing campaign at Thurles a month ago and is entered to operate at Naas on Sunday.

This can be very much an Irish-themed answer therefore let us also things out by discussing Barters Hill, whom could do only trounce his two competitors in Challow Hurdle at Newbury into the few days. This was one of my ponies to check out for the season and then he is unbeaten in most their six starts. He looks a character, but he's tremendously talented and is in the care of a trainer just who seems set to make his mark on the bouncing online game in Ben Pauling.

What is your concept of a wager in the Relkeel Hurdle? Can Cole Harden and Whisper step-up from their particular Newbury runs?

The race has been relocated rom its typical area in December Cheltenham officials have already been compensated with a good field joined when it comes to two-and-a-half-mile Grade Two.

When I'm certain you know i am an enthusiastic follower of Cole Harden having backed him to win the planet Hurdle last period. He was beaten on their reappearance behind Thistlecrack (so good type since it turns out!) and Deputy Dan in Newbury's long-distance Hurdle, keeping on pleasingly. He can strip fitter for the and much better can be expected.

The one concern is that problems had been exhausting that day and it's really well-documented he is at their most readily useful on better surface and because of the stormy forecast this week I'd concern yourself with the state regarding the surface at Cheltenham on Friday.

Exactly the same comments apply to Whisper just who hated the bottom at Newbury also and went a terrible race. There will need to have been something very wrong as he ended up being dismounted following the post having lost his activity. It can not were too severe, but the ground inside company could have gone against him.

Whisper's handler Nicky Henderson comes with the option of running Triumph Hurdle runner-up first-rate. He'd a choice of the Overseas Hurdle earlier this thirty days, but his trainer bypassed that and might come here as an alternative. Operating here suggests he'll be attempting two-and-a-half miles for the first time, but he wasn't stopping after their two trips this campaign also it could end up being simply the pass.

Top-notch will not be inconvenienced by rain softened ground along with his moments to Irving at Haydock and also to Identity Thief in the Fighting Fifth do not look like bad items of form, with all the second providing Nichols Canyon a scare at Leopardstown on Tuesday.

Neil King is stepping Lil Rockerfeller up in class after a detailed victory at Sandown at the beginning of December. Like first class, he'll be turning 5 years old on Friday and there may be a lot more ahead on floor which will match.