9:00am Saturday 13th March 2010
JUMP racing heads the sporting agenda next week when racing fans from all over the country will descend on Cheltenham for the start of the four-day National Hunt Festival on Tuesday.
As ever, the big talking point ahead of the Festival is the ground, with clerk of the course Simon Claisse predicting the going could be good to soft after the taps have been turned on to water the course.
Cheltenham boss Edward Gillespie said tickets for the festival had been selling well, but expects the attendance over the four days will be slightly up on last year and confidently predicted a sell out for the Gold Cup on Friday.
The feature race on day one on Tuesday is the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle where the Nicky Henderson-trained duo Zaynar and last year’s winner Punjabi will be popular with the punters. The yard could also run long time ante post favourite Binocular, who has been given a clean bill of health.
The Seven Barrows yard may not have things their own way with Medermit, trained locally by Alan King, expected to get in the frame, plus the Paul Nicholls-trained Celestial Halo, on offer at a generous 12/1, and this column’s pick.
Banker of the day on Tuesday is expected to be the Irish-trained Dunguib in the Spinal Research Supreme Novices Hurdle.
Wednesday’s Queen Mother Champion Chase would look to be a formality for Master Minded while the RSA Chase could be a match between the Nicky Henderson duo of Long Run and Punchestowns, the column’s selection the latter.
Another likely to start at a short price is Big Bucks, favourite for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle on Thurday. The Barbury Castle-trained Karabak is expected to run well and perhaps a forecast could prove profitable.
Alan King could provide the answer to the Ryanair Chase also on Thursday with Voy Por Ustedes, not seen at his best so far this season but at 16/1 could be a good each way bet.
With the locally-trained Mille Chief an absentee in the JCB Triumph Hurdle on Friday, recent winner Soldatino could be worth an interest.
The totesport Gold Cup could well rest between the Paul Nicholls-trained duo of Kauto Star and Denman with the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Imperial Commander waiting in the wings should the big two flounder.
Denman’s jumping at Newbury recently let him down, plus the going likely to be on the quicker side so the selection is for Kauto Star to win a third Gold Cup.
The column’s top selections for the meeting are Kauto Star in the Gold Cup, Big Bucks, in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, Master Minded in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase and Dunguib in the Spinal Research Supreme Novices Hurdle. All four selections are likely to go off at a short price so perhaps a multiple bet of doubles, trebles and a four timer may reap a profit.
Racecourse caterers Letheby and Christopher have forecast that they will serve some 20,000 bottles of champagne, 30,000 bottles of wine, 240,000 bottles of beer and lager and 220,000 pints of Ireland’s national drink, Guinness, as well as 10,000 gallons of tea and coffee.
Whilst around 12,000 people each day will sit down to three or four course lunches in the various restaurants and hospitality areas. The remainder of the crowd will eat into a pile of burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches that if laid end to end will stretch almost three miles.
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