Sunday 24 August 2008

Ante-post review

You may recall that in the weeks leading up to the 2008 Cheltenham Festival we not only bought you the latest news, but also our views on the chances of the main protagonists and our best bets for the great meeting.

As we while away the summer waiting for the jumps season to being again in earnest, we thought it worthwhile reviewing how some of those tips fared.

On 6th March we reported that all the main bookmakers had gone “non runner no bet” on their Festival markets and, as a result, we suggested the following wagers (the results are in bold and don’t forget you’d have got your stake back on all non runners):

Supreme Novices Hurdle: Breedsbreeze, 25-1 (NR), Binocular, 16-1 (2nd 8-1)
Arkle: Tidal Bay, 7-1 (1st 6-1)
Fred Winter: Double Guest, 16-1 (NR)
Ballymore Properties: Fiveforthree, 12-1 NR (NR, won Ballymore Properties Hurdle at 7-1)
Sun Alliance Chase: Scotsirish, 25-1 (NR), Finger On The Pulse, 33-1 (NR won at Jewson Chase at 9-1)
Coral Cup: Missis Potts, 14-1 (NR)
Ryanair: Tamarinbleu, 8-1 (NR)
Triumph Hurdle: Five Dream, 20-1, (11th 9-1) Grand Schlem, 33-1 (NR)
David Nicholson: Missis Potts, 16-1 (NR)
County Hurdle: Jered, 10-1 (NR)

A 1 point each way bet on all of the tips would have yielded a profit of just under 10 points.

In addition, our updated preview of the Ballymore Properties Hurdle concluded that:

“Fiveforthree (1st at 7-1) looks the one to be on following his switch to this race in preference to the Supreme Novices……whilst Venalmar is interesting at bigger odds (2nd at 11-1).”

Whilst our update on the Fred Winter noted Indian Spring (4th at 66-1) as being interesting at a bigger price.

Finally, on 20th January we advised that punters looking for a bit more value in the top jockey market should “take note of Denis O’Regan’s odds when they are published”. O’Regan was third, with 20-1 available in places at that time.

The first of our ante post recommendations for next year’s Festival will appear here shortly.

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