Cheltenham

[Our Nail Loney]

Last three races:

SMURFIT KAPPA CHAMPION HURDLE CHALLENGE TROPHY GRADE 1 (CLASS 1) (4yo+) Winner £210,937

BETTING FORECAST: 7/4 Binocular, 8/1 Celestial Halo, 10/1 Osana, 14/1 Crack Away Jack, 14/1 Katchit, 16/1 Whiteoak, 20/1 Ashkazar, 20/1 Sublimity, 25/1 Brave Inca, 25/1 Punjabi, 25/1 Sentry Duty, 33/1 Harchibald, 33/1 Jered, 33/1 Won In The Dark, 40/1 Muirhead, 40/1 Snap Tie, 66/1 Ebaziyan, 100/1 Blue Bajan, 100/1 Hardy Eustace, 100/1 River Liane, 150/1 Othermix, 500/1 Alph, 500/1 Cybergenic.

There will be no hiding place for BINOCULAR (nap) as his rivals will be desperate to take the sting out of him but the manner in which he has twice cut down Celestial Halo makes him look the one horse in the line-up with the potential to achieve iconic status as a hurdler and his trainer seems unperturbed about the prospect of the ground softening. Celestial Halo, essentially a stayer and so well served by this track when winning last year's Triumph, is an obvious each-way alternative, while Katchit will scrap away all day round here and Whiteoak, Jered and Sentry Duty all have a squeak at bigger prices.[PJ]

GLENFARCLAS HANDICAP CHASE CROSS COUNTRY CHASE (CLASS 2) (5yo+) Winner £31,310

BETTING FORECAST: 2/1 L'Ami, 3/1 Garde Champetre, 7/1 Dix Villez, 10/1 Wonderkid, 12/1 Drombeag, 14/1 A New Story, 16/1 Heads Onthe Ground, 20/1 Pass Me By, 25/1 Puntal, 33/1 Florida Dream, 40/1 Ivoire De Beaulieu, 40/1 Jaspers Dream, 50/1 Benefit Night, 50/1 Crystal D'Ainay, 50/1 Dreux, 50/1 He's The Gaffer.

Enda Bolger continues to hold a strong grip in the cross-country field and has obvious prospects of winning this race for the fourth time in five runnings with Garde Champetre and L'AMI his main hopes. The latter, who has been very solid at the head of the ante-post market, has got better with each run for his new yard and could still be very well in. Drombeag and A New Story may be best of the others.[FC]

DAVID NICHOLSON MARES' HURDLE GRADE 2 (CLASS 1) (4yo+) Winner £56,330

BETTING FORECAST: 5/2 Quevega, 4/1 United, 13/2 Chomba Womba, 10/1 Give It Time, 10/1 Oscar Rebel, 14/1 Carole's Legacy, 20/1 Dansimar, 20/1 Gaspara, 25/1 Over Sixty, 25/1 Sweetheart, 33/1 Amber Brook, 33/1 Aura About You, 33/1 Megans Joy, 50/1 Helens Vision, 50/1 Issaquah, 50/1 Pagan Starprincess, 100/1 How's Business, 100/1 Shenanigan, 100/1 Wychwoods Legend, 150/1 Gallileo Figaro, 200/1 Purely By Chance.

Chomba Womba was found wanting behind a progressive 5yo in this race last year and, although she's going to be held up a bit longer to help her up the hill, there could be a similar tale to tell this time with the improving and well-regarded QUEVEGA looking set to build on last month's stylish return to action. United is nailed on to be in the shake-up, while Aura About You looks one to consider at big odds.[PJ]

[Our Nail Loney]

Racing Pot spotlights on the Champion Hurdle:

1 344 Alph 38  12 11-10 R A Teal 0 Colin Bolger 144 152 152b g Alflora (IRE) — Royal Birthday (St Paddy)
Been rubbing shoulders with the hurdling toffs recently but left trailing behind Celestial Halo and Osana last time and divine intervention required for him to win.

2 -01 Ashkazar 24 b 1  5 11-10 D E Pipe 68 Timmy Murphy 156 161 161b g Sadler´s Wells (USA) — Asharna (IRE) (Darshaan)
Looked the class act connections have always rated him when beating reappearing Whiteoak on 4lb better terms than today´s and it´s always possible that first-time blinkers could spark further improvement and turn him into a live contender.

3 -11 Binocular 80  5 11-10 N J Henderson 57 A P McCoy 169 158 176b g Enrique — Bleu Ciel Et Blanc (FR) (Pistolet Bleu (IRE))
Looked tasty when making short work of Celestial Halo at Aintree as a juvenile and impressive when cutting down that rival again on easy ground at Ascot in December; softening ground would increase concerns about the final climb today but his second against older horses in the Supreme Novices´ last year was a rattling good effort and he will presumably be held on to a little longer this time.

4 333 Blue Bajan 74  7 11-10 Andrew Turnell 33 G Lee 160 154 160b g Montjeu (IRE) — Gentle Thoughts (Darshaan)
Breathing down necks of Harchibald and Snap Tie at Kempton on Boxing Day but held by Binocular on last year´s festival form and wouldn´t want more rain; sharper track would suit too.

5 231 Brave Inca 44  11 11-10 C A Murphy 100 Dominic Elsworth 162 160 167b g Good Thyne (USA) — Wigwam Mam (IRE) (Commanche Run)
Champion three years ago when he and Tony McCoy looked match made in heaven but couldn´t repel Sublimity when defending his crown the following season; showed he has lost none of his legendary courage after spell sidelined with tendon strain when narrow winner of Irish Champion Hurdle on favoured heavy ground in January but vulnerable to younger legs today.

6 -21 Celestial Halo 38 t  5 11-10 P F Nicholls 52 R Walsh 163 158 169b g Galileo (IRE) — Pay The Bank (High Top)
Proved well suited by demands of this track when winning last year´s Triumph and, although has twice been beaten by Binocular since, he´s reported by trainer to have come on bundles since reappearance defeat at Ascot (had suffered difficult preparation);too strong for Osana (who´s now 4lb better off) at Sandown in January and looks sure to be involved.

7 125 Crack Away Jack 80  5 11-10 Miss E C Lavelle 20 Noel Fehily 156 141 158ch g Gold Away (IRE) — Jolly Harbour (Rudimentary (USA))
Beat Ashkazar in the big juvenile handicap here 12 months ago (nothing between them on the book) and Chepstow reappearance win confirmed him still on the upgrade; likely to come up short at the highest level, though trainer thinks he was over the top when slammed by Binocular at Ascot and has freshened him up.

8 11- Cybergenic 627 11 11-10 Paul Murphy 0 Keith Mercer 135 — 141gr g Bering — Ciudadella (FR) (Highest Honor (FR))
Smart hurdler at best in France but been off a long time and chance reflected in his massive odds.

9 -21 Ebaziyan 9  8 11-10 W P Mullins 67 P Townend 155 78 160gr g Daylami (IRE) — Ebadiyla (IRE) (Sadler´s Wells (USA))
Won an unremarkable version of the Supreme Novices´ here two years ago but was beaten miles behind Katchit in last year´s Champion and, although he enjoyed a confidence-boosting success at Leopardstown nine days ago, there´s no reason to expect great things from him here.

10 4-1 Harchibald 74 t  10 11-10 Noel Meade 44 P Carberry 162 170 167b g Perugino (USA) — Dame D´Harvard (USA) (Quest For Fame)
Cast in the pantomime villain role ever since his narrow defeat in the 2005 Champion Hurdle when splitting Hardy Eustace and Brave Inca but periodically makes detractors eat humble pie by landing valuable prizes, most recently coming up with enough to repel Snap Tie and Blue Bajan at Kempton; ran no sort of race in this 12 months ago when going softer than ideal and eminently resistable again.

11 385 Hardy Eustace 44 tv  12 11-10 D T Hughes 39 P W Flood 162 154 163b g Archway (IRE) — Sterna Star (Corvaro (USA))
Been turning up here as regular as clockwork since winning as a novice in 2003 and his record in this race is 1134; still good enough to beat Sizing Europe and Jered in mud at Punchestown in November but well beaten behind Brave Inca at Leopardstown in January and no pretensions to winning this race any more (ran in 3m World Hurdle last year), though always good to see him.

12 -13 Jered 114  7 11-10 Noel Meade 44 D J Casey 137 148 167ch g Presenting — La Noire (IRE) (Phardante (FR))
Heavy ground did for him when third to Hardy Eustace at Punchestown in November but had looked to be developing into a tip-top hurdler when winning previous four races and handled soft well enough when impressively winning Down Royal Grade 3 the previousmonth; could go well at decent odds after his break.

13 234 Katchit 80  6 11-10 A King 69 Robert Thornton 166 161 171b g Kalanisi (IRE) — Miracle (Ezzoud (IRE))
This place brings out the best in him and gave a real street-fighting display to beat Osana 12 months ago with Punjabi back in third; the overriding impression backed up by the time was that that wasn´t a vintage contest and he hasn´t been in great form yet on track this year, prompting connections to flirt with the idea of blinkers, though that idea has been rejected after he perked up in recent work.

14 542 Muirhead 44  6 11-10 Noel Meade 44 D J Condon 145 159 163b g Flemensfirth (USA) — Silaoce (FR) (Nikos)
Clearly didn´t give his running in last year´s Supreme Novices´ and been coming steadily to hand this season, running best race when only just failing to peg back Brave Inca at his most determined at Leopardstown in January; needs to take another step forward but will be suit by the demands of this race.

15 2-2 Osana 38 b 1  7 11-10 D E Pipe 68 Andrew J McNamara 165 166 170b g Video Rock (FR) — Voilette (FR) (Brezzo (FR))
Front-runner, took time to come to himself this season after progressing so well last term when beating all bar Katchit in the Champion and trainer confident he will come on plenty for his Sandown reappearance second to Celestial Halo; 4lb pull gives himprospects of reversing that form but slight worry whether first-time blinkers will make him do too much.

16 -15 Othermix 261  5 11-10 T R George 75 P J Brennan 151 — 144gr g Linamix (FR) — Other Crik (FR) (Bigstone (IRE))
High-class hurdler in France where successful four times in testing ground at Auteuil but a big ask for him to polish off the cracks here on first start since finishing quite close behind the likes of Hurricane Fly and Quevega in Grade 1 in June.

17 1F3 Punjabi 24  6 11-10 N J Henderson 57 B J Geraghty 163 151 168b g Komaite (USA) — Competa (Hernando (FR))
Proved third in last year´s Champion Hurdle was no fluke when winning at Punchestown and touched off Sublimity in Wetherby Grade 1 on soft on reappearance; might have beaten Harchibald at Kempton at Christmas but for falling two out and considered in need of run when left behind by Ashkazar and Whiteoak at Wincanton; better off with both and could make frame again.

18 173 River Liane 44  5 11-10 Thomas Cooper 0 N P Madden 149 148 154ch g River Bay (USA) — Gospellianne (FR) (Machiavellian (USA))
Broke blood vessel when disappointing in juvenile handicap here last season but has shown himself a decent performer this year, though limitations have apparently been exposed behind a number of these rivals in Grade 1 company at Leopardstown on last twostarts; better to come from him in due course.

19 -11 Sentry Duty 80  7 11-10 N J Henderson 57 Andrew Tinkler 154 158 157b g Kahyasi — Standing Around (FR) (Garde Royale)
Given an each-way chance here by trainer after stylish valuable handicap wins at Ascot and also in his favour he hasn´t run since December as he goes well fresh; didn´t give his running when miles behind stablemate Binocular in Supreme Novices´ here lastyear.

20 -25 Sizing Europe 71  7 11-10 Henry De Bromhead 0 DOUBTFUL 167 — 171b g Pistolet Bleu (IRE) — Jennie Dun (IRE) (Mandalus)
Looked a king in waiting when wide-margin winner of last season´s Irish Champion Hurdle but lost action when melting away to nothing in closing stages of this race last year and has failed to deliver in two starts this season too; have to have reservations about him now.

21 123 Snap Tie 52  7 11-10 P J Hobbs 65 Richard Johnson 160 160 160b g Pistolet Bleu (IRE) — Aries Girl (Valiyar)
Big plus for him is the prospect of strongly run race, which trainer is convinced he needs; however, held by Binocular on last year´s festival form, certainly needs to improve to have prospects of winning and significant rain overnight will damage his chance more than most, as he´d be a hopeless case if judged on his last Haydock run where he was unsuited by tacky conditions.

22 214 Sublimity 44 t  9 11-10 Robert Alan Hennessy 0 P A Carberry 162 164 171b g Selkirk (USA) — Fig Tree Drive (USA) (Miswaki (USA))
Champion Hurdler for John Carr two years ago and hadn´t had ideal preparation when only fourth to Katchit last year; twice been beaten by Punjabi since and looks unlikely to regain crown despite having bagged a Grade 1 prize by beating Won In The Dark indetermined fashion at Leopardstown late last year when five more of these rivals were well beaten off; last run best ignored, as scoped badly afterwards.

23 -42 Won In The Dark 71  5 11-10 Sabrina J Harty 0 D N Russell 147 160 165b g Montjeu (IRE) — Meseta (Lion Cavern (USA))
Third to Celestial Halo in last year´s Triumph here and pulled well clear of some big names when running Sublimity close in Leopardstown Grade 1 in December; not a forlorn hope on that but still has something to find to have prospects of landing the spoils.

24 2-2 Whiteoak 24  6 11-3 D McCain Jnr 62 Jason Maguire 150 163 164b m Oscar (IRE) — Gayla Orchestra (Lord Gayle (USA))
Reportedly stronger and speedier than last year when she won the 2m4f Grade 2 mares hurdle at this meeting and was expected to need the run when fine second to Ashkazar over 2m at Wincanton; 4lb pull gives her solid prospects of reversing that form and easy to see why connections are having a crack at this big one.

[bigfrank]

any tips for 2moro,mite get to bookies on my tea break??heard word for muirhead,think its 33/1

[Armin Tamzarian]

any tips for 2moro,mite get to bookies on my tea break??heard word for muirhead,think its 33/1

joe charlie

[Our Nail Loney]

any tips for 2moro,mite get to bookies on my tea break??heard word for muirhead,think its 33/1

Muirhead has not done that much this season, don't think it is in the same league as the rest of the irish hurdlers.... Sublimity beat it out the park there round xmas...

[bigfrank]

This is either the bad midfielder that i used to know or the bad goalie,either way that joe charlie tip cost me my student loan:) But we had some good times lad,back in front,best mate!! Like a salmon:D

[bigfrank]

any tips for 2moro,mite get to bookies on my tea break??heard word for muirhead,think its 33/1

Muirhead has not done that much this season, don't think it is in the same league as the rest of the irish hurdlers.... Sublimity beat it out the park there round xmas...

thats me told then!! back into my corner i go if u cant mention a whisper for a horse this week then when can u lol

[Our Nail Loney]

any tips for 2moro,mite get to bookies on my tea break??heard word for muirhead,think its 33/1

Muirhead has not done that much this season, don't think it is in the same league as the rest of the irish hurdlers.... Sublimity beat it out the park there round xmas...

thats me told then!! back into my corner i go if u cant mention a whisper for a horse this week then when can u lol

I thought you were lookibng to hear some views on the horse!! Apologies, I thought this was a discussion board but no matter...

Of course you cant rule any horse out, how often do you see horses being wrapped in cotton wool all season and given an easy time only for them to romp home at a big price, quite often with the Irisih horses like Ebaziyan (40/1) and Sublimity (16/1) there two years ago on the opening day

[Armin Tamzarian]

This is either the bad midfielder that i used to know or the bad goalie,either way that joe charlie tip cost me my student loan:) But we had some good times lad,back in front,best mate!! Like a salmon:D

wrong, neither of them two fermanagh c**nts!!lol
sure i seen your docket, student loan me hole you and your £2 forecasts as usual
who does your brother fancy for tomorrow, cos I sure as hell will be staying clear of his tips!lol

[bigfrank]

My bro has given up on the horses,but im sure u will find his head stuck in the racing post 2moro for sure,talkin bout reverse forecasts that he seen u doin a few years ago:P bad gambler!!

Mc Coy's the Boy!!! Its still ringin in my ears!

[BennyHarp]

Was chatting to a mate there and he reckons a few of them have been backing Rite of Passage for the bumper at longish odds all year and been backed into 9/2! Anyone know anymore about this horse? Reckon its their banker of the meeting!!

[souljaboy]

osana in the champ hurdle at 7/1 without binocular(most bookies) is a value alternative to binocular tomorow!

also voy por the nap of the festival, at 11/10 I would say better value than kasbah bliss and is a proven(2 time) cheltenham winner

[longshanks original]

Green mile in the pertemps handicap hurdle (thursday)- wouldnt touch anything else on thursday but!!!

[ulster-boy]

gunna try this each way accumulator on each race today..

1.30 Medermit 16/1
14.05 Original 16/1
14.40 Cailin Alainn 11/1
15.20 Sentry Duty 33/1
16.00 Drombeag 12/1
16.40 Gaspara 20/1

i'll be a happy man if that comes in

[Our Nail Loney]

Going each way on the following horses today:

Kempes
Red Moloney

Forpadydeplasterer
Kalahari King

Sublimity
Katchit

Wichita Lineman
Star De Mohaison

A New Story

Oscar Rebel
Chomba Womba

I will be doing those selecctions in my placepot with L'Ami thrown in as well for the Cross Country