cormack15

A week to the start of the Cheltenham Festival and time to look forward to some of the Festival Handicaps. Below are a number of horses that have caught my eye in the build up to the biggest week of the year. In the Close Brothers’ Novices Chase on the opening day Good Man Pat is not guaranteed a run, but I feel he would have a leading chance if facing the starter. The each way selection is 14/1 at BetVictor (Non Runner No Bet) and I felt he ran a decent race at Kempton last time despite being no match for Harry Fry’s Bags Groove who is a Grade 1 performer going right-handed over two-and-a-half to three miles. Alan King’s charge has had just the minimum three runs over fences, but I was impressed […]

Fulham vs Manchester United – Saturday 12.30pm Even a price of 4/6 (general) seems rather generous for a Man United side in this kind of form going up against one of the favourites for relegation. Fulham’s 4-2 win over Brighton 10 days ago gave them hope, but they came crashing back to earth with a disappointing defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend. It would take a near miracle for their unreliable defence to keep out a United attack which has well and truly found its groove again under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Since the Norwegian’s arrival nobody has been involved in more goals than Paul Pogba, and a double of a United win and Pogba anytime goal will give you odds of 12/5 (Paddy Power) Watford vs Everton – Saturday 3pm After an acrimonious departure from […]

Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United – Saturday 12.30pm It’s been a rare week of cheer for Newcastle fans as they first saw their team claim a surprise 2-1 win over Man City before finally breaking their 14-year old transfer record by signing Miguel Almiron from Atlanta United. Their rigid defensive shape was key in stifling the stuttering champions’ play on Tuesday and it would be a surprise to see them waver from that set up today. That will provide a still Harry Kane-less Spurs team the tough task of breaking them down, although they are boosted by the return of Heung-Min Son from international duty. He inspired them to a late comeback win over Watford last time out – a game where Fernando Llorente netted a confidence-boosting winner – as they opened up a seven-point […]

Frodon was cut to 14/1 (from 20s) with BetVictor for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after his brave win from the front in the Cotswold Chase on Saturday. The horse was given another wonderful ride by Bryony Frost but was running on fumes for the last half-furlong and he makes no appeal over an additional furlong at the Festival. If we did see a Grade 1 winner on Trial’s Day, then it was surely Paisley Park who ran out an impressive winner of the Cleeve Hurdle. Emma Lavelle’s hurdler was cut from 10s to 3/1 at BetVictor for the Stayers’ Hurdle and the further he went the better he looked at the weekend. The 3m Novices’ Chase at Kempton this afternoon is a hot contest, and this is very much a retrieval mission for Nicky Henderson’s […]

Manchester City vs Burnley – Saturday 3pm Burnley’s humongous odds of 30/1 with Paddy Power show Pep Guardiola’s side are not expected to have much trouble reaching the 5th round. Such outrageous odds in a match between two teams in the same league makes it worthwhile backing Burnley on the chance that City have an off-day (it does happen occasionally), but more realistically they will face the same fate as many others who have visited the Etihad in the last few years. City’s 9-0 win over Burton Albion in their League Cup semi-final first leg allowed them the luxury of playing essentially a reserve side in the second leg on Wednesday, which means the first teamers will be back in line for a starting spot today. Gabriel Jesus will probably get the nod up front […]

There is a bit of drizzle forecast for Cheltenham who are due to host their Festival Trials Day this afternoon on ground that was described as good to soft (good in places) at noon on Friday. I think there will be more to come from Onefortheroadtom over fences although he was never competitive in a very hot race at Plumpton last time. A market move would be worth noting. My two against the field, however, in the valuable novices’ handicap chase are the 11/4 favourite with BetVictor Kildisart and Enola Gay (1.15) with marginal preference for the latter who carries just 10st for the Venetia Williams’ team.    I remember the stable always used to target this race although they have not saddled the winner since 2009. I felt the selection was a shade unlucky […]