Betting Update; Cheltenham going 2007

With the persistent rain across the country at present all the talk is on what the state of the ground will be for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival.
By: easyodds.com Ltd
 
March 6, 2007 - PRLog -- Officials at the course are predicting a soft surface with the bookies also making this their favourite in the countdown to the best four days of jumps racing in the sporting calendar.

Champion Hurdle

Detroit City – The current Champion Hurdle jolly seems to act on any going and although he is yet to race on an official ‘Heavy’ surface he’s shown enough form on soft when beating fellow British challenger Straw Bear at Sandown and dual Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace here at Cheltenham recently. He also landed the Cesarewitch on the flat at Newmarket in October last year on a good/soft surface so all in all I expect no ground issues with this popular grey.

Brave Inca – When Brave Inca landed the Champion Hurdle last year the ground was officially soft, and although he’s also run some top class races on a firmer surface his battling qualities seem to be more effective with testing conditions.

Champion Hurdle

Well Chief - The forgotten horse of the Queen Mother Champion Chase scene is Well Chief and after scooting up in his comeback race last month at Newbury he’s now many people’s banker of the festival. But will he handle the likely soft ground? The answer to that is a simple Yes!


World Hurdle

Black Jack Ketchum – Last year’s Brit Insurance Hurdle winner has been all the rage in the ante-post markets for the World Hurdle since that win, and after continuing where he left off this season his price shortened into slight odds-on and looked everyone’s idea of a festival banker.

However, connections gradually took chances with him on more and more testing ground conditions and although he won on the soft at Cheltenham in December he didn’t look his old impressive self and then after running on heavy last time out he clearly didn’t enjoy the ground. He trailed in fifth of nine that day and has since drifted out to a massive 4/1 for the World Hurdle with all the ground concerns and has since been overtaken as favourite in most books by Inglis Drever.

Inglis Drever – Won this race back in 2005 on good ground, but again he’s shown enough form on the soft to warrant plenty of respect. He’s had his injury problems in recent seasons but after running second in that ‘Black Jack Ketchum flop race’ he clearly handles some give. To me he often hits a few flat spots in his races, but on a soft surface, where they tend to go a lot slower, this is less evident so whereas others don’t have a tick in the ‘Soft’ box this one defiantly does.


Mighty Man – Has only raced on a soft surface twice in his career, but a win and a second behind Hardy Eustace proves that he holds no fears on that front. My only concern is his lack of experience on it. Like I’ve said he’s only raced twice with real give in the ground in all his twelve starts, with most of those races being on a good or good to soft going.

Gold Cup

Kauto Star – The talking horse of the season has been undoubtedly been Kauto Star. Since fallen in last year’s Champion Chase he’s bounced back to win five chases over a variety of trips, including the King George on Boxing Day. Being a French-bred the soft ground should not be a problem and he’s won the AON Chase at Newbury and the Tingle Creek this year both with give in the ground. With challengers falling by the wayside it will be a brave man that opposes him, but the one thing that people against him have is he is prone to the odd serious jumping error and in testing ground any error is multiplied ten-fold.

Exotic Dancer – This horse absolutely loves it around Cheltenham, winning in his last four visits here including the Paddy Power and Boylesports Gold Cups. Tony McCoy will be in the saddle and looks to have really sussed this one out after guiding him round Prestbury Park on three of his four wins. In terms of the ground he will be another who will not be unconvinced by a soft surface. His latest win has on heavy ground when he trounced an impressive field by 18 lengths and although he has ground to make up on Kauto Star after coming second to him in the King George at his beloved Cheltenham and on soft ground he looks a certain to be there or there abouts.

* All prices correct at time of writing.

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