Cheltenham Tips: Graham Cunningham on day three

/ Graham Cunningham / 12 March 2009 / Leave a Comment

James Bond may have said the World Is Not Enough, but it's enough to be going on with for 50,000 punters at Cheltenham this Thursday as Kasbah Bliss, Punchestowns and Big Buck's square off for the World Hurdle. Racing UK and betmaverick.com analyst Graham Cunningham gives his view on the Festival day three showpiece and also pinpoints a potential short priced lay in the Ryanair Chase.

It's the age old choice between most likely winner and best value betting proposition in the World Hurdle at 3.20. Kasbah Bliss ran a blinder to chase home Inglis Drever in this race last year and looks potentially better than ever after a crushing Haydock win, but on form he is the same horse as Punchestowns and that makes Nicky Henderson's chestnut the value choice.

Granted, Punchestowns lines up having been beaten by Big Buck's here in January, but the combination of very deep ground and an 8lb penalty did for him there and in the circumstances he was far from discredited.

Look back to Ascot in December and Punchestowns dished out the same sort of thrashing to that good marker horse Duc de Regniere as Kasbah Bliss did at Haydock. In short, these two star stayers are very closely matched, yet one is trading at just over [2.1] and the other is available at [4.6].

As they say in the Cotswolds, you do the math.

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Something else they say in the Cotswolds is don't oppose Voy Por Ustedes unless you have a very good reason.

Alan King's gelding has won an Arkle and a Champion Chase at previous Festivals and returns for the Ryanair Chase (2.40) after a facile win in the Betfair Ascot Chase.

However, on balance I suspect Voy Por Ustedes is just too short a price at a shade of odds against.

Tidal Bay is capable of giving him a race if back on song, while last year's winner Our Vic and Imperial Commander both have excellent Cheltenham records. Monets Garden is no forlorn hope at a big price, so all in all I'm content to take this Festival favourite on at his current price.