Cheltenham Tips / Andy Constantinou / 11 March 2009 / Leave a comment

The hunt for winners continues as Andy Constantinou picks two bets at the Festival today.

What a first day! Cracking finishes to the Arkle, Champion Hurdle and a true master class from the best NH jockey to ever grace the sport in Tony McCoy on Wichita Lineman.

The heavy ground predicted overnight failed to materialise and from a betting perspective that did for Golden Flight our first selection yesterday. It's a tough beat writing advance previews when such uncertainty surrounds the ground, but there would certainly have been no complaints in my corner had the rain arrived so we'll move swiftly on. United ran well in the last only to be totally outclassed by Quevega, while Over Sixty belied her dismissive odds with a huge run, just failing by a short head to claim 3rd. So in the end, a loss yesterday, a short head away from a decent profit, we move onto tomorrow.

Wednesday's highlight is undoubtedly champion chaser Master Minded, the bad news is unless you're Harry Findlay you wont become rich backing him at the forecast odds of [1.34]. You cannot take the horse on in a serious fashion but if there is to be an upset I'd fancy it will be Ireland's Big Zeb to provide it.

Willie Mullins is the man in the bumper, but even he probably doesn't know which one of his to side with, so for us, the punter, to try and solve that puzzle I'd suggest isn't an exercise worth investing too much time in.

WM's horses let me down yesterday in the opener and in Mikael D'Haguenet he sets a real poser once again for Wednesday. I believe in this horse, I think he's all class and I believe he's a name we will be hearing of plenty more of in years to come. However he's now as short as [4.2] on Betfair having been freely available at more than double that a week ago. Unless the rain falls overnight, the going won't suit him like it will main rivals Karabak and Diamond Harry.

If it pours overnight I cannot recommend more strongly that you all back this horse but given I write this the night before it would be folly to suggest that his current odds represent big value given that uncertainty.

So which two races do we take interest in for purposes of this column? The RSA Chase first. Like yesterday's Arkle it's an open race with once again an understandable but under priced favourite, replace Tatenen with Cooldine. For me he has jumping, staying and crucially, major going concerns; at the sub [4.9] he currently trades I'm happy to look elsewhere.

The answer could come in the form of Gone To Lunch. All this horse does is stay and the strong pace liable to be set by Carruthers might have him a tad outpaced early but will ultimately suit him up the hill. He's clearly improved all year long, both on the book and in his fencing technique. He's ridden by AP, doesn't know how to run a bad race and will run on up the hill in a race where a likely searing pace could have plenty of these already hoisting the white flag turning in. He'd be a somewhat unconventional winner as he's aged nine but there's no doubting his class and resolution, I can't see him running anywhere other than close. The classy but slightly quirky What A Friend would rate the main threat.

The other race on a fiendishly competitive card where I feel there is an angle is the 28-runner Coral Cup. I can hear the cries from the gallery already, Andy, 28-runner handicap hurdle at Cheltenham and you feel there's an angle?! But there is, in the shape of The Polomoche.

In summary: trained by Nicky Henderson whose horses clearly remain in fine shape, totally unexposed aged only 6 and evidently laid out for this, he hasn't run since November 1. He's bred to stay the trip, he runs like he wants this trip and the ground will be fine for him whichever way it comes tomorrow.

Based on his effort at Ascot when last seen, outpaced over an inadequate 2miles in a classy race behind stablemate Sentry Duty, a mark of 145 doesn't look beyond him.

Considering he's looked at his best fresh, there really shouldn't be an excuse on any level for this horse tomorrow, if he's beat it's because there was something simply better in the race. This race traditionally goes to an improving lightly-raced handicapper, that trend has stood true every year bar one in the last decade and to my mind he's the obvious choice for the race tomorrow. He should be clear fav at around [7.0] / [7.5], he trades [10.0] and hence rates a play.

There was a mention yesterday by me that the strongest bet of the meeting at current prices could run on Wednesday should the rains come. That selection would have been Mikael D'Haguenet but the rain as yet has not fallen while his price seemingly has been in positive freefall! I'll admit to being on him for a while but for purposes of this feature cannot now make a strong case for the [4.3] he trades at representing big value, especially in the light of the disappointing performances of his trainers novices today.

Thursday bears witness to the running of the two horses I have staked more money on than any others running at this years Festival. Both I still believe represent fair value and you will see stakes up accordingly then, for now however, tomorrow's plays for the Daily Festival Duo are as follows:

Prices Available at time of writing on Betfair.

Cheltenham 2.40 Gone To Lunch 0.75pts E/W ([8.4] Win & [2.76] Place)

Cheltenham 4.00 The Polomoche 1pt E/W ([10.0] Win & [3.05] Place)

Staked Today: 3.5pts

Running Total: -2.9pts