Betfair Official Blog

Cheltenham Day Four: Previews of every single race!

Click here to view market

Jack Houghton gives you his views on all the races of the final day

David Nicholson Mares Hurdle

The market seems to have this race exactly right, with Chumba Womba and Sweet Kiln the most likely winners. Theatre Girl, Refinement and Labelthou are also respected, but at the prices I can't find a stand-out bet.

The only mare I'm not keen on here is Gaspara, and I'll look to lay her for a place at any price up to [2.5].

Ballymore Properties Hurdle

An open race, with eight of the 16 starters all having confirmed ability on the clock to operate at Festival pace. Interestingly, one of the market leaders, Group Captain, who is sure to be popular after a great Festival for his jockey Robert Thornton, has yet to put up a really convincing time figure, despite winning his last two hurdles in a visually impressive manor. What's more, it's not clear the step up in trip will suit him. I'll be looking to lay him in the place market at around [2.5].

Of the eight mentioned above, they are hard to split, but I would favour a small win bet on Forpadydeplasterer, based on his impressive win last time on softish ground at Leopardstown.

Coral Cup

Last year's Cesarewitch winner, Leg Spinner, is sure to be a short price given the ability he has shown on the flat and the near god-like status with which punters view his trainer, Tony Martin, whenever he runs a horse in a handicap. But it's hard to make sense of what little jumping form there is to examine, and whilst he won the Galway hurdle easily - despite his saddle slipping in the latter stages of the race - he runs off a 30lb higher mark in this and so at the price, I can't be interested.

Song Of Songs will also be popular towards the bottom of the handicap. He is lightly raced and his six length defeat by Osana reads well in the context of that rival's performance in the Champion Hurdle. However, all his best form has been on flat tracks and you're taking a lot on trust to support a horse so inexperienced in this race.

Given the difficulty in properly assessing the form on offer, I'll be splitting a small stake four-ways and having a little to win on Whispered Promises, Sporazene, Pablo Du Charmil and Liberate. They all have solid speed ratings in the book and will all be large double-figure odds.

Triumph Hurdle

The smallest field I can remember for a Triumph Hurdle and Franchoek and Celestial Halo are the pick on speed ratings and form, and are the most likely winners. However, the prices on offer are a bit short, so I will be having small win bets on Serabad and Five Dream at double figure odds.

Anthony Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

Another very competitive race, with seven of the participants having returned solid speed ratings that put them in with a strong chance of winning this. Interestingly, the two market leaders, Carruthers and Gone To Lunch, are not in that list, and so I will be laying them both for a place at any price up to [2.8].

At a very big price I'll be having a small win and place bet on Coe, whose run at Doncaster behind Battlecry puts him close to all these on form.

The Gold Cup

You can read my full length preview of the Gold Cup here.

The Foxhunter

Find a hunter chase specialist and ask them their opinion. I'm certainly not that and so will be sitting back and cheering on Twenty Degrees, whom I used to ride in his exercise once upon a time.

The Grand Annual

My Petra looks a weak favourite in this. She's been raised 3lbs for a length and a half defeat by Noland when receiving 8lbs at Sandown and I think the market is latching on to her proximity to the Arkle favourite and not considering the balance of her form, which is far from that standard. She was only a neck winner in an ordinary looking mares only contest at Hereford and is already rated 2lbs higher over fences than the best she achieved over hurdles, with little evidence that she is better over the larger obstacles. I'll be laying her for a place at any price up to [2.8].

Andreas, on the other hand, looks solid, and I'll be backing him in the win and place markets.

The County Hurdle

Wanango for a small win and place bet is my hopeful choice in a race where I'm yet to pick a horse to finish in the first four. In fact, I'm not sure I've still had any kind of interest in the latter stages of it, even when I've backed more than one horse. So that perhaps tells you all you need to know.

Most of my place lays have come in over the first two days, and Inglis Drever repaired the damage done by Tamarinbleu's no-show today. Our Vic beating Mossbank was a big help and means I only go into Day Three with a slight deficit. I hope the tips above drag us into profit on the last day.