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Cheltenham Tipping Comp: A Race to Remember

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Nick Shiambouros turns into a tipping machine on Day Three and storms into the lead...

"Steel yourselves Gentlemen, this could be a race to remember!"

The words of the late, great racing commentator Peter Bromley as Dawn Run, Wayward Lad, Forgive'n'Forget and Run and Skip came to the third last in the 1986 Gold Cup could well be appropriate here. On that occasion, Dawn Run looked dead and buried but famously came back to win. In fact three of those four horses finished their careers as Gold Cup winners, but only one of our tipsters will carry off the title of B@B Cheltenham Champion 2008.

If the honours on Day One went Graham Cunningham and Day Two went to the weather, then Day Three was an emphatic victory for Nick Shiambouros. Six tips, four winners, £1665 profit and to top it all off the 80/20 also came home first - an Inglis Drever-like performance.

It was a good day too for Simon Rowlands, thanks to Fingeronthepulse, and Wayne Bailey also turned in a small profit.

So going into Gold Cup day, the situation looks like this:
Nick Shiambouros - £2435
Simon Rowlands - £1430.80
Graham Cunningham - £1215.45
Wayne Bailey - £1002.80

Graham Cunningham
IT is eight in the morning and I have just been accosted by a ticket tout on the Cheltenham car park. By dusk we will all know whether the hype for Kauto versus Denman was justified but, on a more selfish level, it's time to go for Gold on a card which offers any number of trading opportunities.

Labelthou gets the ball rolling in the opener, while Group Captain and Trafford Lad are a pair I have been keen to take on all week in the Ballymore.

Leg Spinner's scope for improvement makes him of clear interest in the Coral Cup. Peacock is also worth a cheeky tenner there, while the 1.4 about Franchoek in the Triumph place market looks suspiciously like finding money in the street.

I'm pro Carruthers and anti Gone To Lunch in the Albert Bartlett, while Denman has been friendless with the national newspaper tipsters this morning and might even trade at 3 or bigger at some point as a result.

The Hunter Chase is best left to the Barbour brigade, but Saintsaire can outrun his long odds in the Grand Annual with his effort delayed longer than of late.

With any luck I will be heading for the M5 by the time Psycho and company line up for the Coral Cup. It's been a remarkable week. Let's hope we can also make it a profitable one.

Graham's Gold Cup day gambles:
12:30 - £30 win and place Labelthou
1:05 - £40 place lay Group Captain and Trafford Lad
1:40 - £30 win and place Leg Spinner; £10 win Peacock
2:15 - £300 place and £50 win Franchoek
2:50 - £20 win and place Carruthers; £50 win lay Gone To Lunch
3:30 - £80 win & place Denman
4:40 - £25 win Saintsaire

Simon Rowlands
The rain was still falling as I left Cheltenham yesterday and the ground was softer than that given officially. So in other words, conditions should be ideal for SWEET KILN (12:30) in the opener. She's classy, consistent and at least as good at this trip as further.

There is no reason to oppose FRANCHOEK (2:15) in the Triumph other than his price - which is the only reason you need. He's the best horse in the race but a smallish lay at a short price looks justified given that he would not have to be much below form to be vulnerable.

Similar comments apply to KAUTO STAR (3:30), though in his case the softened ground and the presence of Denman make a short-price lay even more appealing. Let's hope for a great race come what may!

My colleagues may have gone beyond recall by the time of the 4:40, but if not VINTAGE TREASURE - a horse well suited by a strong pace and a testing 2m - and the well-treated TIGER CRY could just claw me back into it.

Rowlands' Revelations:
12:30 - SWEET KILN £200 win back
2:15 - FRANCHOEK lay to lose £50
3:30 - KAUTO STAR lay to lose £80
4:40 - VINTAGE TREASURE £30 win and £30 place; TIGER CRY £40 win

Wayne Bailey
Well, it's the last day of the festival, and everyone is in profit. No mean feat at Cheltenham! I feel like a kid in a sweetshop with so much to spend, but here goes...

David Nicholson Mares Hurdle - LABELTHOU ran a cracker last time out, and can make her name by being the first winner of this new race.

Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle - FORPADYDEPLASTERER is locally owned, and will pay for a few pints tonight!

Coral Cup (Handicap Hurdle) - LEG SPINNER can hit the layers where it hurts.

JCB Triumph Hurdle - FRANCHOEK has everything in his favour, and can score another for King.

Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle - CARRUTHERS was a class apart last time out at Bangor-on-Dee, and can claim festival glory today.

Gold Cup - A race to savour and enjoy rather than bet heavily in. Denman is superb, but KAUTO STAR has nothing left to prove, and just about gets the nod.

Christie's Foxhunter Chase - History favours the younger horses here, and LOU DU MOULIN MAS has come back to form recently.

Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase - 28 of the past 33 winners here were priced 10/1 or less, so it's worth looking at the top of the market for winners. MY PETRA can continue Henderson's impressive record in this contest.

Vincent O'Brien County Handicap Hurdle - The totesport Trophy race is usually the key here, and the 2008 winner WINGMAN is a nice each-way price to get punters out in the last race of the festival.

Bailey's Bets:
I'm spreading my remaining money evenly so that's £55.71 on each to win and each to place.
12:30 - LABELTHOU win and place.
1:05 - FORPADYDEPLASTERER win and place.
1:40 - LEG SPINNER win and place
2:15 - FRANCHOEK win and place
2:50 - CARRUTHERS win and place
3:30 - KAUTO STAR win and place
4:05 - MY PETRA win and place
5.20 - WINGMAN win and place

Nick Shiambouros
Yesterday provided a slew of winners at great prices and in my view the form book stood up very well, with improving horses with rock solid form prevailing. The messages and emails are greatly appreciated and I hope regular followers made some strong coin.

In the 12.30, Theatre Girl should go well in this contest with a little further to go today she will be staying on at the end.

In the 1.05, Group Captain looks to have a solid chance in this hot contest.He appears to be improving with each run and is sure to go well.

Song Of Songs in the 4.05pm for JP is my choice in this wide open event and has had this race in mind all season.

Wingman is a very apt name for my final selection in the County Hurdle at 5.20. He has more to do today but is improving and could go very close. In Top Gun, when Maverick was asked to leave his wingman, he refused and I will not desert my selection here.

Moreover, if I win the competition, just like Maverick I will do a fly-by. And if I lose, and I'm refused a fly-by, I will do it anyway (some orders are meant to be disobeyed)! Enjoy the final day and good luck.

Shiambouros' Selections:
12:30 - Theatre Girl - £20 Win and £20 place
1:05 - Group Captain - £20 Win and £20 place
4:05 - Song Of Songs - £20 Win
5:20 - Wingman - £10 Win and £10 place