Horseracing Betting Preview: Friday at Cheltenham

Events / Graham Cunningham / 11 December 2008 / Leave a Comment

Never have so many punters looked at the weather forecast so carefully. Frost is placing day one of Cheltenham's prestigious December meeting under threat, but RUK analyst Graham Cunningham is looking on the bright side as he seeks out value bets on a card with well over £200,000 in prize money on offer.

Is Ballyfitz really as good as he looked when powering clear of two well-regarded novices at the last meeting here? If he is then the rest are in trouble, but I suspect there might be some mileage in taking him on and Tot O'Whiskey and What A Friend are the two most likely lads.

Tot O'Whiskey is a no-frills stayer who jumps well and could be underestimated, but What A Friend looks the safer alternative to Ballyfitz.

Paul Nicholls initially intended to run this unexposed gelding in a Grade 2 contest at Lingfield on Saturday. This plainly isn't much easier, but What A Friend impressed in beating the smart Carruthers at Uttoxeter and the fact that he ran very well over hurdles here last season is an added plus.

12.45

The odds are I will swerve this as a betting medium given that so many of the main contenders have questions to answer, but Saltango and Openditch both warrant a positive mention.

Saltango has been absent for over two years but was highly progressive in valuable handicaps when last seen and the handicapper has cut him some slack during his absence.

Openditch is another returning from a break - and the market will probably be a good guide as to what is expected - but he is much less exposed than some of these and he starts the season at the right end of the handicap.

1.20

More fun and games on the cross country circuit and the safest bet is that they will potter around for three miles before making a dash for it up the hill.

Cross country king Enda Bolger saddles four but he feels Garde Champetre is his best hope and I fully agree with him. In short, this gelding excels here. He ran close to his best when conceding 12lb to the useful Dix Villez here last month and the fact that Nina Carberry is back aboard is the cherry on top.

Stablemate L'Ami is unexposed at this discipline and rates as one of the main dangers, but last year's winner Wonderkid is much higher in the weights this time and seems ideally suited by a sounder surface, too.

1.55

As befits a handicap with £100,000 on offer, this looks very hard to solve. Simon came home powerfully to finish second last year and looks bound to go well again, while Character Building missed the Hennessy due to a late setback but is plainly in rude health after recording a career best over hurdles at Towcester.

Possol is on the up after pipping Mon Mome at Haydock, while Parsons Legacy boasts a fine record here and relishes the demanding final hill. The unexposed One Sniff and the former festival hero Star de Mohaison add further spice to the mix, but what about a value bet?

In short, it could be one for the Too Difficult Tray, but Character Building remains open to improvement over fences and his fine effort in the National Hunt Chase of 2007 showed that he acts very well at Cheltenham.

2.30

A clutch of potential improvers but if Very Cool jumps well with blinkers fitted for the first time over fences then a bold bid looks assured.

In short, this gelding is potentially very well treated, as he races off a mark of 107 having gone very close off 130 in a hot Haydock hurdle last spring. His latest defeat can be ignored, as he was brought to a standstill at Fontwell, and all in all he looks a very interesting runner.

Shouldhavehadthat seems to have thrived for the return to Henderson and won with real authority at Newbury. Wot Way Chief scored in similar style on his chasing debut at Newbury, but if Very Cool reacts to blinkers in the desired manner then Johnny Farrelly can look forward to a very good ride indeed.