Timeform Radio Racing Tips: Three to follow at Cheltenham

Timeform Radio Tip / Rory Delargy / 28 January 2012 / Leave a Comment

The Diamond in action

"With pace aplenty in this contest, it’s sure to be a proper test, and that will suit Diamond Harry ideally"

Rory Delargy is at Cheltenham for Trials Day where several Gold Cup pretenders put forward their case in the feature Argento Chase. Rory has a strong fancy in that race, and a couple of others of interest.

Diamond Harry has everything in his favour in the Argento Chase, and looks vastly overpriced at [5.0].

He has had a couple of setbacks since winning last season's Hennessy, but his third behind Kauto Star at Haydock in November was a meritorious effort, and he looked short of his peak there having had to miss the Charlie Hall at the 11th hour.

Nick Williams has his horses in better order now, and Diamond Harry is preferred to Captain Chris, who I suggested as one to follow this season, but who has stamina to prove at this trip. With pace aplenty in this contest, it's sure to be a proper test, and that will suit the selection ideally. A defeat in the RSA can be overlooked, as he looked over the top and simply ran no race. He's shown his ability to act round here over hurdles, and while I doubt whether he can win a Gold Cup, he's likely to be at his peak today, and that makes him look rock solid.

The Giant Bolster is not a horse for the faint hearted, his propensity for making mistakes an ongoing concern, but he's a useful tool on his day, and meets a bunch of moderately handicapped or out-of-form rivals in the Murphy Group Chase at 14:05, and will take all the beating if standing up.

If you are of a sensitive disposition, it might be best to switch the telly off during this contest, but hopefully David Bridgwater's gelding will jump as well as he did when an excellent second to Time For Rupert at Newbury last time, in which case he'll go very close indeed.

Hinterland is a skinny enough price in the finale, but this handicap has no strength in depth, and I'd be surprised if it wasn't dominated by the trio at the head of the betting, with Paul Nicholls juvenile looking fairly treated, and open to more improvement than his main rivals. Ruby Walsh rides the hurdles track here better than anyone, and the partnership should come up trumps.

Recommended Bets
Back Diamond Harry @ [5.0] in the 14:35 Cheltenham (NAP)
Back The Giant Bolster @ [5.4] in the 14:05 Cheltenham (NB)
Back Hinterland @ [3.25] in the 16:15 Cheltenham