Cheltenham Festival 2018: Gold Cup and Bartlett provide lays for Friday

Jack Houghton
15 March 2018

Might Bite could get swallowed up in this competitive and experienced field

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Two lays on the final day of the Festival for Jack Houghton, who is going after one of the favourites in the Gold Cup...

"Might Bite is a place lay for me at around 2.305/4, and I concur with Calvin that bigger-priced horses like Djakadam and Minello Rocco are much more interesting betting prospects..."

Three of the lays put up for Thursday's card were beaten, so hopefully you were able to oppose them at decent odds and are now firmly back in profit.

Unfortunately, we couldn't make it four-out-of-four, with Laurina winning so imperiously in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle that it felt like the stable was taking revenge on me for the number of their charges that I have put up to oppose this week.

One day to go, and we have money to invest. Some layers will be happy to go after Apple's Shakira in the Triumph which opens the card, but her credentials look secure enough to me, and odds of around 2.809/5 look fair. She is no banker, but I wouldn't want to oppose her either. As for Burning Ambition in the Foxhunter's, I just have no idea and will leave the race alone. Instead, my attention will be on the Gold Cup and the opener, the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle...

Santini and Obeaux will need to be note perfect in competitive Bartlett

There is no question that either of Henderson's pair of Santini and Chef Des Obeaux have the potential to win this. Santini has strong course form and both have decent performances in the book at the distance and on the likely ground. My issue is that the whole field is covered by about 10lbs on my handicap ratings, with the same true of around half the field on my speed ratings. In short, that's a lot of horses that have a realistic chance of winning the race on a good day, which means that unless the Henderson pair are at their very best, they could easily be pushed down the field.

I won't go crazy, but will split my stake and lay both horses for a place at around 2.608/5. If they finish first and second, it will be a bad race for me, but I'm hopeful that the likes of Kilbricken Storm, Poetic Rhythm and Calett Mad will do me a favour, all of whom have slightly better form on my ratings than the Henderson duo, albeit marginally.

Henderson hopeful Might Bite backers

If Willie Mullins has felt like I've been against him this week, then he will no doubt be hugely relieved to know that Nicky Henderson seems to be my nemesis on the closing day of the Festival. For all that it might seem harsh to question the chances of a King George winner, and last year's RSA Chase winner, who boasts six wins out of nine over fences, there are things about Might Bite's form that worry me as he attempts to land jump racing's most prestigious prize.

A couple of things, in fact. First, that RSA form looks questionable: the time wasn't quick, and the race was messy. Second, his best performances on the clock (by a long way) have come in small fields at Aintree and Kempton - both flat tracks. Given the unique demands of the Gold Cup course, and the deeply competitive field, I can see Might Bite getting swamped and struggling to place.

He's a place lay for me at around 2.305/4, and I concur with Calvin that bigger-priced horses like Djakadam and Minello Rocco are much more interesting betting prospects.

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