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Arizona Cardinal an each-way bet with five places at Donny
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Monmiral looks a player in open Cleeve Hurdle on Trials Day
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Alan Dudman goes for a Saturday 126/1 each-way double this weekend
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Timeform Superboost
Ginny's Destiny is a relatively strong favourite to win today's Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase at Cheltenham (13:50), but if you fancy the Paul Nicholls-trained 9yo to run well with the insurance that he might not win, then you can back him to finish in the top three at the super-boosted price of 1/12.00 (from 8/131.61).
Ginny's Destiny loves Cheltenham having won at the venue three times, and he's finished in the top three in six of his last seven starts. To take advantage of this latest superboost just click on the odds in the below bet banner to go directly to the pre-loaded betslip.
*Please Note: This superboost is provided by the Betfair Sportsbook and not by any of our writers or tipsters.
Back Ginny's Destiny to Finish Top 3 in the 13:50 Cheltenham
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When Arizona Cardinal won last season's Topham and beating a 151-rated James Du Berlais into second in April, not many would have envisaged his current campaign with a rusty-looking pulled up at Chepstow on reappearance and a go in the Cross Country at the December meeting in Cheltenham.
Clearly there are caveats attached, as from his hardy and fearless round of jumping at Aintree last spring he has not fired at all, but one hopes he hasn't got the look of faded grandeur and deserves a chance to get back on track at Doncaster in the Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase.
It's certainly more his bag with soft conditions in store (as it looked on the fast side for his return at Chepstow) and he doesn't mind good to soft either, plus there's the drop in distance from the bucolic efforts in the Cross Country over 3m6f with cheese wedges to 3m for Saturday.
The 9yo has undergone wind surgery three times now in his career, so it may be a case he's taking time to find his feet again as in the winter of 2023 he was pulled up twice with no-shows before reeling off three wins at Leicester, Ludlow and Aintree.
He's undergone the wind op this term and prior to Cheltenham had been off the track for 62 days but had scoped dirty after Chepstow, hence the following op, but he's not a horse to give up on, and one of his owners in part of the 16-strong Oakman Racing Club said before last year's Topham win: "He's a quirky character with terrible conformation who crib bites and chews fence posts in his paddock. He has a nebuliser to keep his lungs in good shape and has acupuncture on a regular basis so he can extend his front legs properly."
"But despite all that he's a brilliant jumper with a big heart. He reminds me of some of my tough old Rugby pals. No frills. He just knuckles down and gets the job done," said Peter Borg-Neal.
His jumping was brilliant at Aintree last term and with five places on the Sportsbook I cannot resist keeping the faith with him for another dance on a Saturday at 14/115.00 and that's in the face of a stable quiet run with their last winner (from 10 runners) at Fakenham on New Year's Day.
Back Arizona Cardinal E/W in the 15:15 Doncaster
The staying division has been the subject of much discourse and merriment due to the lack of a zinger this term - and just when you need a horse to poke its head out of the bag to become a player, you get let down.
Indeed, for Saturday's Cleeve Hurdle and key trial for the Festival Stayers, one should send for the old boy Tidal Bay, who came into this race via a slightly left-field route when winning many years ago.
Crambo and Strong Leader are obvious players and the market could not split them earlier this week at 2/13.00 the pair, and moving onto the prices on Friday, Crambo is 5/23.50 and Strong Leader 11/43.75 on the Sportsbook, to evince a lack of confidence in both.
Strong Leader ran a shocker at Ascot last time in the Long Walk and has since had wind surgery, while Ga Law is the flyer in the field.
However, I cannot help but feel Monmiral looks overpriced for us to utilise the each-way angle with the eight runners.
Paul Nicholls revealed exclusively in his Betfair column today: "He missed an engagement at a Plumpton when the card was abandoned and is one of mine in no man's land as his handicap mark is too high and he finds it tough against the best at level weights.
"He ran tidily when second to Strong Leader at Newbury in November, stays strongly, loves Cheltenham and has a sporting each way chance against a couple of Grade 1 winners in the field."
And that's the crux of it here, he stays, he likes soft ground and won the Pertemps at the Festival last march so ticks the Prestbury box.
He might not be good enough but this is not a strong Cleeve, but Crambo was thrashed in last term's Stayers' and Monmiral has not had an arduous campaign with just two runs, and one of those was a comeback on unsuitable going at Newbury when officially good.
We just need the eight to stand their ground for our each-way bet.
Back Monmiral E/W in the 15:35 Cheltenham
Back Saturday's E/W double in one click