Daryl Carter Tips

Cheltenham Festival Focus: Ooh la la, plus 14/1 and 16/1 handicap ante-post bets

Daryl Carter.
Daryl Carter says Lulamba will be tough to beat in March.

In week 13 of Daryl Carter's Cheltenham Festival Focus, he adds two handicap bets to his ante-post list and takes a closer look at Nicky Henderson's exciting juvenile...


In week 13 of the Cheltenham Focus column, with little action for Daryl Carter to round up, he has looked through the handicap markets and offers followers two bets at the Cheltenham Festival. He also dives into the exciting juvenile recruit for Nicky Henderson, who he says will take some stopping in March.


It's a little late for Supreme candidates?

On Wednesday at Clonmel, Funiculi Funicula won comfortably to receive a debut RPR of 130. He was always holding what would be the runner-up Addragoole (123) when he came down on the final flight. They finished exhausted here, but there were 17 lengths back to the eventual runner-up (a 100/1101.00 chance), who was part of the pack that wanted no part in this race.

Therefore, it's devilishly difficult to put a figure to this performance, especially when comparing it to the Mares Maiden Hurdle, which took the inside route rather than the outer ground Paul Townend covered. Still, they were six lengths behind the Mares at the third last, identically behind at the second last, but took twice as long to reach the line from there on. I don't trust Addragoole's rating of 123. That's inflated.

Kiss Will won at Fairyhouse on Thursday for Willie Mullins and had plenty of tongues waging on the social channels. This was a fair performance in a typical Irish Maiden hurdle where nothing other than the eventual third wanted to get involved with him. Those held up at the rear of the field were there for nothing more than a day out. They didn't race until four furlongs from home, but after a slow circuit time, the winner quickened up well in the closing stages and won hard-held over much inferior rivals. The only real scare was the final flight, but he had the race won, and it's worth noting that the third was beaten the same distance on his debut at Cork by Kel Histoire. Reportedly, a Supreme bid could be on the cards, but it would be unlikely Willie Mullins would release a Supreme candidate this late in the season.

Fishery Lane's jumping didn't improve much when landing the odds at Fairyhouse earlier this week, and the Champion Bumper fifth still looks like he has plenty to learn. The Albert Barlett may be more suitable for him, but one suspects he needs much more experience before we see the best of him.

On Friday at Windsor, Salver and Nemean Lion served up a cracking 2m4f race, and it would be no surprise to see either of these fly into the wide-open Stayers Hurdle division. The focus should be more on the former, who galloped relentlessly here and returned at the winner at the line but is not priced on the Sportsbook. The latter is 40/141.00. Langer Dan was pushed to 33/134.00 following another poor display, but confidence remains.


Ooh la la!

On Saturday at Ascot, gambled-on Triumph Hurdle candidate Lulamba sparkled on debut as he effortlessly gave the 111-rated flat recruit Mondo Man ten pounds and a beating. A little weak in the market, Nicky Henderson's juvenile had no qualms about swatting away his rivals underhand and heels riding and was cut into 6/42.50 favourite for the Juvenile main event in March. What he beat remains debatable, and having been well punted before this race in the March market, he was set up to shorten dramatically with a victory.

Still, market confidence was behind the runner-up, who was worth an upgrade, having been keen for much of the race, but he was readily left behind by the impressive winner between the final two flights. The time was ok for the level. Lulamba was about eight lengths slower than the Grade 2 Mares Hurdle winner, Take No Chances, crossing the fourth, and that distance was maintained throughout crossing the line. Despite running a slower circuit time, Lulamba was only 0.3 seconds quicker from three out to the finish, but recorded the fastest time from the back of the last to the line on the entire card (4 lengths quicker than the mare).

This was a positive performance on the bridle compared to the highly rated 139-141-mares race. That should put him in the region of 135 for a rating on this performance, which would be clear of anything else in this race at this stage, and with the promise of more to come, he looks like a very worthy favourite.

For context, Majborough went into the Triumph Hurdle rated 139 last year. There was a moment between the second last and the final hurdle where his rider squeezed him, and he responded very quickly. That was a pleasing sign; he was going away at the finish. Nicky Henderson's juvenile may have won even further had the placement of the final hurdle not been at a stage where he was quickening and had he been asked for any effort off the bridle.

This was an exciting performance for a yard that have another star on its hands. As for those moaning about his current price of 6/42.50 following this effort, I task you to find something else that has recorded a run like this.


As for the Mares race, there were no excuses for Kargese, who was held up and had Brenda's Asking set up the race for her. A good early clip should have suited her, but she was outbattled by Take No Chances; perhaps a lack of race fitness caught her out. Still, this must go down as a disappointing run, and she is out to 6/17.00.

Jonbon cemented his Champion Chase claims by beating Energumene at Ascot in the Grade 1 Clarence House. The Willie Mullins horse has had his day now, and Jonbon 5/42.25 will be very hard to beat come March.

Second-season novice James's Gate won the opening-rated novice hurdle at Navan, and he is reportedly on track for the Coral Cup 12/113.00. First-season novices Ballygunnger Castle and C'Est Ta Chance were somewhat disappointing, and this race will hold no bearing on the Supreme Novice Hurdle.


Market Movers

Daryl's movers - 20 Jan.png


Back Be Aware to win the Coral Cup @ 14/115.00 1pt

The first handicap bet of the column comes in the form of the Dan Skelton-trained Be Aware - 14/115.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - who will likely prove very popular closer to the time given connections have landed this race the last twice with Langer Dan. Step forward his replacement in Be Aware, who looks very well handicapped, having chased home Burdett Road in the Greatwood earlier this year and is being trained with this race in mind.

Burdett Road is now rated 150 following an excellent run behind Constitution Hill and Lossiemouth in the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle, and there's little doubt that Be Aware was worth upgrading his effort in the Greatwood, having come from further back than anything else in a race controlled by the winner.

The selection looks to be crying out for a move back up in distance to 2m5f, for which his only attempt came when chasing home the useful Kamsinas at Kempton when the pair pulled 17 lengths clear of the third, who is now rated 132 over fences. This has been the plan for a long while.

Dan Skelton has a good record with his handicappers, which hasn't been seen since the turn of the year at the Festival. Furthermore, he is unexposed to middle-distance trips and has that all-important Cheltenham experience from the Greatwood.

He will likely be near the top of the betting come March, and he looks worth taking at any double-figure odds with this race name-checked in a Harry Skelton interview.


Back Iroko for the Ultima Handicap @ 16/117.00 1pt

Admittedly, this is a bit of a stab in the dark and some out-of-the-box thinking, so much so that I have had to request Iroko - 16/117.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - be added to the Ultima Handicap market, as no bookmaker had him priced. He has been trained with the Grand National in mind all season and ridden to protect his handicap rating for the big day. However, I expect him to run encouragingly on Trials Day at Cheltenham but not hit the winner's enclosure before the Grand National weights are announced.

They will not want to risk his rating before the National weights and I doubt they want to spend a whole season banking on the competitive 30-runner National for his only win of the campaign.

I expect him to go to Cheltenham, given he is owned by JP McManus, was rushed to the Turners from injury last year and is a Cheltenham Festival winner. He has no Gold Cup or Ryanair entry, so a handicap will be his only destination. The big selling point of this selection is that the handicap weights for the Grand National come out before the Cheltenham Festival, and I expect he will attempt the Corach Rambler route from the Ultima Handicap into the Grand National without a penalty.

The case for Iroko is that he has the potential to be competing in Grade 1 contests and a move down into a handicap for the first time since winning the Martin Pipe, could see him to best effect. He is rated 152, and he is unexposed at 3m over fences. He ticks plenty of boxes, and if I am right, once people cotton on, he will go off single figures and possibly favourite. Take the chance with me at 16/117.00 for the Ultima Handicap.


Now read: More Horse Racing Tips Here.


Recommended bets

DARYL'S ANTE-POST LIST

Back Ballyburn to win the Brown Advisory @ 5/16.00 1pt win

Back Inthepocket to win the Arkle @ 14/115.00 1pt win

Back Inothewayurthinkin to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup @ 10/111.00 1pt win

Back Fou de Toi to win the Triumph Hurdle @ 33/134.00 1pt win

Back Sweet David to win the X Country Handicap Chase at Cheltenham @ 10/111.00 1pt win

Back Sir Gino to win the Champion Hurdle at 11/26.50 1pt win

Back It's For Me to win the Arkle @ 33/134.00 1pt win

Back Langer Dan to win the Stayers Hurdle @ 33/134.00 2pt win

Back Kopek Des Bordes to win the Supreme Novice Hurdle @ 25/126.00 1pt win

Back Il Est Francais to win the Ryanair @ 12/113.00 1pt win

Back Koktail Divin to win the Albert Bartlett @ 25/126.00 1pt

Back Kopek Des Bordes to win the Turners Novice Hurdle @ 10/111.00 1pt

Back Anzadam to win the Champion Hurdle @ 12/113.00 1pt

Back Be Aware to win the Coral Cup at 14/115.00 1pt win

Back Iroko to win the Ultima Handicap @ 16/117.00 1pt win

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