Events / Graham Cunningham / 23 January 2009 /

The good news is that Cheltenham looks sure to beat the weather for Trials Day this weekend. But the bad news is that the ground could be very demanding indeed. Racing UK and betmaverick.com analyst Graham Cunningham runs the rule over the big races and a couple more issues which have been on his mind this week.

Swim with the Tidal as Cheltenham beats the rainstorms

If you are a hippo there is nothing quite like it for cooling the blood.

But whether it will be a case of glorious mud on Trials day at Cheltenham this Saturday depends on which horses you follow.

The forecast for heavy rain was swiftly followed by a gamble on Halcon Genelardais for the Letheby & Christopher Chase at 2.35, but I'm not convinced. Alan King's popular warhorse will almost certainly get outpaced on the final circuit over three miles and I'm a layer rather than a backer at anything up to [4.0].

Nominating the best win bet is tough. Star de Mohaison ran a screamer in a big handicap here in December, but does he really thrive in very deep ground?

I have nagging doubts, but his stablemate Nozic handles the mud very well and is in the form of his life after an impressive Wetherby win which was franked when Cloudy Lane landed the Peter Marsh at Haydock last week.

Tidal Bay finished second in the Wetherby race and, in theory, should take his revenge with a hefty weight pull. Howard Johnson's gelding has never been out of the first two and will be a danger to all if he jumps well, while Joe Lively can't be written off either under these conditions.

In short, conditions will be crucial here. A small lay of Halcon could be the safest option, but Tidal Bay is too good a horse to be trading at an each way price for a race like this and a decent round of jumping will make him a big threat to all.

* * *

Punchestowns and Walkon to cement their Festival claims

The king is dead, long live the king.

In the week when the mighty Inglis Drever retired it would be fitting if Punchestowns confirmed himself the staying heir apparent in the Cleeve Hurdle at 3.45.

Nicky Henderson's chestnut was hugely impressive in the Long Walk Hurdle. Indeed, in pure ratings terms that Ascot success compares favourably with what Inglis Drever achieved at his formidable best.

He's very hard to oppose even at skinny odds here, while Walkon fully deserves to be favourite for the Finesse Hurdle at 3.10.

Granted, Reve de Sivola keeps improving with experience and has a handy 7lb pull having finished five lengths behind Walkon at Chepstow over Christmas.

However, Walkon showed a good turn of foot to settle matters there and, unless this turns into a real grind, his speed up the hill could be decisive again.

* * *

Great Leighs episode sends a warning shot

Just four months ago they were talking excitedly about staging Breeders' Cup trials and attracting horses of the calibre of Duke of Marmalade.

But now the team behind Great Leighs racecourse have been engulfed by a mountain of debt which raises doubts about when or even if the Essex venue will see meaningful racing action again.

No-one with the best interests of racing at heart will take pleasure from this sorry episode and, without wishing to spread doom and gloom, it would come as no surprise to see other tracks struggle before the recession is out.

But for the moment the bean counters are picking over the bones of Britain's newest racecourse with a view to deciding what the future holds.

And, as resident Great Leighs cheerleader Derek "Thommo" Thompson might say: "Theyre not messing about."

* * *

This teardrop makes me want to explode....

Medics in white coats are calling it the revolving teardrop syndrome.

The symptoms are simple and involve a patient staring at a computer screen while a grey circle of tear shaped icons whirr ever more slowly.

To those unfamiliar with this new complaint, I refer to the trance like state induced while waiting for pages on the shiny new Racing Post website to update.

We all know the march of technology sometimes slows to a crawl, but many of those who rely on the Post's impeccable database for their form study are being forced to operate in second gear at the moment.

Is there a cure for it? That's down to the IT boffins at Canary Wharf. Let's hope they speed it up soon. Otherwise there could be tears before bedtime.

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>

:

:

:

?

: