The Neighsayers - Cheltenham Challenge #3

Fresh of the back of a Christmas break, the lads are resuming there Cheltenham challenge and add one more selection each to the list. There's been plenty of quality racing and there's no doubt that's influenced some of the lads decisions.

Swanny - @swan1_oliver

My selection for this weeks Festival Blog comes in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle. 

Croke Park is a horse I’m keen to see upped to 3m over hurdles. A 6 figure purchase after a PTP win, this horse was last seen scoring at odds on in a 2m 4 novice hurdle at Navan. 

He will line up in the Lawlors of Naas hurdle Saturday, where I expect a big run in heavier favoured ground. Ultimately, I see this horses distance over further after this coming Sunday, where he may find a few of his rivals more suited to the trip. 

The novice 3m hurdle sphere is very uninspiring currently but I see him lining up in the Bartlett in March, and believe he is a solid play at this stage. 

Selection - Croke Park (18/1 Unibet, 16/1 General)

Elliot - @elliotwhite5

My third selection is the Willie Mullins trained Ashroe Diamond for the Mares hurdle. She was antepost second fav for last years mares novice before missing the race in favour of the G1 at fairyhouse where she hosed up by 5 lengths.

She returned this year in the Hatton’s Grace with an eye-catching third behind Teahupoo and Impaire et passé, travelling well into the straight before finding the geldings too good. She was given a very easy time on ground softer than advertised which probably wouldn’t have suited.

Now the current favourite Lossiemouth could be too good but she’s definitely short enough with all she has to prove, will she stay?Will she be able to do it outside of 4 year old company?The latter can be said again for the second fav Gala Marceau. Another negative for that pair is that we are now getting into January, 10 weeks til the festival and they are yet to be seen. So they can definitely be taken on.

The current 8/1 floating about for Ashroe Diamond definitely represents value to me, I have personally played each way as I think she’s solid enough to turn up and run her race.

Mares Hurdle-Ashroe Diamond 

8/1 (Bet 365, Betfair, Paddy Power)

Blackie  - @lukeblack85

Something a bit different from me this week with two short price selections combining to make what I think is as solid a double as you are likely to get 3 months out from ‘The Fez’. This is not my usual style when punting antepost however I think there is potential to steal a fair bit of value on the subsequently mentioned horses even at their current prices.

Marine Nationale Arkle (Evens)

An old favourite finally returns to the blog this week after almost a year absence. As extremely long term followers may remember, Marine Nationale kicked us off with a winner in The Festival opener when somewhat sluicing up in the Supreme last campaign and I make him, In the words of Jamie Codd, a god given certainty to add a second Cheltenham victory to his CV as long as he makes it to the Sporting Life Arkle in one piece. Despite a lack of opposition he made a stunning introduction to fences, taking to the task like a duck to water and reminding us just what a talent he is on his first start since March. The 2 mile novice  chase division is one severely lacking in depth and a pre Cheltenham clash against most of his likely opposition in the Arkle looks almost guaranteed at next months Dublin Racing Festival. Once he dispatches of these inferior rivals with the ease I expect his current odds of even money for the showpiece 2 mile novice event of the season will capitulate further meaning now is the time to get on, I can definitely envisage a scenario where that 2nd tuesday in March arrives and we have a 2/5 1/3 poke on our hands.

Gaelic Warrior Turners (Evens) 

We have seen some seriously impressive novice chasers this season and another one who’s made a seemless transition to the larger obstacles goes by the name of Gaelic Warrior. An extremely talented hurdler, he cemented himself as one the top novices of last season when dishing out a 10 length beating to Affordale Fury over 3 miles at Punchestown in April. If you think this was impressive however, fast forward 7 months to his next start where he put up a chasing debut for the ages and one that will certainly live long in the memory of many, beating some talented horses in an absolute canter and confirming his status as a possible top notcher (despite the questionable efforts of some in behind). There was no questioning of the opposition’s intentions on his next and most recent start in the grade 1 at Limerick though and he again simply galloped some above average horses into sibmission in brutal fashion. 

Willie Mullins holds all the aces in this division and despite Blood Destinys exciting start over fences (may still drop down to 2 miles), Gaelic Warrior is a potential Superstar and outside of the Closutton inmate am struggling to see what can even begin to live him. There is always the concern of him jumping right when tackling a left handed track once again but in true cliche style I think fences have certainly been the making of this horse and this is not a worry in my eyes. With the likely difference of Market Rivals and a further start probable (he has a couple of options) before he lines up in the Turners in March, I can sense another price collapse incoming.

Combining these selections gives you a tasty 3/1 docket, a price that will definitely not exist when the highlight of the National Hunt season  is finally upon us

Marine Nationale Arkle Evens + Gaelic Warrior Turners Evens - Win Double = 3/1

The selections so far...

@swan1_oliver	@lukeblack85	@elliotwhite5
Love Envoi Mares Hurdle 12/1	Klassical Dream NHC 20/1	Edwarstone Ryanair 20/1
Three Card Brag Browns  40/1	Down Memory Lane Ballymore 16/1	Jango Baie Supreme 33/1
Croke Park Bartlett 16/1	Marine Nationale + Gaelic Warrior 3/1	Ashroe Diamond Mares 8/1