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Saturday 21st November

In the last week, we have definitely seen plenty of Cheltenham hopefuls strut their stuff. In particular, I was very impressed by both Ferny Hollow and Bob Olinger on their hurdling debuts yesterday. I will be surprised if both don't feature prominently among the top novices this season. What an embarassment of riches Cheveley Park have and their biggest problem could be trying to split Ballyadam and Ferny Hollow!! From last weekend at Cheltenham, one to keep an eye on might be Simply The Betts if he steps up in trip as to my eyes he appears to be crying out for it at this stage. Finally in the weekly review, I thought Saint Roi enhanced his Champion Hurdle claims last week as it was an improvement on his previous form. Some were disappointed he didn't win but he was stepping into an open Grade 1 for the first time and literally everything went wrong in the race. I was impressed with what he found after coming under pressure and at the moment he looks the main danger to the reigning champ. However, he will have to improve again (as will the rest) to give Epatante what could prove to be a crucial mares allowance at the Festival.

Moving on, there are many small field Graded races across the cards today. While they will undoubtedly be very interesting to watch, there aren't too many glaringly obvious betting opportunities. I was tempted by Clan Des Obeaux earlier in the week but the market has corrected itself and 9/4 doesn't seem too generous. There are question marks about quite a few that look likely winners and at short prices, I don't like to have any nagging doubts. 

In terms of a selection, I am putting my faith in the Alan King stable once again. The yard has been a big favourite with the blog so far and his Who Dares Wins looks overpriced in the difficult 3m handicap hurdle at 2.25. The horse hasn't run over hurdles since April 2018 but he has been running well both over fences and on the flat in the interim. At the 2018 Festival, he finished 5th in the Pertemps won by Delta Work (off a 2lb higher mark) and in the previous years Coral Cup, he ran Supasundae to four and a half lengths getting only 2lb off him. Those runs suggest he is at least handicapped to be placed and he has run very well off a short break many times before. The stable are in very good form again and he won at Royal Ascot earlier this year so he certainly isn't regressing, nor should he be, at the age of 8. While he may be exposed to a degree, he hasn't had any other chance at this trip over hurdles apart from the Pertemps and he looks a real stayer on the flat.  He may not have the progressive looking profile of some of the opposition here but these staying handicap hurdles take a lot of winning and this battle-hardened horse will be hard to keep out of the frame. The market leaders both ran to a similar level as the selection in this years Pertemps and they are a quarter of the price. In an open contest, he looks the value.


0.5pt eway Who Dares Wins (22/1 Paddy Power, Betfair, Unibet, 20/1 General) Haydock 2.25 *use BOG firms, paying 6 places)


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