Cheltenham 2021 Antepost

Hulk Hands wrote: »

BDD is still 50/50 for this race no? The interview with Colreevys owners where they said they'll be going to Limerick and used having to give BDD weight in the mares chase as a reason would make you think it could be here. Elimay will have to give her 3lb I think also.

Elimay has certainly improved for fences but that shambles of a run in the mares hurdle would give you second thoughts. She certainly shouldn't be NRNB fav over BDD. Antepost, yes perhaps. I'd still take the likes of Dame de compagne over her at double the price, if she ran. BDD goes off in the 5/4 region if she comes here imo.

Put the Kettle on would be a danger also and she's a fair price at 6s NRNB

Henry de Bromhead has been consistent in all reports that Put The Kettle On is going for the Champion. Yes, NRNB, get your money back, no loss.

Depends who you listen to re BDD. I think she is 50/50 for the festival and as likely to go for the hurdle as here. Hardly ideal to have her first chase in 3 years in the Mares but even so, Id be happy to take her on. I think she is more likely to take on Concertista in the hurdle. Again, if punting on her NRNB.

Mullins has been pretty clear since the Kinloch Brae that a) Coolreevy woudln't be sure to go to Cheltenham - not wanting to run a novice in an open race and with valuable opportunities in Ireland b) that Elimay would be going after prepping in the Opera Hat.

Elimay is a completely different horse over fences, and the mares hurdle run doesnt bother me in the slightest. The day she announced herself as one to watch was she she was hammering Sinoria at Cork.

I thought DDC would have been a threat - same ownership of course, but was falling out of the back of the field before being brought down last time out. That was very disappointing. I would have feared her more if she had come from Ayr to Cheltenham.

Always fun to poke holes in the favourite, but she is 3/1. Annie Mc is the main danger.

What race for shattered love?

Think people underestimate the run from Elimay
2 weeks after giving Allaho plenty, and she flew up the hill.
Good winner. Good fav

Altior straight to Cheltenham also, I'd say he'll be pulled on the day again...

Morgans wrote: »

Henry de Bromhead has been consistent in all reports that Put The Kettle On is going for the Champion. Yes, NRNB, get your money back, no loss.

Depends who you listen to re BDD. I think she is 50/50 for the festival and as likely to go for the hurdle as here. Hardly ideal to have her first chase in 3 years in the Mares but even so, Id be happy to take her on. I think she is more likely to take on Concertista in the hurdle. Again, if punting on her NRNB.

Mullins has been pretty clear since the Kinloch Brae that a) Coolreevy woudln't be sure to go to Cheltenham - not wanting to run a novice in an open race and with valuable opportunities in Ireland b) that Elimay would be going after prepping in the Opera Hat.

Elimay is a completely different horse over fences, and the mares hurdle run doesnt bother me in the slightest. The day she announced herself as one to watch was she she was hammering Sinoria at Cork.

I thought DDC would have been a threat - same ownership of course, but was falling out of the back of the field before being brought down last time out. That was very disappointing. I would have feared her more if she had come from Ayr to Cheltenham.

Always fun to poke holes in the favourite, but she is 3/1. Annie Mc is the main danger.

Looks like Benie might be out now alright, with DDC going back hurdling. PTKO's connections have been silent since DRF. QM was certainly the plan but getting stuffed so comprehensively must surely make them rethink. I can accept Elimay is a fair price at 3s alright, through sheer lack of opposition if nothing else. I'd definitely factor in that mares hurdle run but it may just have been a young horse overwhelmed by the occasion.

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Looks like Benie might be out now alright,

Howdie Hulk,

Just wondering why you said this? Has somebody said something?

Morgans wrote: »

The course form was the type of argument that put people off Epatante last year (at shorter prices than 3/1). Also, that was her second ever hurdle run in Willies. I think its being unnecessarily harsh to focus in on it. She looks like a far better chaser than hurdler. Maybe if you were looking to take her on at odds on, you could see it as an angle. I'm happy to stick with the best form.

Benie is Mccambridges if my source is correct .

The Tetrarch wrote: »

ITV to show six Cheltenham Festival races live each day for the first time.

It's working out well too, likes of the almost 4 miler and Kim Muir wont be on ITV so less likely to be as much outrage if they turn into a bit of a slog.

Deleted User wrote: »

My girl for the Stayer's Hurdle, Paul's Saga, running today in the 3:25 at Warwick.

Just had a little top-up @12s.

Pauls saga is 4-6 !

realdanbreen wrote: »

Just in case it went over your head-not winning a 6 horse race in Warwick when odds on wouldn't be a great indicator for Cheltenham.

christ on a bike

It has been a challenging season for Colin Tizzard, but his talented team has turned a corner at the right time just before the festival.

An old friend, Native River, gave the yard a major boost by winning the Cotswold Chase this month and the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner will bid to regain his crown in the prestigious Grade 1 next month.

The 11-year-old will be joined by several younger contenders, such as Lostintranslation, Fiddlerontheroof and The Big Breakaway, who is among the fancied contenders for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase.


"It has been a steady year for us and for whatever reason a few of ours were underperforming, but they've turned a corner," said Joe Tizzard, assistant trainer to father Colin. "It was great to have a few winners in the last couple of weeks and Native River gave us a huge boost.

"We might have a slightly smaller team than last season, but the quality is there. It's never easy to win at Cheltenham, but we'll get them there in the best condition and hopefully get a bit of luck."

Eldorado Allen
Festival entries: Sporting Life Arkle Novices' Chase; Marsh Novices' Chase

We thought he might have been an Arkle horse, but I don't think he is. He has a few options and could run in a handicap – we've got everything covered. He'd struggle to beat Shishkin, as we saw when he finished second to him at Doncaster, but he didn't lose anything in defeat and his time was good. Off a mark of 149 he'll probably be entered in a couple of handicaps, with the Grand Annual the most likely.

Fiddlerontheroof
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

We think he's a three-miler. He won the Tolworth over two miles last year and we've gradually stepped him up in trip this season. He's just come up against one a few times, but has run some crackers and ran a blinder when second to Next Destination at Warwick last time. He's got a live chance and is just the type for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase. As we step him up in trip he's getting better and better. He's been consistent this season, even while we've been a bit quiet, and he's got a massive day in him at some point. He's a seriously talented horse.

Fiddlerontheroof: has finished in the first two in all five of his starts this season
Fiddlerontheroof: has finished in the first two in all five of his starts this season
David Davies
L'Air Du Vent
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

I'm not sure he'll be good enough for the Grade 1. He's rated 137 and was disappointing last time, but he wasn't quite right. We're planning to give him a run before the festival and he could earn himself an entry in one of the handicaps, but he might perhaps be more of an Aintree horse. He's well handicapped and it was a solid win at Exeter on his penultimate start.

Lostintranslation
WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup

After he finished third last season, we said to ourselves we believed he was capable of winning a Gold Cup, and we still think the same. He's been a bit disappointing this year and had a little bleed in the King George. He seems to have turned a corner and is in beautiful form at home. He has the options of the rearranged Denman Chase or the Ascot Chase this weekend. On last year's run alone he has to have a good chance, and he could be a bit of a forgotten horse. He travelled so well in the race last year and wasn't beaten too far.

Native River
WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup

He came out of winning the Cotswold Chase at Sandown well and we were chuffed they rescheduled the race. This has always been the plan for him and he can be dangerous when he gets his conditions. His ability doesn't seem to have deteriorated at all. He won twice last season and lost nothing in defeat in the Many Clouds in December. He's possibly become more ground dependant with age and he'd want a bit of soft ground. He's been to three Gold Cups and has run well in all of them. He looks as good as ever and couldn't do any more at Sandown.

Gold Cup-bound: Lostintranslation (left) and Native River (right) could be heading to Cheltenham for Colin Tizzard
Gold Cup-bound: Lostintranslation (left) and Native River (right) could be heading to Cheltenham for Colin Tizzard
Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
Ofalltheginjoints
National Hunt Chase; Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

He'll also have an entry in the Ultima. You can scratch his last run when he was fourth at Doncaster. Before that he was a progressive young horse and I quite like him. He stays well on good ground. and is fairly handicapped and would be competitive off his mark. I'm not sure where he'll end up, but he deserves his place at the festival. The National Hunt Chase would probably be favourite for him at the moment.

Oscar Elite
Ballymore Novices' Hurdle; Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle

The Albert Barlett should be ideal for him. He didn't quite see his race out at Warwick over a shorter trip last time but travelled well for much of the race. I think he will take his chance. He's won his two novices and finished third at Exeter last time. He deserves to have a crack at a big one and should be a cracking chaser next year.

Sizing At Midnight
National Hunt Chase

He needs decent ground and looked like he had every chance of winning the Badger Beers Silver Trophy at Wincanton before falling. He has an entry at Kempton at the end of the month but we might give him a spin in a three-mile novice chase this week and then the National Hunt Chase would very much be on the cards. He's been very progressive and has not done an awful lot wrong for us.

The Big Breakaway
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase

He won nicely on his first start of the season before being beaten at Exeter, which was a bit of a balls-up on our part. We thought we'd give him a bit experience and run him over two and a half miles, but that backfired a little bit. His run in the Kauto Star at Kempton was brilliant. In hindsight he might have been ridden a bit closer to the pace, but we had to drop him in and teach him how to race. He still ran a blinder behind Shan Blue, who ran really well this month and franked the form. He's already won around Cheltenham and is probably our best chance at the festival. The plan next year will be the Gold Cup, and we're quite keen to give him plenty of experience.

The Big Breakaway: impressed on chasing debut at Cheltenham
The Big Breakaway: impressed on chasing debut at Cheltenham
Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
Reserve Tank
Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle

He's coming back after jarring himself up in the Marsh at last year's festival. He's won two Grade 1 novice hurdles, so is obviously a very good horse. We're going to run him in a handicap at Ascot at the weekend as a prep run, and if he does well he could go for the Stayers'. It's a bit of a recovery mission after a setback, but he's back in full work and when he's right he's an extremely talented horse. On his novice form you'd like to think he could be really competitive.

War Lord
Coral Cup

He could possibly go for the Coral Cup. He's had a good season and has been pretty consistent. He'll make a lovely chaser next year, but he's competitive in big handicap hurdles and won one at Haydock last year. The Coral Cup takes a lot of winning, but he might just sneak in and the 2m5f trip at Cheltenham would suit.

Remaining runners
The Tizzard yard will have a small-but-select team of handicappers, which could include Copperhead, who could attempt to bounce back to form in the Ultima, and Vision Des Flos, a possible runner in the Coral Cup.