CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2015 -- DAY 1 TUESDAY

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL– TUESDAY MARCH 10th 2015
1.30pm 2m 110yds Supreme Novices Hurdle	Supreme Novices Hurdle  And we’re off…  A race that will revolve around the first Irish banker of the meeting DOUVAN and how short he'll be and where the opposition will come from. (Trainer Willie Mullins has 7 of the 17 at the 5 day declaration stage, and now 4 of the 12 overnight decs).  Will be expecting anything and everything ridden by the champion jockey AP McCoy to be well supported so JOLLYALLEN at 12/1 probably going to be single figures come the off so we'll aim to get that in the place markets early on.  Result -- 1st DOUVAN 2/1F
2.05pm 2m Arkle Chase	Arkle Challenge Trophy Another even shorter priced Willie Mullins favourite here, it's going to be difficult to get UN DE SCEAUX beat but at odds of 4/7 going into the race I've got to be a layer. Has been odds on fav all the way through his career, yet to meet this sort of ground and the hill is an unknown. Enough reasons to lay at that price. -- Fair play made all jumped well.  Going for a couple of big priced ones for this and they are GODS OWN (40/1) and SAIL BY THE SEA (33/1). Result -- 1st UN DE SCEAUX 4/6F, 2nd GODS OWN 33/1.  Happy that the place result comfortably covered the lay of the short fav. Good start vs the bookies though.
2.40pm 3m 1f Festival H'cap Chase	Festival Handicap Chase The first of the "Get your lucky pin out" handicap for this years festival, 24 declared for the 3m+ contest, I've had a few short-listed for this and narrowed it down to two with fair EW chance and they are SMART FREDDY (33/1) and GALLANT OSCAR (16/1).  Once again expect the McCoy horse PENDRA to go off market leader and try to replicate the win of JP's Holywell from last year. Result -- 1st THE DRUIDS NEPHEW 8/1 GALLANT OSCAR -- 3rd 9/1 SMART FREDDY -- 10th 33/1 Another good place result here.
3.20pm 2m 110yds Champion Hurdle	Champion Hurdle  Only a field of 8 standing as of Monday, the fav wil be FAUGHEEN unbeaten in 8 career starts has been campaigned over in the UK before now winning the Christmas hurdle last time out. Clearly top draw and won the Neptune Novice race here last year. WON 4/5F THE NEW ONE looks the likely danger from these shores, but I still wouldn't rule out the former champion HURRICANE FLY who I will be backing in the place markets for sure.  Result -- 1st FAUGHEEN 4/5F HURRICANE FLY -- 3rd 8/1  More place success for us, could do with a nice winner though.
4.00pm 2m 4f Mares Hurdle	"David Nicholson" Mares Hurdle (2m 4f) Ok it's now sponsored by OLBG and just called the Mares hurdle which I think is a little disrespectful. When you change the race name to celebrate a legend of the sport you should keep it that way unless there's someone more deserving of it (Sir Peter O'Sullivan for example) Anyway, onto the race, and what a shock, another Mullins trained odds on fav, ANNIE POWER looking to take over from the yards retired super-mare Quevega. Looks to have far too much in hand over these rivals and we'll just have a watching brief but maybe see if EMILY GRAY (40/1) and L'UNIQUE (20/1) can have a say in chasing her home. Result --
4.40pm 4m NH Chase (Amateur Riders)	Toby Balding National Hunt Handicap Chase (4m) A field of 17 has been declared for the National Hunt Chase, run this year in memory of Cheltenham Gold Cup- and Grand National-winning trainer Toby Balding, who died last year Remains a classic long distance race for the Amateur riders, and will sure test both horse and riders stamina over the fences.  The likes of SEGO SUCCESS has a strong rider with Sam Waley-Cohen, but he's never ridden him before and looks too short a price for such a race. A similar statement can be said for VERY WOOD who looks vulnerable.  Both beaten, 5th 9/2 and 10th 7/2F respectively. PERFECT GENTLEMAN has the assistance of the able PW Mullins (yes that name again) and he's been on board for most of his outings, only 15 career runs for this 10yo seems lightly raced and though it's a step up in trip is a decent price to take a chance on. 4th 10/1 Result -- 1st CAUSE OF CAUSES
5.15pm 2m 4f Centenary Novices Chase	Centenary Novices Handicap Chase (2m 4f) And we close the first day of this years festival with a 20 runner chase, not a race that has a lot to be excited about in fact you probably best saving your money for tomorrow.  But Venetia Williams' yard does well here, and she has two which would be worth a good EW look COLD MARCH and VIVACCIO at around the 33/1 mark  Pulled up 33/1 and 12th 66/1 respectively. Result -- 1st IRISH CAVALIER ENJOY YOUR CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL

GOOD LUCK
RESULTS SHOULD APPEAR DURING THE COURSE OF THE AFTERNOON