Over the last few days of the Festival, there are some favourites that look to have a brilliant chance, and I have outlined the chances of a few of them in a couple of my previous pieces for the page, and how they may run. You may be looking for some horses at bigger, more competitive prices – and this article will look to profile a few of them that could well outrun their odds come the end of the week.
Coral Cup – The Shunter
The Coral Cup is one of the trickiest handicaps of the week and this handicap hurdle over the intermediate trip of two miles and five furlongs looks just as competitive this year. However, there is a horse in this race that I've been keen on for the last few weeks and I've been desperately hoping that Emmet Mullins brings The Shunter to this race. Off a seven-pound lower mark than his chase mark, The Shunter, who won at last year's festival, must have a cracking chance in this race and the booking of Mark Walsh looks a big positive. His hurdle form last year was very good including winning at this track in the Greatwood hurdle and winning the Morebattle hurdle. At an each way price of around 8/1 - he'd have to have a chance.
Pertemps Final – Born Patriot
In the Pertemps Network final over 3 miles on Thursday, I quite like the look of the unexposed Peter Fahey trained horse, Born Patriot. This horse came over to Cheltenham back in October when finishing second in a three-mile handicap hurdle. He was well backed that day and he probably would have won without jumping a little bit sloppy in the last couple of furlongs. The layout of the new course at Cheltenham is likely to suit his running style that bit more and at an enormous price of 20/1 - he is certainly worth a play
Kim Muir – Smoking Gun
The Kim Muir Handicap Chase is one of the few races for amateur riders at this year's festival and as a result looks a typically competitive affair. Gordon Elliott looks to have a stranglehold on the race with the favored Frontal Assault leading the charge with Rob James taking the ride. However, I quite like the stablemate of that horse, Smoking Gun - that represents a little bit more each way value. His form coming into this race is strong given he's won a Porterstown Chase and ran well in defeat last time out. He has the bonus of having Jamie Codd on board and should run a great race off a mark of 140.
Albert Bartlett – Bardenstown Lad
My final Each Way selection of the week comes in the Albert Bartlett which is the three-mile Grade One novice hurdle. All year long I have been banging on about one horse for this race and it is the John McConnell trained, Bardenstown Lad, who seems to fit an awful lot of the trends required to win this race. He is a battle-hardened horse and has already won ay this course back in October time when managing to get the better of Dragon Bones on the old course. The new course is likely to suit Bardenstown Lad a lot more, with a lot more galloping to do later in the race, which will suit his staying type of attitude. He will hopefully be coming up the hill a lot better than most, and at a price of 8/1 - he looks a very fair each way bet.
SEE ALSO: Cheltenham: World Famous Balls.ie Tipster Table For Day 2
