Daryl Carter launches into Day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival, with a range of selections across the seven race card at Prestbury Park. Check out his tips below, alongside a superb Paddy Power offer, which gives new customers a £10 Free Bet Thru The Card, When they bet on the Supreme Novices Hurdle.
CONSTITUTION HILL – (1.30 Cheltenham, 3pts win – 5/2)
Mighty Potter, Jonbon and Dysart Dynamo are feared in that order, but CONSTITUTION HILL is the horse that has excited me most this season. His debut win at Sandown on good to soft ground was an emphatic victory, and there is a case to be made that he would have prefered a stronger pace to aim at – one he will get here.
He scooted away from his rivals, recording the fastest closing splits across the two-day meeting and given that was his debut performance on a race track, and on the back of a 224-day break, it was an eye-popping victory. He backed that up in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle, which has seen the fourth and fifth give the form a boost, and he again finished off his race strongly. He jumps well, travels powerfully and has an excellent turn of foot. He is one of two Grade 1 winning hurdlers in the field, and the five-year-old is open to significant progression after just two starts. Klassical Dream and Appreciate It both won Grade 1’s on their second start over hurdles, and he can follow in their footsteps here.
Dysart Dynamo could get a soft lead on the front end, which would be concerning, but he needs to handle the prelims and is a buzzy horse that has done his best work in the midsection of races and has not finished off strongly previously still he is one I would like to get in the book if prices allow on the Exchanges. Constitution Hill can be placed anywhere in a race and be a threat, and he looks like a special horse, so I want to go hard on this first race.
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RED ROOKIE – (2.10 Cheltenham, 0.5pt each-way – 100/1) (4 places, Paddy Power, William Hill, Betfred) (3 places, Bet365, Betfair)
RED ROOKIE was a big fancy for the Grand Annual, but connections have decided to come here instead. He will need to improve significantly according to the ratings, but he has not had the opportunity to run a big figure yet, and he has proved he is capable in parts. He has had just three starts over fences and has looked impressive in the two completed ones.
He will relish this strong pace, and he could cause a surprise by hitting the frame here. His 100/1 price tag looks rather insulting in a race that lacks any stand out star. I firmly expect the Irish to boss this race, but in the hope that Red Rookie is ridden to pick up the pieces off of this expected strong gallop, he could reward each-way backers with bookies offering four places.
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GERICAULT ROQUE – (2.50 Cheltenham – 1pt each-way 12/1) (7 places)
GERICAULT ROQUE has a bit to do here now five pounds out of the handicap, but I still think this is at least a 145 horse (7 pounds plus in hand). His form this season is rock solid, and he arrives on the upgrade after finishing second the last three times. He bumped into Pat’s Fancy when going down by 1/2 a length, who is now rated 143 (18lbs higher) when doing best of those from the rear in a steadily run race.
He then bumped into Saint Palais, going down by 1 3/4 lengths and that one is now rated 145. He fell victim to Eclair Surf at Warwick when given too much to do in midfield over one that had the run of the race and is now 14lbs higher. He will get this race run to suit, and his owners have tasted success in this contest in the past. He has been knocking on the door, and this six-year-old is firmly on the upgrade. The tongue-tie goes back on today (won when fitted earlier this year), and he has all the ingredients to make into a useful Novice/Handicap Chaser.
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FANTASTIKAS – (2.50 Cheltenham – 1pt each-way, 11/1) (7 places)
FANTASTIKAS has been on the radar for this contest for a long while, and he has the size and scope to prove much better than this mark in due course now over the correct trip. He arrives on the back of a career-best RPR, and he was far better than the winning margin suggests at Lingfield when idling in front.
Similar can be said when running on strongly behind the useful L’Homme Presse at Cheltenham on his penultimate start over a trip too short. He won in good style at Linfield earlier in the season, and his run behind Threeunderthrufive at Doncaster is easily forgiven. This track suits as does a sounder surface.
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NOBLE YEATS – (2.50 Cheltenham – 1pt each-way, 9/1) (7 places)
NOBLE YEATS has been on the radar for quite some time, and we are yet to see the best of this horse. And he arrives here on the back of an encouraging second to the very smart Ahoy Senor at Wetherby. He has been plotted for this race since the start of the season, and while a handicap mark of 147 looks high on balance, he is very unexposed over this 3m trip.
This is usually a race for the English, but Noble Yeats has an excellent win at Galway to his name that makes him look fairly treated. Ironically, his two runs this season with the hood on – the two of his three-over 3m – can easily be forgiven when not put in the race, and his latest run was very eye-catching.
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APPRECIATE IT – (3.30 Cheltenham – 1pt win, 4/1)
I’ve never really been totally convinced by Honeysuckle, in all honesty, and that’s just my opinion, so I naturally want to have a crack at her here, given no mare has ever won two Champion Hurdles. APPRECIATE IT doesn’t have that much to find with her, and he looks a potential start on what he achieved last season.
He has missed engagements before this run on purpose to come here fresh, and I like that angle. Willie decided not to run in the Irish Champion Hurdle or at Gowran Park, and he has used this angle to excellent success in the past at the Festival. On the comparison between the Supreme and Champion Hurdle last term, there is not much between himself and the favourite, and he will be ready for his life for this contest today. She hasn’t faced a horse of his quality and potential yet, and that could be telling come 3.35. He gets my vote.
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TELMESOMTHINGGIRL – (4.10 Cheltenham – 2pts each-way,10/3) (5 places Skybet, 4 places generally)
TELMESOMETHINGGIRL scooted up the hill in the Mares Novice Hurdle last season, and her trainer has been bold in saying he has worked back from this race all season. She easily came off the best at the weights at Leopardstown last time out, and that would have put her spot on for this.
This 2 1/2 miles is her ideal trip, and back on a sounder surface with a strong pace to aim at, she ticks all the boxes. Stormy Ireland and Heaven Help Us, along with Western Victory, will ensure this is a good test of stamina, and that could prove the undoing of Echoes In Rain. Queens Brook is feared the most, while Maries Rock may play a hand in proceedings.
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GAELIC WARRIOR – (4.50 Cheltenham – 1pt win – 5/2)
GAELIC WARRIOR’S French form entitles him to be rated at least 137/138 in my book and given he has switched to one of the most powerful yards in the National Hunt sphere improvement is highly likely.
His handicap rating of 129 could potentially be very lenient given there were multiple graded winners in behind him on his final start in Auteuil and the fact that he has big field experience on his side is just another positive. He jumps well and is a strong finisher and on his French form he wouldn’t look out of place in the Triumph Hurdle (had an entry). There doesn’t look to be too much to be getting excited about in behind him either.
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PETIT TONNERRE – (4:50pm Cheltenham – 0.5pts each-way, 25/1)
PETIT TONNERRE scraped home at Market Rasen over Presuming Ed but did plenty wrong on that first start for 165 days and for his first start over British Hurdles. His jockey was pulling double in the home straight when giving away stacks of weight to a course specialist who had the run of the race and if not for a blunder at the second last and last he would have won by a good distance.
That in turn is likely a blessing given he only went up three pounds in the weights and his best days are certainly in front of him on that evidence. He has some strong French form also – some that makes Gaelic Warrior look ridiculously well treated! But he is worth a small punt each way at big odds.
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DARYL CARTER’S BEST BETS
CONSTITUTION HILL – (1.30 Cheltenham, 3pts win – 5/2)
RED ROOKIE – (2.10 Cheltenham, 0.5pt each-way – 100/1) (4 places, Paddy Power, William Hill, Betfred) (3 places, Bet365, Betfair)
GERICAULT ROQUE – (2.50 Cheltenham – 1pt each-way 12/1) (7 places)
FANTASTIKAS – (2.50 Cheltenham – 1pt each-way, 11/1) (7 places)
NOBLE YEATS – (2.50 Cheltenham – 1pt each-way, 9/1) (7 places)
APPRECIATE IT – (3.30 Cheltenham – 1pt win, 4/1).
TELMESOMTHINGGIRL – (4.10 Cheltenham – 2pts each-way,10/3) (5 places Skybet, 4 places generally)
GAELIC WARRIOR – (4.50 Cheltenham – 1pt win – 5/2)
PETIT TONNERRE – (4:50pm Cheltenham – 0.5pts each-way, 25/1)
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