Mini Jury: myracing experts provide their Cheltenham Festival best bets

The road to the 2021 Cheltenham Festival is nearly concluded. Our team of tipsters have had their heads in the form book for months, watching replays and keeping their eyes and ears open for any clues. We will have free horse racing tips for all twenty-eight races at the festival. Below are their jury verdicts of the best bets of the week, the outsiders who look overpriced and the favourites our team are happy to take on.

Who’s the NAP of the week?

Adrian

Appreciate It was second in the Champion Bumper last season, and arrives to Cheltenham off the back of successive Grade 1 wins in Ireland. Mullins has won the Supreme a record six times, it is a race that he farms. It is difficult to see what can beat him – he has battered Ballyadam already this term and Metier will need to improve again to lay down a challenge.

Matt

Chasing has been the making of Elimay. Just three lengths behind Allaho at Thurles two starts back, that is the standout form in the new mares chase. Drying conditions will suit her, said to have got rather stuck in the mud last time before winning over a trip short of her best.

Owen

I can’t get away from Bob And Co, who bids to give Paul Nicholls a record fifth win in the Hunters’ Chase. He returned from an absence to decimate a smart field at Haydock last month and better can be expected up in trip. Billaway’s price is indicative of the yard he hails from and Nicholls’ standard-setting representative should be a much shorter price.

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What outsider can outrun their odds?

Adrian

The Ryanair promises to be the race of the week on paper but lurking at huge odds, Kalashnikov seems to be the forgotten horse. Runner-up in the 2018 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, he is a Grade 1 winner over fences. He hit a low of 1.1 in-running when second to Mister Fisher in the Peterborough Chase at this track in December. There is no way he should be four times the price of that runner for this and drying ground is a plus.

Matt

I’ve already put up one for whom 100-1 is insulting but another that I like at big odds is Bacardys. You only have to go back to November to find him finishing four lengths behind Honeysuckle over an inadequate two and a half miles. Placed in this last year, the ground is coming for him.

Owen

I’m extremely sweet on the chances of Amoola Gold, who has improved beyond recognition this season. He got within a neck of First Flow in an Ascot handicap two starts back and bumped into rejuvenated Sky Pirate at Warwick last time. He meets that rival, who is over half his price, on four-pound better terms this time and as a hold-up performer who wants a strong pace, this is his ideal scenario.

What favourite would you lay?

Adrian

I would be more than happy to take on Paisley Park in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the current prices. I think he was at his very best in 2019, posting an RPR of 172 when thumping West Approach by 12 lengths that January before posting an RPR of 168 when beating Sam Spinner in this race. Finished 7th in the race last year and his last four RPR’s have averaged well below his best. He will have plenty of stern opposition to deal with too.

Matt

Controversial perhaps but Concertista. Willie Mullins has farmed this race which has led to her being odds on. Her form isn’t strong enough to justify her being that price in what is by far the stiffest task she has been presented with against others who love this track.

Owen

Plenty will disagree, but I’m opposing Chacun Pour Soi. He’s the form horse in the race, but Willie Mullins has an awful record in the Champion Chase and we have no idea whether he’ll handle Cheltenham. This isn’t as uncompetitive as the market suggests and I couldn’t dream of backing him at his current price against some talented opposition.

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