Upping The Ante – Episode 8

Another week closer to Cheltenham and another episode of Upping The Ante, brought to you by presenting pals and regular duo Gavin Lynch and David Jennings. As usual, the expert Lynch gives us a rundown of those horses that caught his eye this weekend, a comprehensive list of thirteen runners from the week’s action who look sure to figure in the coming spring months. We publish our own Cheltenham Clues every week that you can view here.

Whereas last week’s focus was on the novice hurdlers, today’s attention turns to the novice chasers, a similarly challenging task for the pair given the twist and turns of this year’s division with players such as Lalor, Santini and Kalashnikov’s stars ebbing and waning with regular occurrence. Nevertheless, they give their expert previews of the RSA, the Arkle, the JLT and the National Hunt Chase, with the pair revealing selections in both the latter two races that look sure to go off a lot shorter than current betting says.

Of course, not every betting angle at Cheltenham is entirely dependent on equine performances, with the fiercely contested trainers’ title given attention today. Sponsors redzone.bet are currently 2/1 for three trainers, behemoths of the game, Nicky Henderson, Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott, with Lynch pinpointing the one trainer who looks a poor price to win the title. Lynch runs through a list of all these three’s leading fancies, revealing their bankers and possible winners, in a list that provides a further useful compilation of the contenders come March-time. The same treatment is given to the Prestbury Cup, with the British contingent revealed to be the value bet, who can be backed at 13/8.

As well as providing the usual enhancements, redzone.bet also revealed their biggest potential loser, one that all bookies are surely worried about come March, and where their biggest liabilities lay. Given today’s enhancements, their liabilities look sure to be ramped up given their generous nature.

• Waiting Patiently – Ryanair Chase from 6/1 out to 8/1 – now that his destination has been pinpointed by connections, he can be backed with confidence. The highest-rated in the field, three-pounds higher than his nearest rival, he travels well and should handle the track, particularly with the excellent Brian Hughes onboard. He looks a great bet at the prices considering that some of his main rivals may not turn up, and given that he is considered to be good enough to win a Gold Cup, he could prove to be a class above.
• Mister Fisher – Supreme Novices’ Hurdle from 11/1 out to 14/1 – an impressive winner of a Supreme Trial on Saturday at Haydock, which has churned out numerous high-class performers in the past, he is a grossly under-rated horse who has far better form in the book than his main rivals in the betting. For Jennings, his win on Boxing Day was the best novice hurdling display all season, and given reports that James Bowen was blown away by his speed, he can get your festival off to a flyer.