Upping The Ante – Episode 5

It’s another week closer to Christmas, although far more importantly for us, we’re another week closer to Cheltenham. Concurrent to that great news, we’re pleased to announce that regular presenter David Jennings returns, with a sure-fire winner come March-time as way of an apology for some of his previous selections. Of course, the presenting duo start with their regular round-up of the week’s action from both sides of the Irish Sea, with this weekend’s International Meeting at Prestbury Park given particular attention. Those horses who staked a decent claim to festival glory this weekend included The Worlds End who could be seen in the RSA for which he is priced at around 16/1, after a twenty-six length victory on Friday. Further to that, Caspian Caviar Gold Cup winner Frodon, and his admirable jockey Bryony Frost were singled-out for praise, and the duo believe that he could be an interesting contender as he moves beyond handicap company. The duo provided their perpetually timely advice for the meeting, and advised caution regarding some horses, and suggested that the picture relating to Willie Mullins and his raft of live chances will be a lot clearer after Christmas. Don’t forget we also have our own Cheltenham Clues!

Of course, Christmas provides, barring mid-March, the best period of National Hunt racing of the year, and there were speculations on the festive period’s racing. The focus rightly turned to Kempton’s show-piece the King George, with Gavin Lynch suggesting that the one with the fewest questions to answer is Ruth Jefferson’s Waiting Patiently who is six-from-six over larger obstacles. David Jennings threw a spanner in the works with his selection, suggesting that the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained, and Haydock-specialist Bristol De Mai looks over-priced at 7/1 with sponsors redzone.bet.

The action over in the pair’s native Republic of Ireland more than matches what the UK has to offer, and there is no better man from whom to take advice about racing over there than Gavin Lynch. He provides a Christmas Lucky15 that looks jam-packed with festive cheer, with Road To Respect, whom is given particular attention in today’s Upping The Ante, representing very decent value at around 3/1 or 7/2 in the Leopardstown’s Savills Chase for Lynch. Further advice is provided for the following day’s Ryanair Hurdle, with Lynch believing that if Bedrock turns up, he would surely be over-priced at around 16/1 to defeat Samcro once more on good ground.

As we have become so accustomed, there are the usual enhancements provided by sponsors redzone.bet –

• Road To Respect – 14/1 out to 18/1 Gold Cup – if he is over-priced for his festive run at Leopardstown, he is surely over-priced for the Gold Cup come March-time at 18/1. Cheltenham plays to his strengths, and provided the ground is good, he is sure to go well having posted an admirable fourth in last year’s edition on his unfavoured bottomless ground. At the age of just seven, he looks sure to keep improving, and the advice is to back him before he wins over Christmas, for he will be chopped in to around 6/1 for the March-showpiece if doing so.
• Balko Des Flos – 10/1 out to 14/1 Ryanair Chase – David Jennings falls back on an old favourite, the easy winner of this race last year, to get his tipping off to a good start. He has disappointed a little since, however he ran with credit in the John Durkan, and his season should be geared towards completing the double, something that the Ryanair has a habit of seeing. As with the aforementioned horse, a decent run over Christmas would see him shorten in price, and he ranks a great each-way bet to reclaim the race he won in 2018.