ZARKANDAR
Here we go then, the best four days of the year. I seem to get more excited every year.
This time last season I was well down on the campaign but had Sprinter Sacre in the Arkle so entered the week very confidently. I'm in a far better position this year being over four figures up but I don't have any cast iron banker and with Coneygree's lameness yesterday my NR count is awful. That said I'm very hopeful of a good start with My Tent or Yours in the Supreme. He first caught my eye when getting beat by Chatterbox in a muddling affair at Newbury back in December. He looked a good, athletic sort who was unsuited to the way that race was run and I felt 20/1 quotes for the Supreme were an overreaction. With his trainer having so many candidates for this race I wasn't going to go overboard so put him in a double with Simonsig. He was impressive in his next start at Huntingdon and he just exudes class to me. I took 12s and 10s after that contest and topped up after his impressive win in the Betfair Hurdle. He's a horse that looks Champion Hurdle class already and I'll be very disappointed if he gets beat. He travels well and although a lot of pundits are questioning his resolution if he gets in a scrap because of his flat racing pedigree I think this is tilting at windmills in a big way. I have covered on Jezki and also took advantage of the five places Hills are paying out on with an each way double involving Un Atout. Both these Irish trained animals look the main dangers to the selection now Melodic Rendezvous is out.
If My Tent or Yours wins I'll have a very nice double going onto Simonsig in the Arkle. This is possibly my favourite race of the Festival and I have a fine record in it and my outright selection is Arvika Legionnaire. This horse was scintillating in the Drinmore at Fairyhouse where he lead from pillor to post and jumped beautifully. I took 10s about him then but he was less impressive in his next two starts and with Simonsig and Overturn both looking top notch I'm hopeful rather than confident. He also has a slight tendency to jump to his right which is a slight worry but on the other hand getting a lead tomorrow will possibly help and he does have course form as well.
I've pretty much been against Hurricane Fly for the Champion Hurdle ever since his price started to cramp after yet more facile triumphs in Ireland. I think Go Native had his measure before falling at the last in his first start and nothing he has done since expunges the memory of his tame effort last season. Initially I was involved in Spirit Son until it was announced he was done for the season and possibly career. That's a massive shame as he was impressive in defeat in that Supreme Novices and looked a top class prospect. My enthusiasm for Grandouet can't help but be tamed with all the doubts about his participation recently and although he makes the line-up Nicky Henderson has said he really wanted more time with him. If Hurricane Fly does win I get most of my stake back on him but I consider the likely result in hurdling's blue ribband to be a win for Zarkandar. Unlike Grandouet this animal has had a picture perfect prep for the Festival and as the race gets closer the more I fancy him. He's just a resolute galloper who keeps on winning his races. If the ground was fast and they went mental fast I think he'd have a hard task catching them like he did last year (when he didn't look the same horse). But Overturn runs in the Arkle this time around, the ground is a lot slower and we have a relatively small field. I fancy him strongly and despite the losses on Spirit Son and the bet on Grandouet I've taken a cut and had a normal sized bet.
That's pretty much it for day one. I'm not touching the handicap that splits the Arkle and Champion Hurdle (I do wish they had kept the race until after the latter) and although I have a wager on Bostons Angel in the Cross Country it was placed in the hope that we'd have a good ground Festival. I managed to lay back some of the original bet before the decs were made this morning. Shalimar Fromentro was unfortunately balloted out.
The biggest feature for me in this Festival from my own punting perspective will be how the doubles I've placed will do. I've never got involved in multiples before like I have for this meeting and although I think the each way twofolds are a sound idea (winners are always hard to find after all) I'm not sure about the win doubles. Too many would be my guess right now.
EDIT 12/3: Couple of changes to the book. I've had a score on Zarkandar on the Betfair sportsbook because they give you your stake back if your horse is second. I've also had the same amount on My Tent or Yours at Powers who are going a standout 5/2.
Good luck to anyone having a bet today.
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Supreme:
My Tent or Yours £110w @ 39/10 (lost)
Jezki £25w @ 58/10 (lost)
Arkle:
Trifolium (NR) £10
Arvika Legionnaire £30w @ 11/1 (pu)
Champion Hurdle:
Spirit Son (NR) £35
Grandouet £10w @ 12/1 (fell)
Grandouet £50w @ 6/1 (NRNB) Stake returned if Hurricane Fly wins race
"Greened up" for £47.19 (Backed @ 9.38, laid @ 8.43)
Zarkandar £50w @ 9/2 and £20w @ 7/2 (Money back if 2nd) (lost)
Cross Country:
Bostons Angel £30w @ 10/1
Win Doubles:
My Tent or Yours (Sup) (lost) and Simonsig (Arkle) £10 @ 20/1 and evs
My Tent or Yours (Sup) (lost) and Zarkandar (CH) £15 @ 2/1 and 6/1
Overturn (Arkle) (lost) and Grandouet (CH) £10 @ 4/1 and 7/1
Darlan (NR) and Coneygree (AB) £15
Grandouet (CH) (fell) and Cue Card (RY) £10 @ 7/1 and 6/1
Added after blog entry:
Hurricane Fly (CH) (won) and Dynaste (Jew) £20 @ 9/4 and 7/4
Each Way Doubles:
Un Atout (Sup) (5pl) (4th) and Long Run (GC) £10ew @ 7/1 and 13/2
Grandouet (CH) (fell) and Divers (BGP) £10ew @ 7/1 and 33/1
Zarkandar (CH) (lost) and Pendra (Coral Cup) £10ew @ 5/1 and 14/1
Zarkandar (CH) (lost) and Boston Bob (RSA) £10ew @ 4/1 and 9/2 (NRNB)
£1 Lucky 15:
Simonsig (Arkle) Evs (won)
Boston Bob (RSA) 8/1
Cue Card (Ryanair) 6/1
Coneygree (AB) 8/1
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