Horse Racing Betting Tips: Klassical Dream could be made for the Supreme but I’m loving Angels instead
FINALLY the waiting is over. After what has been a peculiar jumps season weather-wise, the tapes are set to go up for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at 1.30pm this afternoon.
For the second year running, the Festival is going to start on soft ground following heavy rain in Gloucestershire over the past week or so.
There has been so little of that this season that we don’t really know who is going to handle it better than the others.
It shouldn’t be an issue for Al Dancer who has form in all types of conditions and he looks a worthy favourite following his win in the rearranged Betfair Hurdle at Ascot last month.
Nigel Twiston-Davies has been bullish about him for quite some time, but I’m slightly concerned about the horse’s keenness and I wonder if the occasion could just get to him.
Klassical Dream, the mount of Ruby Walsh, has been the one for money over the last few days and if he were to collect he would be giving Walsh and Willie Mullins their fourth Supreme success in the past seven years.
He is greatly respected, as he has an excellent attitude and the ground will bring his stamina into play, but he’s short enough now.
I suppose the same could be said about ANGELS BREATH, but I still think he’s the most likely winner and I actually felt his defeat in the Dovecote at Kempton a few weeks ago was a positive rather than a negative.
That was only his second start under rules and Nicky Henderson admitted afterwards that he was desperately in need of the run.
He has reportedly been working the house down since and you get the feeling the Seven Barrows team think he could be a little bit special.
They’ve trained plenty of Champion Hurdle winners down the years, so you have to respect that and the rain will have done him no harm whatsoever.
I’ve been impressed with his jumping and even though he’ll be one of the more inexperienced runners in the field, he’s one of very few that could have that all-important wow factor.
We don’t know how good he is yet and the 5/1 looks a fair price.
It’s a very open Supreme, though, and it’s difficult to put a line through many of them.
Fakir D’Oudairies gets the four-year-old weight allowance and he was hugely impressive when winning the Triumph Hurdle Trial here in January.
However, I’m not convinced by the strength of that form, while if conditions were a bit quicker I would have been tipping Itchy Feet at a massive 33/1 but he is unproven on the ground.
The each-way bet for me then has to be VISION D’HONNEUR who was beaten by Klassical Dream and Aramon at Leopardstown last month.
The ground was simply too quick for him that day and a fast-run two miles on a stiff track like Cheltenham with plenty of give underfoot is what he wants in my book.
Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy teamed up to take this prize two years ago with Labaik and they may just do it again with this horse.
Betfair are paying five places in the race and this lad looks a cracking each-way bet at 11/1.
The Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50pm) is always fiercely competitive but if there is one that could be thrown in this year it’s GIVE ME A COPPER.
Paul Nicholls has been banging in the winners over the past few weeks and he thinks this one is very well-handicapped.
The lightly-raced nine-year-old ran a hugely promising race on his reappearance at Sandown before being put away for this.
Ground conditions should be fine for him and with his price being pushed out to 7/1 over the past few days, he’s now backable again.
POINTERS
Angels Breath 1.30pm Cheltenham
Vision D’Honneur e/w 1.30pm Cheltenham
Give Me A Copper e/w 2.50pm Cheltenham