Pour yourself a Koktail Wen Divin goes in
PUNTERS are treated to another fantastic card on day two of the Cheltenham Festival and the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (2.00pm) is a fascinating renewal.
16 runners go to post and it’s a massively competitive contest, with a whole host of smart horses declared to take their chance.
Romeo Coolio heads the betting at 5/2 at the time of writing, having dodged his long-expected run in the Arkle in favour of a first try over this extended three-mile test.
He’s bagged three Grade Ones already this season, and while many think he’s ready for this step up in distance, I’m concerned by how much his trainer Gordon Elliott has insisted that he’s a two-and-a-half miler.
In my mind, you want to be with a more guaranteed stayer at his kind of price, such as WENDIGO, who’s nearly four time the price at 8/1 with Star Sports.
I’ve already advised him ante-post at 20/1 earlier in the season, but I still think he’s a fair bet at his current odds.
He ran a blinder at the Festival last year and his chasing career has gone from strength to strength.
His Grade Two win at Newbury looks like strong form, and his third at Kempton was better than it looked, as the track looked sharp enough for him.
Softer ground would’ve been ideal, but he will be staying on strongly up the hill even if the track dries out.
I’m also drawn to KOKTAIL DIVIN.
Henry de Bromhead is dually represented here with The Big Westerner too, but Koktail Divin is the pick of the pair.
He was a good novice hurdler as he showed when finishing fourth to leading Stayers’ Hurdle fancy Honesty Policy at Aintree.
As the cliché goes when it comes to the yard’s horses, though, he was always set to improve for fences, and he has done so in spades.
He was second to Romeo Coolio on his debut over the bigger obstacles, but that can be excused as the de Bromhead team were out of sorts at the time.
His second to Oscars Brother the next day was a step in the right direction, but his romp at Leopardstown really marked him out as a Grade One contender.
He ran his opposition ragged over Christmas over two-mile-five-furlongs and it looked like the rise to this staying distance would be right up his street.
At 8/1, I think he’s a cracking bet in what looks a wide-open contest.
The Cross Country Chase (3.20pm) is an intriguing contest with the way the weights are set.
Stumptown’s lofty mark has put some lower-rated hopes out of the handicap, and he’ll do well to give weight to impressive Trials Day winner Favori De Champdou.
It also looks like the handicapper has given Vanillier a chance.
He managed to hit the frame last year despite Sean Flanagan nearly taking the wrong route, and with a more straightforward trip, he’d have to be respected.
Vanillier gets a seven-pound swing with Stumptown on last year’s renewal too, so the 8/1 each-way is worth taking.
The Goffer was a big gamble in this race and could outrun his price once again, but is ultimately out of the weights, so Vanillier gets the vote.
POINTERS WEDNESDAY
Koktail Divin e/w 2.00pm
Vanillier e/w 3.20pm
Already advised
Wendigo e/w 20/1 2.00pm