Tap and go with the Irish in the Cheltenham Festival finale
WITH the Cheltenham Festival fast approaching and the handicap weights recently being announced, I think it’s time we take aim at an ante-post handicap market.
The handicaps are a great hunting ground for punters looking to find some value, and now we know where we stand with the weights, I like the look of an Irish-trained Martin Pipe entry.
This is a race that regularly features progressive youngsters from top yards, and Henry de Bromhead’s TAPONTHEGO fits the bill this year.
The six-year-old has had five runs over hurdles, gaining plenty of experience along the way and has never been out of the first three.
While he’s shown good form over two miles, his best performance came over an extended two-and-a-half miles when he defeated fellow Cheltenham fancy McLaurey by nine lengths at Tipperary.
He showed he has stamina in abundance that day, which is exactly what you want for the Martin Pipe, especially for the test the Cheltenham hill presents.
It was disappointing to see him beaten 24 lengths behind William Munny last week, but he only needed that run to qualify for Cheltenham, and he was eye-catching at the finish behind a serious tool with a right chance in the Supreme.
Taponthego has been raised seven pounds by the British handicapper, but a mark of 135 could still be lenient for this unexposed type and his chance gives me big flashbacks to the yard’s Martin Pipe gamble last year, Waterford Whispers, who was unlucky not to win.
The fly in the ointment could be Willie Mullins’ French recruit Kopeck De Mee, whose mark of 136 could hugely underestimate him, but De Bromhead’s charge is worth a go, especially at 16/1 non-runner no bet with bet365.
POINTERS ANTE-POST
Taponthego 16/1 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle, Cheltenham Festival