Cheltenham 2012

Dear All

The weights for the always riveting handicaps are revealed tomorrow and then we can revisit yesterday's thoughts and load the revolver for the always tricky and equally competitive 3 mile and 2 mile 5 handicap chases on the first day's competition.

Day 2...

Beginning with the gruelling 4-mile novice championship, the National Hunt Chase for Amateur Riders.
Tea For Three and Fists of Fury have been well supported in this market. I prefer the former though worry about the ground.
My other is Allee Garde who might give King Willie of Mullins yet another opportunity to chalk up an early lead for the trainers' title; his 3rd placing in the Fort Leney (Chicago Grey ran there before winning this last year) in December behind Last Instalment and First Lieutenant is the best piece of form in the race...

The Neptune is next and is usually one of the highlights of the four days. This year's contest is positively heaving with possibilities. I am quite sweet on Monksland who I take to emulate his stable's Nicanor (conqueror of the mighty warrior Denman in 2007) by winning against a strong field. I'm sure that Darlan will run in the Supreme but should run here.

The RSA Chase is a ferociously competitive event and so often bottoms its participants in future seasons. There are so many examples - Cooldine for instance didn't go on and it appears to have left its mark on last year's winner Boston's Angel also and others. It is usually (not always, of course) won by an uncomplicated street fighter and not the flashy Florida Pearl types (he, of course, bucked the trend in a small field of also rans seemingly a lifetime ago), So it's Join Together for me - Ruby up will swing it definitely...

The Queen Mother Champion Chase is there for the taking by the reigning champion Sizing Europe but have a little tickle on I'm So Lucky to place as this race seems likely to cut up badly.

The Coral Cup is a minefield but at this stage I take Gordon Elliot's Toner d'Oudaries to win...

I have backed Red Inca thus far in the Fred Winter but will definitely have a second wager nearer the time...

Finally, the Champion Bumper is Ireland's Moscow Mannon versus England's Royal Guardsman with Horatio Hornblower a lively outsider.

Good luck - back soon with the final two days.

It is folly to oppose King Willie in the leading trainer stakes and I'm not going to but Alan King has a serious arsenal of ammunition to fire across his boughs and is worth a punt at big odds for a top trainer...

Happy punting.

Rm(Mark)