CHELTENHaM - TIPS FOR DAY TWO.

​Yes, I am getting ahead of myself. Bear with me.
Firstly, by way of a diversion from the excitement to come, I am beginning to understand why Matt Chapman is known as a ‘Marmite’ man. You either like him or you don’t. I have always thought kindly of him but I am beginning to understand him a bit better these days and he seems to have a deep-seated inferiority complex, which might seem an astonishing and foolish character description of him. Yet he is a man who must have the last word, even when he is in the company of people whose experience of the sport at its cutting edge far exceeds his own. There seems little point having someone on the panel of experts as knowledgeable as A.P. McCoy or Ruby Walsh if Matt is intending to belittle them, to shout them down, to impose his own will on any discussion. Shut-up, Matt and show the great men the respect their careers deserve. At least once in a while.
Now, I am one of the worst tipsters on the planet. No one should take any notice of of my ‘fancies’. Sometimes, though, and I surprise myself when it happens, I possess insight, as with advising readers to follow Japan throughout the season after his run in the Epsom Derby, and of course nominating Pinatubo as a horse to follow after he won the Woodcote at Epsom. You might say, that sometimes I get lucky.
So, to advertise fully my inept tipping skills I intend to tip a horse in every race at the Cheltenham Festival. I do not expect to hit the bull more than once or twice. Read yesterday’s blog for Champion Hurdle Day tips, including Captain Guinness in the first and Petit Mouchoir, each-way, in the big race.
I think Envoi Allen should be taken on in the Ballymore and for a long while I have been sweet on The Big Getaway of Willie Mullins. If I could 100% trust Battleoverdoyen’s jumping he would be my choice in the R.S.A. but as I can’t I will go with the flow and suggest Copperhead, even if I am disappointed with the Tizzard camp for not sticking with Jonjo junior after he gave him such a good ride last time out.
The Coral Cup is a pin-sticking job and having no pin to stick with I will point you in the direction of Gordon Elliott’s Black Tears.
The 2-mile Champion Chase has of course been thrown into disarray by the injury to Altior. It is perfectly possible that he will trot up sound come tomorrow morning. It’s only a knock to a splint bone and if the race were at the weekend Nicky Henderson would not be greatly worried. My problem with Altior in respect of this year’s renewal is that it is questionable if he would have won if Defi Du Seuil or Chacon Pour Soi (damned French language names!) had been in opposition. In fact, I am not convinced any one of the top three will win as I am quietly confident that Dynamite Dollars will upset the apple-cart. I was hugely encouraged by his come-back at Newbury behind Altior and am minded to remember that Paul Nicholls assured everyone that the horse would come on leaps and bounds for the race. Originally, I thought Dynamite Dollars a solid each-way bet but in a 7-runner field that is not acceptable. So, its Dynamite Dollars to win.
The Glenfarclas should be a stroll for Tiger Roll, as it was last year. I don’t think I have ever seen a jumps race won with such ease as his victory parade last year. Can’t even nominate a danger.
I don’t think the Irish juveniles are a match for the British this season and though they might have one ‘thrown in’ in the Fred Winter, the two I like are Alan King’s Blacko and the Philip Hobbs trained Zoffee, with the latter my selection.
The Bumper is another pin-sticking job, with every runner having some sort of credential for winning. Because he is a 4-year-old and because of the weight allowance he receives 15Ibs from Appreciate It and others and because it is telling that David Pipe has booked champion-jockey elect Brian Hughes, I am siding with Panic Attack to start to repay his enormous purchase price.