Horse Racing Betting Tips: Ballyandy is a Sublime bet in wide-open Champion Hurdle
WITH more rain set to fall at Cheltenham this morning, ground conditions will be soft for the Unibet Champion Hurdle (3.30pm), the feature contest on the opening day.
When you also factor in that this will be the largest field assembled for the two-mile hurdling crown since Punjabi won it back in 2009, the stage is set for an upset.
The obvious starting point has to be trainer Nicky Henderson who has saddled four of the last 11 winners and seven in total.
He is responsible for four of the 17 runners this afternoon, including Epatante and Pentland Hills who also head the betting.
Epatante brings arguably the season’s strongest piece of form to the table in her epic five-length demolition job in the Grade One Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.
That success made it four wins from five starts with Henderson and as the only mare in the race, she is also entitled to a handy 7lb allowance.
However, the big doubt is her ability to handle the track as the only blot on her copybook came at this meeting 12 months ago when she trailed in ninth when hot favourite in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
Her trainer puts that blip down to the fact she was still feeling the effects of the enforced flu jab, but it certainly is a big enough worry to stop me snapping up the 3/1.
Second favourite Pentland Hills blatantly needed the run on his seasonal reappearance here in December when only fifth to stablemate Call Me Lord.
However, it was worrying how he seemingly wrestled defeat from the jaws of victory at Haydock on his latest outing in January.
Admittedly, he has had a decent break since then and has also had a wind operation, both of which should help his cause.
If he returns to the form he was in 12 months ago, he is unquestionably a leading player but I’d like to see him finish a race and wouldn’t be tempted by quotes of just 6/1.
The two horses I am most interested in both have pieces of form closely tied in with Pentland Hills, and are huge prices in comparison.
Let’s start with his recent Haydock conqueror BALLYANDY who can be backed each-way at a whopping 18/1 with plenty of firms offering four places.
He was a well-beaten third behind Epatante in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton but goes well at Cheltenham and loves the mud.
His non-chasing course form reads 113432 and that includes a Champion Bumper success, a fourth in the Supreme and a close third in last season’s Coral Cup.
The more rain the better his chances and he looks sure to be in the mix at a decent price.
There is no logical reason he should be four times the price of Pentland Hills and the same can also be said of Irish raider COEUR SUBLIME.
Gordon Elliott’s five-year-old was last off the bridle when runner-up behind Pentland Hills in last season’s Triumph Hurdle.
He was hugely impressive on his seasonal reappearance at Down Royal in November and something appeared to be holding him back at Leopardstown over Christmas when third to Sharjah.
That may well have been his breathing and subsequent wind surgery could easily make a huge difference.
He has always been held in such high regard and it would be no shock to see him getting involved at 16/1.
Looking at the rest of them, and you have to respect Willie Mullins who saddles Cilaos Emery
and Sharjah. The former looked good returning to hurdles after a disappointing short-lived chasing career, while Sharjah can go well if it doesn’t get too soft.
Supasundae could also show up if it becomes a real slog as he is all about stamina, while last year’s winning trainer Gavin Cromwell saddles Darver Star who could be anything.
In fact, the deeper you delve into the contest, the more you can start to make a case for plenty of them.
Not So Sleepy would be hard to catch if given too soft a lead on the front while Silver Streak has excellent form in big fields.
POINTERS
Ballyandy e/w 3.30pm Cheltenham
Coeur Sublime e/w 3.30pm Cheltenham