Horse Racing Betting Tips: Longhouse upset will be pure poetry for his backers
WITH global shares taking a battering on “Black Monday”, the hordes of Irish racing fans who have descended on Cheltenham this week will be hoping to make it “Black Wednesday” for the bookmakers.
A string of high-profile, short-priced favourites are set to strut their stuff around Prestbury Park this afternoon and the alarm bells will be ringing loudly if Envoi Allen wins the opening Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (1.30pm).
Sporting the famous Cheveley Park Stud silks, Gordon Elliott’s unbeaten six-year-old has that air of star quality and punters will be falling over themselves to back him to follow in the hoofprints of other successful Irish bankers in this race like Samcro and Faugheen.
This horse is never going to win by a wide margin, but he keeps getting the job done and he was very impressive in the Champion Bumper 12 months ago.
Although undoubtedly the most likely winner, his hurdles form doesn’t entitle him to be as short as 4/6 with Paddy Power and I simply have to take him on.
After all the rain on Monday, connections may be regretting their decision to run him in this rather than yesterday’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle as it is going to be a real test.
For that reason, I am going to look for a true stayer and the one who stands out at the prices is LONGHOUSE POET for the same team that won this prize last year with City Island.
Martin Brassil doesn’t have too many horses, but he can certainly train, and this son of Yeats got his career under rules off to a good start when winning a bumper at Punchestown last May.
He broke his maiden at Navan in November, before finishing third to Envoi Allen in a Grade One at Naas in early January.
His next run was another third, this time behind Latest Exhibition in another Grade One at the Dublin Racing Festival, so he’s been solid if not spectacular.
Owned by the boss of sponsors Ballymore, just like City Island, you get the feeling his whole season has been about this day and while it’s going to be difficult for him to reverse the form with Envoi Allen, he looks a good each-way bet at 16/1.
As is always the case in this race, there are plenty of others with solid claims, not least Philip Hobbs’ Sporting John, who, like the favourite, is also unbeaten.
He looked very good at Ascot last time and is the best of the British according to the layers, although Colin Tizzard’s The Big Breakaway is very well regarded and is two from two over hurdles.
Punters are advised to be careful when placing bets in this race because Willie Mullins saddles The Big Getaway, so if you fancy either of them make sure you don’t mix up your Breakaways with Getaways!
Handicaps don’t get any harder than the Coral Cup (2.50pm), but JP Mc- Manus looks to have all bases covered with Dame De Compagnie, Birchdale and Alfa Mix towards the head of the market.
However, I’m more interested in his top weight KILFENORA each-way at 33/1.
He was hugely impressive at Navan two starts back when giving Alfa Mix 10lbs and a beating, while the third, beaten nearly 20 lengths, won a handicap at Naas on Sunday.
My selection was disappointing in the Boyne Hurdle last month, but that was a different test and he has some very strong form in big field handicaps.
Simon Torrens takes off 7lbs and it’s worth bearing in mind that six of the last seven winners have carried 11st 2lbs or more.
I will also be backing THOSEDAYSAREGONE at 14/1 for brilliant target trainer Charles Byrnes.
The seven-year-old finished with a rattle to land the hugely valuable Ladbrokes Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival last time and will relish the step up in trip here.
Kevin Brouder was excellent on him at Leopardstown and he keeps the ride.
POINTERS
Longhouse Poet e/w 1.30pm Cheltenham
Thosedaysaregone e/w 2.50pm Cheltenham
Kilfenora e/w 2.50pm Cheltenham