Back at Cheltenham

 American Sniper Runs at Cheltenham Today

Today we have the first day of Cheltenham’s November meeting, Countryside Day and we have two runners, American Sniper and Paricolor.  Both horses run in the opening race, a conditional jockeys handicap hurdle over 2m5f.  It is nice to have Fergus Gillard back riding for us and he rides American Sniper while Gearoid Harney claims his very handy eight pounds on Paricolor who sneaked into the race on bottom weight.

I might be mad but I wouldn’t put anyone having a few pounds each way on either horse who are big prices.  American Sniper sports first time cheek pieces and a tongue strap and having dropped a few pounds is beginning to look better treated by the handicapper.  I think the trip is ideal and he could be in the mix.  Paricolor had a spin on the flat a couple of weeks ago to blow away a few cobwebs after his summer holiday and wind surgery.  While I would have like to have seen him travel a little better that day, it was a good race and we left the blinkers off but they return this afternoon.  He finished second in this race two years ago at 50/1 off a three pound higher mark.  He was a bit below his best last season in general but our ten time winner is in good form at home.  It is a 20 runner competitive handicap but hopefully both our boys can put up a good show.

Yesterday at Taunton, things looked promising for a long time for Platinumcard but once headed he did not try too hard.  Mollie De Mai is finding it all a bit tough at the moment while Kingofthewest made a pleasing chasing debut to be fourth.  I thought the trip would be sharp enough but he travelled and jumped well before getting a little out speeded before the third last but kept galloping all the way to the line.  Lock Out was in trouble from an early stage in his race so we can put a line through that  while Dindin bounced back with another good run.  Dindin has now finished second the Justshortofabubble three times of late, including at Stratford and Bangor previously.  We have given that one quite a lot of weight each time but hopefully the handicapper will catch up with that one soon and we can reverse the placings next time! Heure De Gloire showed up well for a long time before getting a bit tired before two out, she will improve for this outing.  

The Cheltenham card has competitive handicaps, a Grade 2 novice chase with just four runners, a Grade 2 novice hurdle where Captain Teague makes his hurdling debut as a short priced favourite and there is also action over the cross country course as well.  Today there is also jumps racing at Doncaster while they race on the flat at Wolverhampton and Newcastle.  In Ireland they have jumping at Wexford and all-weather action at Dundalk. 

Tonight England are in European qualifiying football action at home to Malta at 7.45pm.  Hopefully it is just a case of how many goals we can score rather than if we can win! Northern Ireland are away in Finland while last night Scotland drew 2-2 away in Georgia but are already qualified for the European Championships.

How do you console an English teacher?

There, their, they’re! Happy Friday!