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Six bets today listed below (now we’re cooking) but one is in a specials market so I appreciate many of you will want to leave it.

THIS WEEK’S ANTE-POST ADVICE:

Flat Out (ew) (Supreme Novices’ Hurdle) – Best prices: 33/1 Paddy Power, Corals, Stan James, Victor Chandler, Sportingbet, Totesport, Bet365 (But try Paddy Power first as they are refunding win singles and win element of each-way singles if Dunguib wins! The concession is highlighted in the copy below)

The Package (ew) (William Hill Trophy) – Best prices: 10/1 Hills, Paddy Power, Betfred, Boylesports; 8/1 general

Master Minded to win by over five lengths (Champion Chase) – Best prices: 5/2 Blue Sq, 888Sport; 2/1 Paddy Power

Shillingstone (ew) (Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase) – Best prices: 16/1 Totesport, Hills, 14/1 Boylesports, Victor Chandler, Paddy Power

Enterprise Park (Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle) – Best prices: 10/1 Hills, Corals, Victor Chandler, 9/1 Skybet, Stan James, Sportingbet

Tell Massini (Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle) – Best prices: 5/1 Paddy Power; 9/2 Totesport, Boylesports. Betfred, Victor Chandler, Blue Square, Ladbrokes, Hills

Before I move on to the race analysies, a few notices. Firstly, do log in at 1.00 p.m. on Thursday for a further update and advised bets as the Festival weights are released 24 hours earlier so we will then know the full picture and most bookmakers should then be betting on most races. The following update after that will be on Monday as usual but then this service becomes daily leading up to the final Monday before it all kicks off. Regards non-runner no-bet concessions Bet365 are now going non-runner no-bet on all races but obviously they are not biggest about many horses as a result but it is worth noting. Also William Hills are offering the same concession for the big four championship races.

Secondly, as there is no big race to speak of this weekend and I will also be at the launch of the Festival weights attempting to pick up all kinds of snippets to help us, there will be no Wednesday preview of the weekend this week so I will add on an extra week at the end of the service covering Guineas Weekend instead which follows straight on after the ‘Whitbread’ or whatever it is called these days. As for the Racing Post Chase which I previewed last week, although I didn’t officially put up a bet in last week’s copy my main fancy Nacarat ran a blinder to finish second beaten by inches and the horse I suggested as my best outsider, Razor Royale, who was 25/1 at the time, ended up winning at 11/1. Typical! Then again, I know from your emails that some of you still took the chance at the price which is more than I did.

As for my ante-post advice on Arbor Supreme for the Grand National a couple of months back, it’s amazing what improvement can be found after the weights have been released isn’t it? A very good trial indeed yesterday off top weight considering the trip was way too short and the ground way too soft for him. As hoped he has an ideal weight of 10st 8lbs for Aintree and needs 18 to come out to get a run should he should be okay. All I want now is for McCoy to choose him ahead of the other four McManus horses (the only other I feel he could go for is Don’t Push It) and then we’ll be sitting on a 12/1 shot given the blind support for his mount and then we will have options.

SUPREME NOVICES’ HURDLE

For starters I should tell you that Paddy Power are refunding all losing bets on this race if Dunguib wins which is some concession and applies to win singles and the win element of each-way singles. The vibes I am getting is that more and more this looks like being Get Me Out Of Here’s Festival objective and he will be popular each-way if that is the case as he has the rating already in the bag to win most renewals of this race and it is interesting that J P McManus’ other main contender for the race, Bellvano, is very weak on Betfair which further increases the chances of Get Me Out Of Here taking part I would say. A horse that really impressed me recently was Willie Mullins’ FLAT OUT and it looks like he will be joining Blackstairmountain in the race according to his trainer. I would imagine Walsh will ride Blackstairmountain with Paul Townend on Flat Out but I do feel the latter is seriously overpriced at 33/1 as he was as impressive as Blackstairmountain when winning on his only start over hurdles and in a much faster time than Won In The Dark (who was ninth in the Champion Hurdle last year) clocked on the same day at Punchestown. Watch it on the Attheraces website as he was really impressive (as he was in his previous win in a bumper) and has gone seriously under the radar in my opinion. Described by Mullins as a horse he thought was good enough to go close in last season’s Champion Bumper but he just wasn’t ready for the race, that is some accolade given Dunguib won it so impressively and he is 33/1 here whereas Dunguib is 4/6. Ideally I want to back Flat Out each-way without Dunguib but only Betfair are betting without the favourite and that is in a win-only market so my hand has been forced somewhat to backing him at 33/1 each-way in the outright market and I want to take it now as I don’t think it will last and I will certainly be taking advantage of Paddy Power’s offer listed earlier. In fact, given that very generous concession, I would still rather back Flat Out if he drops to 20/1 with Paddy Power with the win half of the bet refunded if Dunguib wins rather than 33/1with no refunds via other bookmakers. Peddlers Cross will not be lining up here as the Neptune has been mentioned by his trainer as his target and Henry De Bromhead also intimated the Neptune is where he would prefer to run Loosen My Load both of which would have been big players for a place here if taking their chance. Paul Nicholls has confirmed his representative will be Pepe Simo rather than Ghizao who also heads to the Neptune but I really can not see him being good enough and the same is true of Salden Licht who was a big disappointment in the Dovecote so I imagine if he runs anywhere at the Festival, it will now be in the County Hurdle. To summarise, don’t get me wrong I would prefer Flat Out e/w @ 20/1 without Dunguib if I could find it but I can’t so therefore I advise we take 33/1 each-way with Paddy Power with the win half of the bet refunded if Dunguib wins. If they cut the price, I would still take 20s with that concession but even if that price of 20/1 vanishes, then go for the 33/1 each-way with no concessions with a rival bookmaker. Hope that makes sense!

ARKLE TROPHY

Little to report this week except that at Paul Nicholls’ media day he was sweet on Woolcombe Folly suggesting the public may have underestimated him but I can’t touch a horse with just one chase start under his belt. Yes, Well Chief won it having had just one chase start but he was one of the top ten greatest two-mile chasers of all time. Woolcombe Folly will not be. He also reiterated his feeling that Tataniano will be better on better ground but also said he may miss the race if it comes up testing and I notice they also stuck him in the Grand Annual which suggests to me they don’t think he is out of the top drawer. Walsh is unlikely to confirm his mount until the final few days but I will be seriously disappointed if he deserts our Sports Line for Tataniano especially after he impressed in his public schooling session yesterday with Golden Silver and Barker where Walsh had to keep reining him back down the back straight as he flew his obstacles. One confirmed partnership is Robert Thornton coming in for the ride on Somersby as McCoy will be claimed by his retainer to ride Captain Cee Bee which looks a good booking to me and it would be most ironic if he were to win as it was Thornton who got the spare ride on Captain Cee Bee when McCoy chose Binocular in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle two seasons ago. Mikael D’Haguenet schooled after Leopardstown but didn’t impress me with his jumping which was fiddly so they would be mad to go for the Arkle in my opinion.

WILLIAM HILL TROPHY

I can see why Bensalem is favourite as he looks well treated off 143 given King’s previous winner of this race, Fork Lightning, who was also a novice, was rated 136 and the trainer told me Bensalem would be in a different class to him and I wouldn’t put anyone off taking 7/1 as I reckon he will be close to 9/2 favourite on the day (I have had a small sniff) but I would prefer to advise taking 10/1 to each-way stakes about THE PACKAGE who I like for a number of reasons. If you followed this service two years ago you will remember we were on the same yard’s An Accordion off a mark of 143 at a similar price and The Package is a very similar type being a second-season chaser who will run of 141 here. For the record, last season’s winner of this race won off 142 so this is the kind of mark we want. In addition to the rating stats, he fits a number of the key stats for the race in that 8 of the last 9 winners started in the first four in the betting which he surely will, 5 of the last 7 winners won last time from few qualifiers, 3 of the last 6 winners were novices which he officially still is, unless something strange happens he is likely to carry under 11st like the last ten winners and the race he won at the track in December has been the best guide to this race. That was a decent renewal of that handicap back in December which he won comfortably from The Tother One (who was thought to be well handicapped by Nicholls at the time) having previously run well when third in the Badger Ales Trophy, a race that has been working out very well season featuring Carruthers, Exmoor Ranger, Eric’s Charm and Beat the Boys who have all come out since and won good chases plus Niche Market has run two blinders in defeat and he finished ahead of all of those. The Package has been upped 9lbs for his Cheltenham win and don’t be worried he has not run since mid-December as two of the last three winners of the William Hill Chase had been off the track for 94 and 114 days and this is definitely still a young chaser going places and I for one believe he is more than capable of defying that rise. I can also see the same owner running the top weight Our Vic off 157 helping keep the weights down so The Package will carry only 10st 8lbs. Take the 10s each-way as this is his only handicap entry at the Festival and I can’t believe they will run him in a red hot RSA Chase.

CHAMPION HURDLE

An ideal final prep-race win for Punjabi where he easily beat vastly-inferior rivals that should have helped put him spot on. I don’t doubt that any of the other live Champion Hurdle hopes would also have won that race with plenty in hand but you still like to go and see them do it and he did it stylishly on ground he would not have enjoyed. As such, he was largely kept at the same price for the Champion Hurdle though trimmed in four places but I am sure punters will slowly and surely start to nibble away at him, especially in the each-way market given his consistency and the fact he has placed at worst in the last two Champion Hurdles, and I see him starting third-favourite on the day as I would very much hope Geraghty will stay loyal to him now rather than plump for Zaynar. I know it was a mickey mouse race but I still like the idea of Punjabi arriving here off the back of a win like 22 of the last 26 winners. I do think we will collect at least the place element of our each-way bet as he is a strong traveller that will enjoy the nature of the race and be bang there at the final flight. I can only see four potential winners of the race they being Solwhit, Go Native providing it doesn’t turn genuine soft, Punjabi and Medermit. In my belief Khyber Kim is a mudlark and not quite good enough, Zaynar and Celestial Halo want longer trips, Starluck will struggle to get up the hill at Champion Hurdle pace and the rest are outclassed. The only other possible winner I could entertain is if they switch Voler La Vedette from the Mares Hurdle but that is only likely to happen if some of the leading Champion Hurdle hopes come out.

 CROSS COUNTRY HANDICAP CHASE

All eyes on Wednesday will be to see just how much weight Garde Champetre has to give away as we don’t really know as the handicapper has carte blanche to do what he wants with the weights as with the Grand National but he keeps whacking him up and it doesn’t seem to make to a jot of difference. Looking at the entries, there were a couple of surprise names that caught my interest in Philip Hobbs’ pair of Lacdoudal and Monkerhostin but neither have run in any form of cross-country chase so wouldn’t be for me as the last 20 winners of races of this ilk at this course had cross-country experience before.

DAVID NICHOLSON MARES HURDLE

Colm Murphy was interviewed on ATR last week and confirmed once again that this is the aim for Voler La Vedette as he has maintained all season despite the pressure being placed on him to run in the Champion Hurdle. That said, he has left her in the Champion Hurdle in case something awry happens to one or two of the leading fancies so he has left the door marginally open but he was saying that before Bonocular was ruled out and Zaynar was beaten at 1-14 and those two factors wasn’t enough to sway him from his season-long plan. Paul Nicholls confirmed he would run Pepite Du Soleil but she has been most disappointing this season but, looking at Betfair prices, it would appear that another disappointing mare this season in Stravinsky Dance will miss the race as she is over 100/1 compared to 20s with the books. This really is looking just a four-runner race between Quevega, Voler La Vedette, Whiteoak and No One Tells Me and the former came through her public gallop fine at the weekend though we didn’t learn much.

NH CHASE

At least seven bookmakers are now offering prices but beware if you fancy The Midnight Club who is one of the leading fancies as Willie Mullins has warned that he may miss the Festival altogether and they also have Apt Approach as a possible for this and he could be their representative. Any Currency is favourite but I believe he will now be without the services of Richard Burton who is suspended and the top amateur had been booked since December so that is not ideal especially on a horse prone to flat spots. I can see why Synchronised is interesting representing O’Neill and McManus given their record in this race but he is also the owner’s only entry in the William Hill Chase and they switched Wichita Lineman in the same colours late to that handicap from this race last season so that would concern me before non-runner no-bet comes in. Massasoit is Paul Nicholls’ representative and almost favourite as a consequence but I think he is soft under pressure so I don’t fancy him ending the yard’s poor record in this race.

NEPTUNE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT NOVICES’ HURDLE

The opposition to Rite Of Passage is starting to take shape now as Peddlers Cross was confirmed for this race as was Quel Esprit and Fionnegas for Willie Mullins and Alan King wants to run Manyriverstocross here rather than head for a handicap. Henry De Bromhead also expressed a preference to run Loosen My Load here over the ‘Supreme’ but it was only a preference so this is looking a much stronger race than a couple of weeks ago. As for Peddlers Cross, although he is a winning pointer, he showed plenty of toe when winning all three starts this season so I just wonder whether this 2m5f may stretch him a little so I prefer Finian’s Rainbow of the home defence as I don’t really think that Manyriverstocross is quite up to this and Reve De Sivola has been beaten too many times in his career to interest me though I am sure he will put up his usual good effort. I am not a Quantitativeeasing fan and notice he also got an entry in the Coral Cup and Martin Pipe Conditionals Hurdle which suggests to me they are worried if he has the class.

RSA CHASE

For starters there are three probable notable non-runners following news that Tazbar, Bensalem and Pandoroma look like missing the race. The Feltham Chase runner-up Tazbar has definitely been ruled out of the rest of the season through injury and he was a lively outsider having won his next two starts by 14 lengths on each occasion. Alan King all but confirmed on Monday that Bensalem will indeed run in the William Hill Trophy so he is another one out of the way for our Weapon’s Amnesty each-way bet and it looks long odds-on that Pandorama will also miss the race following a setback weakening the Irish challenge significantly. Ogee won midweek and could come here but I just have last season’s Grade 1 Sefton Hurdle winner as on the small side for a big chasing track like Cheltenham but The Nightingale is a different matter and he looked as smooth as silk when giving Paul Nicholls his fifth Pendil Chase winner on the spin. He is classy for sure but whether he is man enough for a race like the RSA Chase I don’t know as he finished distressed twice last season including when sixth in last season’s ‘Neptune’. Whether he runs is dodgy though as Nicholls has suggested he may be one to wait for Aintree. Mikael D’Haguenet didn’t impress me with his public schooling session on Sunday and it is fair to say he was less than fluent over his fences looking most novicey and he had a good blow afterwards from what I saw on my TV screen. Earlier in the day his stablemate Citizen Vic followed up his Grade 1 win with another victory but it would appear he is likely to miss the Festival and maybe Mullins’ number one will be Uimhiracethair who reportedly impressed when schooling alongside Cooldine. I think he is looking more and more like Ruby Walsh’s RSA Chase mount.

QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE

Looking at my only interest in this race so far, my feeling with Petit Robin is that he will finish third, fourth or fifth (hopefully not fifth for the sake of the each-way bet with the favourite). However, I do have a second bet today though just three firms are betting on this specials market so unless you have an account with Blue Square, Paddy Power or 888Sport you will struggle to get on so I will list it with the asterisk at the bottom alongside the other bets. I have backed MASTER MINDED TO WIN BY OVER FIVE LENGTHS at 5/2 with Blue Square (also available with 888Sport) as he looked fantastic at Newbury and Nicholls has since stated at his media day he could see him repeating his performance in 2008 when he won by 19 lengths as he is back to his best. Last year he still won by seven lengths when many were disappointed with him so I would say it is about 4-5 he wins by over five lengths this time around (I rate him a 4/9 shot to win it) as they do like to commit early on him so 5/2 strikes me as great value. If you can’t get that price then I still think the 2/1 with Paddy Power for the same bet is also way over the odds. I do feel that with many questioning whether Master Minded is back to his best, the Nicholls team have a point to prove so they will want to try and win by as big a margin as possible. Down at Alan King’s stable last week he told us he had released Robert Thornton to ride Twist Magic for Paul Nicholls even if Oh Crick does run as his owner wanted to keep Wayne Hutchinson on board as he won the Grand Annual on him last season. The impression I formed was that King was marginally leaning to the Grand Annual again where he conceded he would probably have top weight and that looks the case looking at his Betfair price of near 250/1 for the Champion Chase compared to odds of 40s and 50s with the bookmakers. David Pipe informed a preview at Exeter that all is well with Well Chief but he is realistic about his chances of placing again but he does go better left-handed and his last three runs have been on right-handed tracks. I can’t see it though. Forpadydeplasterer now has the services of A P McCoy which was confirmed today and he looked in very good nick for a lame horse when schooling well on Sunday. Scandalous. Interesting where that leaves Petit Robin for a jockey if Henderson allows Geraghty to get off him to ride Big Zeb but why should he? And in that case, you will ride Big Zeb as Thornton, who rode him in last season’s race is on Twist Magic. Maybe Matt O’Connor will be reunited again?

CORAL CUP

I have around half a dozen that interest looking at the race but half are Irish-trained and we just don’t know what the British handicapper is going to do with their mark so I would rather wait and see what he does before having a serious look at the race.

FRED WINTER JUVENILE NOVICES’ HURDLE

Another race where I have a couple of Irish horses in mind as well as a few British-trained horses so I want to see what the handicapper does with the Irish horses on Wednesday first but I do like the profile of three runs for this race especially if they lost their first two starts but won on the third and there are a few of those towards the head of the market.

WEATHERBYS CHAMPION BUMPER

In addition to Day In A Lifetime and Up Ou That, Willie Mullins added a third contender in his bid to win this race for a seventh time when Bishopsfurze won on his debut last week and like Day In A Lifetime, he is a once-raced, unbeaten five-year-old like five of his six winners of this race. He looked smart but as not as smart as day In A Lifetime for my liking who is the only bumper horse to have seriously impressed me this season. Kieren Fallon looks like he will have his second ride in the race as has been snapped up for Old McDonald who was last seen in December winning at Ludlow and previously finished second beaten three lengths by leading fancy for this race Tavern Times whose stable supplied last season’s runner-up. There has been some money this week for Drumbaloo whose form when beating Western Leader was franked when the runner-up won a decent novice hurdle last week and Drumbaloo has won again since albeit by a short-head but it was the same Grade 2 race that Dunguib won last season before winning here. Araucaria now looks up against it after her odds-on defeat at Leopardstown on Sunday behind Edward O’Grady’s Shot From The Hip for the Magniers who is now fourth favourite and he looked good but I imagine J P Magnier will keep the ride and he won’t be able to claim his allowance which has to be a negative.

 JEWSON NOVICES’ HANDICAP CHASE

I do like a couple for this but I would rather wait for more bookmakers to go up to see if I can find a better price than what is on offer so will wait until Thursday.

PERTEMPS FINAL

Again, I have four or five in mind for this race but two are Irish-trained so I can’t get involved until I see how much higher a mark they will run off over here compared to in Ireland.

RYANAIR CHASE

The main focus this week surrounded Tranquil Sea’s final prep race in the re-routed Newlands Chase at Leopardstown that was abandoned from the following weekend and he couldn’t have done it much better. Many have him down as a soft ground horse pure and simple but I am not so sure and believe he will be pressing Poquelin hard for favouritism on the day as the Irish will pile into him being their main challenger. With regards to our each-way Voy Por Ustedes bet, Alan King underlined he had not lost faith in him at his media day last week and, of all his Festival squad he brought out one by one in the blizzard, it was he that was the liveliest kicking and bucking away and the trainer is adamant he will improve greatly for the step back up in trip as was delighted with him in the Game Spirit until they outkicked him turning for home. I am not as convinced but hopefully he is right. What was most interesting however is that I deliberately waited until after the press had left until I asked him the following question which was: “Have you considered putting blinkers on Voy Por Ustedes for the Ryanair?” – a question to which he smiled and said “no comment”. I know what I read into it and Our Vic won this race with first-time blinkers slapped on two years ago. I didn’t want to openly ask the question as I felt that might be his answer and then that info would be in the public domain. Deep Purple may turn up. Evan Williams has said all season this is not his track so he won’t run but it would appear that the lure of the Festival may prove too much and he has a chance on his Peterborough Chase form giving weight and a beating to all but the jumping in that race by many was awful and he may have been flattered. He then broke a blood vessel in the King George and has not been seen since. He wouldn’t be for me as I think he wants flat tracks.

WORLD HURDLE

No news to report as such but why has Karabak been trading at near 12/1 on Betfair for much of the weekend which is double the bookmakers’ odds? Slightly worrying if you have backed him I would say. Mind you, his price is holding up okay on Betfair in the market without Big Buck’s at 11/4. I wouldn’t mind some 6/4 about him place-only on the day. I put up Time For Rupert e/w at 25/1 a few weeks back but, if you recall, I really wanted to back him e/w without Big Buck’s but the only firms at the time betting on that market were win-only. I notice you can now get 9/1 Time For Rupert without Big Buck’s to each-way stakes non-runner no-bet with Bet365 which makes appeal. Paul Webber gave a bullish about his preparations last week.

BYRNE GROUP PLATE

The hardest race at which to find a winner at the Festival for the last ten years and many of these are double entered so I would need to find about more about running plans before getting involved.

FULKE WALWYN KIM MUIR HANDICAP CHASE

I really fancy SHILLINGSTONE here and suggest you took the 16s each-way available in three places. Trained by Robert and Sally Alner, their record in the Kim Muir has been sensational having saddled two winners from three runners and Bowleaze ran a belter for them at a big price in last season’s race. In addition to the fact that he has been laid out for this race since winning at Newbury on Hennessy day when the front two pulled 24 lengths of the remainder in an amateur riders’ race, he gets on very with regular jockey Simon Allwood and that can mean a lot here as many amateur riders will be having their first race on their mount in this contest. Rested for a couple of months after that win (his second on the spin), he returned at Sandown last week to brush the cobwebs away and that run should have put him spot on and Alner’s previous two Kim Muir winners also used Sandown as part of the Festival preparations in the weeks leading up to this race. Being an eight-year-old is ideal and he is still progressive and stays very well which is another plus. I called the yard to confirm this is the plan which it is providing the ground doesn’t dry up so unless we have a heatwave, I would be confident he will take his chance. Qhilimar is also interesting but I will just stick with Shillingstone for now. The Irish have a dreadful record in the race with one win in 50 years so I am not that fussed about waiting to see what the handicapper does with their runners hence why I am getting involved now as I would be surprised to see any 20s about on Thursday.

TRIUMPH HURDLE

Obviously it’s bad news for our 10/1 about Mille Chief (was 5s before this weekend) that he missed the Adonis Hurdle through lameness as he is now a serious doubt for the race. It will be gutting if he is ruled out as I really fancy him against rubbish opposition compared to recent years but this kind of thing is always liable to happen now and again betting ante-post. Fingers crossed they can source the problem as soon as possible so all is not lost as they will have to get him working again soon or there is little point heading to Cheltenham if he is not in tip-top shape. It doesn’t sound promising though. As for our 25/1 each-way about Secant Star, his form was franked last week by Capellanus who looks a live hope for the ‘Fred Winter’ so I am very happy with that project as he is now a 7/1 shot in general especially as Pittoni, who I rated as the main danger to our pair before the weekend, was beaten into third against older horses at the weekend and is now a major doubt as he finished “clinically abnormal”. I imagine Paul Nicholls is kicking himself for not entering the impressive Dovecote Hurdle winner on Saturday Escort’Men as he bolted up so he will head to Aintree instead…..thankfully! On the same card Nicky Henderson’s Soldatino won the Adonis Hurdle in the absence of Mille Chief on his British debut and just his second hurdling start. I doubt he beat much as Ultimate didn’t run his usual race on testing ground as he barely stays two miles so he wouldn’t be for me. Given the problems with Mille Chief, Alaivan is the new favourite but I’ve got him down as a soft-ground horse so usual Friday Festival ground could catch him out and if Mille Chief doesn’t make it, it looks like the Irish will have the front three in the betting.

COUNTY HURDLE

Again, what weight the Irish will get compared to their Irish rating is going to be crucial here so I want to see the weights first.

ALBERT BARTLETT NOVICES’ HURDLE

Now that it appears that Quel Esprit is heading for the ‘Neptune’ (not certain but looking likely) I have got this race down to three potential horses to strike bets on – Tell Massini to win, Enterprise Park (win or ew) or The Betchworth Kid (ew or place only) as I don’t rate Restless Harry as potentially top class, Shinrock Paddy is coming off an injury and over three months off which is not ideal and I think there is a doubt over his form and I just don’t think the rest are good enough. The Betchworth Kid is crying out for this trip according to Alan King and is much classier than Moulin Riche and Nenuphar Collonges according to Robert Thornton who rode both to win this race but I would say they weren’t great renewals. I did ask King if he was worried about the ground to which he answered he will go on anything but 3m is a heck of a long way and he is a Flat horse so I do question whether he will fully stay the trip but I do see him running very well so is of each-way or place-only interest. Now that Quel Esprit looks like going for the ‘Neptune’, it is odds-on that ENTERPRISE PARK will be Walsh’s ride and Mullins’ number one so I see him leapfrogging Shinrock Paddy as the horse the Irish will get stuck into and he has a decent chance on form anyway as the second and third have both franked his latest win which was in the same race in which last season’s Albert Bartlett Hurdle winner won. So far he has only run on soft ground but he doesn’t have a soft-ground action at all and I believe he will improve for usual Friday Festival ground watching his running style. Enterprise Park, who runs in the Cooldine and Florida Pearl colours, was always going to run here but I wanted Walsh on my side which now looks likely (though I am slightly worried to see Quel Esprit go blue on Oddschecker in a couple of places this morning for this race but he is still four points longer on Betfair than Enterprise Park) and I see him starting second-favourite at the off at around 5/1 if he is Walsh’s mount so the 10/1 strikes me as real good value. I was in two minds to back him each-way at 10s or to back him win-only and save on the solid-looking Tell Massini and, after much pondering, decided to play the latter option thus striking two win bets in the race instead of an each-way investment. TELL MASSINI is an obvious big player as he is the form horse of the race, the trends horse of the race, he will love the 3m trip and is a two-time course winner. Moreover, I have received two calls this week from independent sources close to the yard that they are over the moon with him and feel he has improved tremendously since his last run (worked exceptionally with Nacarat last week who ran a stormer on Saturday) and they can’t envisage defeat. I don’t know about that but I do see him starting at under 3/1 so the 5/1 appeals with Paddy Power (9/2 is also more than fair) so I have backed him at 5s to win and Enterprise Park at 10s to win and will be very disappointed and slightly surprised if one of them doesn’t prevail. I reckon they will be nearer 11/4 and 5/1 on the day.

GOLD CUP

The main news centred around Paul Nicholls’ open day where he feels Kauto Star will be unbeatable if I have read his comments correctly so 4/5 strikes me as being overpriced but I am not going to put him up at odds-on as I don’t think you will thank me for that. For him to win by over five lengths at 2/1 with Paddy Power also makes appeal. He won last year’s race by 13 lengths and the King George by 36 lengths so that argument doesn’t need much explaining. Nicholls reiterated that Denman will be fitter than at Newbury, that McCoy will keep the ride and that they will resist blinkers but they may try a noseband. He also reiterated that What A Friend will miss the race having had a meeting with his owners preferring to wait for Aintree and Punchestown and, reading between the lines, I got the feeling he preferred Tricky Trickster to Taranis and My Will of his other three. Cooldine had a public workout at Leopardstown on Sunday and all seemed to go okay but, after Madison Du Berlais sulked again in the Racing Post Chase, I find it hard to believe he will take his chance.

FOXHUNTERS’ CHASE

The entries are confirmed on Wednesday and hopefully by then all bookmakers will be betting on the race and if I can get the right price about my fancy, I hope to put him up on Thursday.

MARTIN PIPE CONDITIONAL JOCKEYS’ HANDICAP HURDLE

Not a clue. Nightmare. Carnage.

GRAND ANNUAL

This has been a good race for me down the years as it is usually nowhere near as competitive as first appears and I have had a look at the entries and, to be frank, I can find reasons why not to support nearly all of these. Two or three have caught the eye so let’s wait for the weights of the Irish on Wednesday for more prices to be framed.

ANTE-POST SUGGESTED BETS:

Flat Out (ew) @ 33/1 (Supreme Novices’ Hurdle) (win stake refunded if Dunguib wins)

Zaarito (ew) @ 25/1 (Arkle Trophy) NON RUNNER

Sports Line (ew) @ 14/1 (Arkle Trophy)

The Package (ew) @ 10/1 (William Hill Trophy)

Punjabi (ew) @ 12/1 (Champion Hurdle)

Medermit @ 11/1 (Champion Hurdle)

No One Tells Me (ew) @ 20/1 (Mares Hurdle)

Weapon’s Amnesty (ew) @ 14/1 (RSA Chase)

Pettifour (ew) @ 50/1 (RSA Chase) NON RUNNER

*Petit Robin (ew) @ 25/1 w/o Master Minded (Champion Chase)

*Master Minded to win by over five lengths @ 5/2 (Champion Chase)

Day Of A Lifetime (ew) @ 12/1 (Champion Bumper)

Voy Por Ustedes (ew) @ 10/1 (Ryanair Chase)

Time For Rupert (ew) @ 25/1 (World Hurdle)

Shillingstone (ew) @ 16/1 (Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup)

Mille Chief (ew) @ 10/1 (Triumph Hurdle 1-2-3-4)

Secant Star (ew) @ 25/1 (Triumph Hurdle)

Enterprise Park @ 10/1 (Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle)

Tell Massini @ 5/1 (Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle)

* Indicates market limited to not all bookmakers