Early Cheltenham Festival Preview

Happy New Year to you all. Over the next few weeks I am going to be giving my views and gambling advice on the big races at this year’s Cheltenham festival in March. This is undoubtedly the highlight of the racing calendar no matter what the flat extremists say and, as I have said before, how anyone can get excited about one season wonders as opposed to household names such as Denman, Kauto Star and Istabraq is beyond me.

Today I will be looking at the Arkle Chase which is run on the 1st day of the Festival. This is the top championship race for 2 mile novice chasers and is always a thrilling spectacle and this year looks to be no exception. At the head of the market is currently the Nicky Henderson trained Sprinter Sacre at around the 5/2 mark and to me he looks a vulnerable favourite. This horse has speed to burn and his exuberant jumping will stand him in good stead but I fear that Cheltenham is not his ideal track.

Even though this race is run over 2 miles, speed is not the most important attribute to winning this race and, as funny as it sounds, stamina is much more an issue. Over the last few years horses such as Kicking King and My Way de Solzen have both won the Arkle and gone on to win championship races later on in their career over 3 miles+. Even last year’s winner Captain Chris has genuine aspirations of winning this year’s Gold Cup. At last year’s festival in the Supreme Novices hurdle Sprinter Sacre hit the front coming in the home straight and looked all over the winner before fading and finishing a disappointing third thus adding to my stamina worries.

The genuine stayer and class horse in the race is Peddlers Cross and at 6/1 I think this a rock-solid alternative to the favourite; to this betting blog the prices are wrong on the race and the firms should be betting more like 4/1 each. Peddlers Cross has stamina in abundance as proved when winning the Neptune Novices hurdle at the Festival last year and, even though Sprinter Sacre beat Peddlers cross easily last time out at Kempton over Christmas, I strongly believe that he tables will be turned come March. In that race Peddlers Cross seemed to jump stickily throughout the race which I think was down him making a bad mistake early and maybe losing a bit of confidence and he could never get back in to a fluent rhythm. As Peddlers Cross was the only other horse in the race, Sprinter Sacre was left to record a facile victory, but the bigger field and more competitive nature of the race should suit the battle-hardened Peddlers Cross more.

As much as I think Sprinter Sacre is an exciting horse, I don’t think that Cheltenham is his ideal track and will be beat on this occasion. But to all his fans do not worry, because compensation will surely await at Aintree later in the season on a track that looks ideal for him.

My Big Bet: 2 points each way Peddlers Cross @ 6/1