Cheltenham Festival 2010 was put well and truly back on track on Thursday as our nap of the day BALLABRIGGS brought home the final race of the afternoon, despite our tentative attempts to get BIG BUCK’S beaten in the World Hurdle failing earlier in the day for small stakes.

Today is the big matchup between former champions KAUTO STAR and DENMAN in the Cheltenham Gold Cup – you will see our tips below – there might be a surprise in store.

As with each of the previous three days, the tips in Cheltenham Festival on this page are intended for those of you who want to have a little bet on every race, but are not intended as part of any long term strategy: ordinarily we do not suggest backing or laying so many events – be sure to set rigid limits for every race and stick to them.

Enjoy the final day of Cheltenham Festival 2010!

Select the race below to jump straight to our Systemlays selections:

1. 1:30 – JCB Triumph Hurdle Grade 1 – 2m1f
2. 2:05 – Vincent O´Brien County Handicap Hurdle Grade 3 – 2m1f
3. 2:40 – Albert Bartlett Novices´ Hurdle (Registered As The Spa Novices´ Hurdle Race) Grade 1 – 3m
4. 3:20 – totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Grade 1 – 3m2f110y
5. 4:00 – Christie´s Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup – 3m2f110y
6. 4:40 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys´ Handicap Hurdle – 2m4f110y
7. 5:15 – Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase Challenge Cup (Handicap) Grade 3 – 2m110y

1:30 – JCB Triumph Hurdle Grade 1 – 2m1f

The Triumph Hurdle is a high class juvenile event to get the final day started.

Triumph Hurdle Runners, Ratings and Best Odds:

Triumph Hurdle Tips and Ratings Review:

We put our top two, CARLITO BRIGANTE and WESTLIN WINDS very closely matched here, but a little way in front of BARIZAN, which makes the betting decision a little easier – the shortlist is down to two horses. As our top rated is 9/2 and WESTLIN WINDS is 12/1 with Sporting Bet at present, we’d recommend splitting your stake and playing half on the win on CARLITO BRIGANTE and half each-way on WESTLIN WINDS. You may also consider a small reverse forecast on the two. For the layers among you, the prices on our bottom rated aren’t likely to be of interest to many, unless you have a large laying bank, so SECANT STAR could be better value, but remember that the risk is higher than we would normally advise, and stake accordingly.

Who to Back:

CARLITO BRIGANTE (win) and WESTLINE WINDS (each-way) – forecast the two

Who to Lay:

SECANT STAR

2:05 – Vincent O´Brien County Handicap Hurdle Grade 3 – 2m1f

28 runners go to post in this County Hurdle, making it difficult to select from for more than just the depth of choice – good fortune and good riding in-running is also important in such a race: something that is more difficult to predict using a computer. In any case, it always helps to run the horses through the machine objectively, so here are our predictions.

County Hurdle Runners, Ratings and Best Odds:

County Hurdle Tips and Ratings Review:

As you might expect of such a big field handicap hurdle, it is very tight at the top of our ratings. The bottomweight, TARKARI comes out just top, however, and carrying a featherweight around Cheltenham is always an advantage, Sky Bet are paying 6 places on this race, so get yourself signer up if you fancy taking an each-way pop on this event. We also suggest the closely matched NOBLE PRINCE, ERADICATE and DEE EE WILLIAMS as good opportunities for some each-way money, though this race is as difficult as they come during the Cheltenham Festival: a tiny amount of improvement from one of twenty of these horses might see it win this today. A super handicap, but not brilliant as a betting medium as a result. We suggest you take a super small stakes approach and cover a few horses for interest.

Because of the long prices available, and the open nature of this race, you might wish to leave this one alone when it comes to laying too.

Who to Back:

TARKARI, NOBLE PRINCE, ERADICATE and DEE EE WILLIAMS – all each-way with Sky Bet (1/4 odds places 2,3,4,5 and 6!)

Who to Lay:

No Bet

2:40 – Albert Bartlett Novices´ Hurdle (Registered As The Spa Novices´ Hurdle Race) Grade 1 – 3m

Another large field hurdle, this time at level weights, offers a better opportunity to split the field based upon speed ratings.

Albert Bartlett Hurdle Runners, Ratings and Best Odds:

Albert Bartlett Hurdle Tips and Ratings Review:

Another race which sees the market and our ratings agree – take TELL MASSINI to win this one, and consider placing each-way savers on SILVER KATE and QUEL ESPRIT. Down the bottom end, we have to lay CAPPA BLEU as it is well out of this based on our ratings. Consider a place market lay if it doesn’t fit your budget, and stay low liability as your risk is increased.

Who to Back:

TELL MASSINI (win) SILVER KATE and QUEL ESPRIT (each way)

Who to Lay:

CAPPA BLEU

3:20 – totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Grade 1 – 3m2f110y

The big race of the day is the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the big question of the week (or, rather, the past two years) seems to be KAUTO STAR or DENMAN. Let’s run the horses through the machine.

Gold Cup Runners, Ratings and Best Odds:

Gold Cup Tips and Ratings Review:

KAUTO STAR or DENMAN? KAUTO STAR indubitably. As you will know from watching racing, DENMAN has not put in a great performance since that unbelievably strong 2008 Gold Cup, so much so that he has slipped right down our ratings since. While his prep race Unseated Rider simply added another not-so-good performance to this that was difficult, if not impossible, to assess, this simply means that it is now two years since DENMAN put in a mark that would beat any of the top three in this race’s best efforts since Christmas. Those are bad odds at 9/2, and we’ll be laying DENMAN today. As ever, this does not mean the horse cannot win a Gold Cup – he already has – but the stats point to the fact that it won’t be today.

KAUTO STAR on the other hand has a great chance to enter the history books, as he usually wins with a lot in hand, and still makes it right up there on our ratings. As we saw with BIG BUCK’S, this can indicate a big performance is due, and the signs are that KAUTO can do it again today. That being said, the bookmakers, and all theother punters are also aware of this, and the price of odds-on is not one to get too excited about unless you are investing large amounts of money. We prefer the each-way chances of CALGARY BAY and TRICKY TRICKSTER who will land you just as much for a place of much more reasonable stakes than a KAUTO STAR win would. Also consider placing the three into a combination forecast and/or tricast as bets without DENMAN will surely pay well.

The choice of how to play it is yours, but we suggest KAUTO STAR is well in front of DENMAN in this year’s Gold Cup match bet, and that the champ is looking likely to win today.

Who to Back:

KAUTO STAR (win) CALGARY BAY and TRICKY TRICKSTER (each-way)

Who to Lay:

DENMAN

4:00 – Christie´s Foxhunter Chase Challenge Cup – 3m2f110y

The final amateur race will help to settle everyone down after the drama of the Gold Cup – this is another long distance chase with the unpaid ladies and gentlemen on board.

Foxhunters Runners, Ratings and Best Odds:

Foxhunters Tips and Ratings Review:

Lay SERICINA in this race’s win only market and you shouldn’t have too nervous a time, while selecting the winner might well prove to be a more difficult prospect. We like the chances of our top rated, COWBOYBOOTS at a tempting 80/1 to make the frame, though there are a few horses on very close ratings immediately below that one that are all worth consideration. This is not the race to be piling into, but look at the top five horses in our ratings if you are thinking Placepot or Jackpot selections.

Bet365 and Sky Bet are paying 4 places on the Foxhunters, so maybe think about covering a few of these with small each-way bets with either of those bookies to add interest.

Who to Back:

COWBOYBOOTS – minimum each-way

Who to Lay:

SERICINA – lay win only

4:40 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys´ Handicap Hurdle – 2m4f110y

After the amateur jockeys, comes this race for the novice professional riders – the conditonal jockeys. Here is how we rate each horse’s chances.

Martin Pipe Hurdle Runners, Ratings and Best Odds:

Martin Pipe Hurdle Tips and Ratings Review:

Another race where we have three horses that look to be rated a little better than the field – and this race has 1/4 the odds for 5 places with Bet365 so there seems to be plenty of scope for a little profit from the following three horses, providing a couple can make that top five, or one can get its nose in front: QUENTIN COLLONGES, PEVERIL and BORN AGAIN. You might also like to consider a combination forecast and/or tricast on these three for small stakes if you want to aim for a larger prize pool.

We don’t recommend any but the most commited layers get involved in this race.

Who to Back:

QUENTIN COLLONGES, PEVERIL and BORN AGAIN

Who to Lay:

No bet

5:15 – Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase Challenge Cup (Handicap) Grade 3 – 2m110y

The final race of Cheltenham Festival 2010 is another handicap chase – can we go out with a bang?

Grand Annual Chase Runners, Ratings and Best Odds:

Grand Annual Chase Tips and Ratings Review:

This morning’s Non Runners make NOMECHEKI a stand-out bet at 25-1 with Bet365 who are once again offering 5 places in the each-way market. At this price, we can end the day with a nice bet: low risk for high potential reward. Consider laying either of our bottom tow, PIGEON ISLAND or CONSGLIERE in the win only market.

Who to Back:

NOMECHEKI (each way NAP)

Who to Lay:

PIGEON ISLAND and CONSIGLIERE

Nap of the Day

Our Nap of the Day is once again a selection in the last race of the day: NOMECHEKI has seen his chance improve markedly with the withdrawal of Leo’s Lucky Star. We think that a solid each-way bet here is a percentage play with 5 places to aim at. Our Next Best bet is KAUTO STAR to lift the Gold Cup – if you can get even money, take a bit of it, and cheer this horse home for his third Gold Cup.

Whatever you choose to do, enjoy the final day of Cheltenham 2010 – here’s to another great Gold Cup!

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