14th March 2023

A huge week for most, myself included.

It's incredibly hard to win money at meetings like these and a hell of a lot of work goes into them. Hopefully, you will have seen that in the detail of the trends, the previews and with the tips reviews themselves. Fingers crossed that we will be rewarded for that work, like we were last year.

GOOD LUCK!

Daily, I will attach the trends and preview notes file to save you going back to old emails. You can find it here.

I'm not going to touch the Supreme. For all I don't want to back Facile Vega as I've never been convinced about him, I don't want to oppose him either. If he's at his best I don't think he can be beaten, that's not because I feel he's a superstar, more that I don't rate the rest as top class.

Festival Multiples will be sent tomorrow between 11-12

LETS GOOO!

2.50 Cheltenham OSCAR ELITE 11/1 0.75pt ew 6 places

2.50 Cheltenham FASTORSLOW 8/1 0.75pt ew 6 places

4.10 Cheltenham LOVE ENVOI 9/1 0.75pt ew

4.50 Cheltenham BYKER 11/2 0.75pt ew 5 places

0.25pt Each Way Double

Daily Win Double

2.10 Cheltenham JONBON 7/4

5.30 Cheltenham GAILLARD DU MESNIL 1/1

1pt Win Double

I've been keen on OSCAR ELITE for a while now and, following his close 2nd in this race for us last year, there's no need to desert him here off 1lb higher. He travelled through the race like the best horse in the race and jumped the last looking as though it was his to lose. However, he suffered a bleed on that occasion which might explain why he didn't find what looked likely after the last. His season, until last time out, had been rather uninspiring but he's always been a horse that is best at this time of year and a facile win last time out served as a good prep and ensured we knew his wellbeing was good enough. Harry Cobden, who was on last year, was booked very early for the ride and another big run is on the cards at a course he likes. The trainer is worried about the recent rain, but with 2 wins on heavy ground I am less so. There are plenty of horses that I could have a saver on in this but I was 100% certain that FASTORSLOW would win the plate on Thursday and for that reason I've got to side with him given that connections seemingly think this is the better option. I'd ignore his form this year, over 2m and 2m4f in races that he simply didn't have a hope in, they were solely used as a means to a cause, Cheltenham. We backed him for the Coral Cup last year off the back of a useless season, only to see him lose by a nose at 33/1 with the first time tongue tie. That headgear aid has been off again this year so it is significant that his trainer has put it back on for this, his handicap debut. Having been racing against the likes of Gallopin Des Champs and co this year, he will find this test much more suitable and provided he can stay the trip, pedigree suggest that he will, then he ought to have a massive chance. The more rain the better.

I'm praying, and I imagine connections are too, that the course get every drop of rain that is in the forecast for LOVE ENVOI who looks to have been grossly overlooked in what is the race of the festival. Rarely to we have such a high prestige race in which every one of these runners have valid claims. In LOVE ENVOI however we have the mares novice hurdle winner from last years festival who is unbeaten on soft and heavy ground and has only been beaten by one rival in her career. Admittedly, that rival is re-opposing BRANDY LOVE but given the winner was only having her 2nd start of the year and had been laid out for the race, while the selection was having her 6th and final start, following the massive festival run, I'm happy to write that off as one race too many. Twice raced this year, she beat the boys over 2 miles in a handicap, giving over a stone away to the placed horses who have all won at least once since, first time out. She then tackled this trip for the first time at Sandown, the most testing of finishes, and improved no end for it. Kept fresh for this, she has to have a real place chance at worst and had she been trained by Mullins then I feel she'd be 2nd fav here. Maries Rock is the one to beat, last years winner could have won the stayers but connections opted for this. Honeysuckle is regressing and this has always been the distance she was weaker at, it would be amazing to see her win her swansong but I cant back her. Epatante almost certainly wont see this out on soft ground and Brandy Love, who I mentioned beat the selection Love Envoi last year, has had a troubled prep for the race.

The Charles Byrnes factor has definitely been accounted for in the price of BYKER but I'm happy to back him at this price still as he shaped last time out of a horse that was miles ahead of his mark. Unsuited by being held up in a small field, off a slow pace, on that occasion he wasn't given an overly hard ride either and (IMO) would have won with ease had the race not turned into a sprint. Previously a very easy winner of a 21 runner race, he should have no issue handling this big field scenario and it is interesting that the trainer has opted for first time cheek pieces on his handicap debut. The yard have a stung 27% strike rate with their horses in the headgear for the first time and also have a strong record with their handicap debutants. Byrnes has a phenomenal 38% strike rate at this course and would undoubtedly have this horse trained to the minute to provide his son with his first festival winner.