Free Horse Racing Tip – Cheltenham Gold Cup 2017
Free horse racing tips, Alan Kelly selects his ante-post tip for the Cheltenham Gold Cup following the Festival Trials Day at Prestbury Park on Saturday.
Racing Post historian John Randall wrote a fine piece in that publication recently in which he stated that the best test of the finest staying chasers in training is not the Cheltenham Gold Cup but Kempton’s King George V1 Chase where a combination of both speed and stamina is required unlike the Gold Cup where the ability to slog it out up that gruelling hill means that the race is not always won by the best horse.
A look down the list of previous winners over the last 40 years which include the likes of Norton Coin, Cool Ground, Cool Dawn, Synchronised and Lord Windermere would appear to bear this out, giving hope to the rivals of this year’s favourite Thistlecrack who appeared to be outstayed by the ill-fated Many Clouds on Cheltenham Trials Day at the weekend. There is little doubt that Colin Tizzard’s superstar would take the world of beating if the race was run on a less demanding track but at odds of 2-1, it’s worth looking elsewhere for the Gold Cup prediction.
Cheltenham Gold Cup ante-post tip
With Thistlecrack’s chief market rivals Native River, Djakadam and Cue Card all looking vulnerable, the 2017 renewal could produce yet another shock result. The horse who takes the eye for the Cheltenham Gold Cup tip at a generous 25-1 with Boylesports is Champagne West from the Henry De Bromhead stable. The ex-Philip Hobbs-trained son of Westerner never fulfilled his potential in this country but since crossing the Irish sea has looked a different proposition, especially where his jumping is concerned, and in his most recent start spreadeagled a competitive field to win Gowran Park’s Thyestes Chase.
Apart from one mistake the nine-year-old jumped and ran his rivals ragged, since when connections have expressed their intention to go for gold at Prestbury Park in six weeks time. An official rating of 166 puts Champagne West just 2lb behind 4-1 second favourite Native River making the 25-1 on offer about a horse who continues to improve an excellent value bet.
Recommended Betting tip – 1 point each-way Champagne West