Your guide to Wednesday(A to Zeb)

Ruby Walsh is the bane of bookies lives. He is off the course for most of the last season, has his first winner on Saturday and comes back and wins 3 out of 4 rides on the opening day. We managed 2 winners with our tips so not too shabby. Hope some of you availed.

Queen Mother Champion Chase

Big Zeb should really be clear favourite for this race. He won going away last season and if we excuse the last run when he went a mile too soon, he would be a lot shorter. I'm delighted he flopped that day as now the price is bigger and he is always due one bad race. The Tied Cottage was it and he comes to Cheltenham ready to defend his crown

Master Minded has no chance in my opinion. (Famous last words). He needs slow ground and while Nicholls is screaming that another one of his wind operations has done the oracle and he doesn't hang right anymore, I don't believe it and even if he has fixed those problems he'll still watch Big Zeb's arse sail into the sunset up that hill . NO CHANCE

Woolcome Folly has become one of those stats attacks horse. He is a handicapper that set a fast time on his last outing getting the anoraks buzzing.Time is for prisoners and will be of no benefit to him here where he'll meet proper opposition.

Somersby is the money horse with Mulhollands in the antepost markets. Most people believe he should go for the Ryanair but Henrietta is going for this. Hen Knight has had 6 winners all season and I just think he needs too many things to drop for him to win.

Golden Silver has ran twice at Cheltenham and twice ran like Sonia O Sullivan in Atlanta. I have already said that victory over Big Zen must be taken with sachet of salt and I will overlook him again.

The danger for me is Sizing Europe. Winner of last season's Arkle, he goes well fresh, loves Cheltenham and is the biggest danger in the field.


VERDICT: Big Zeb(nap)

Neptune Investment Management Novices´ Hurdle

This is a race the Irish will be disappointed to leave behind

So Young is from the same sire as Mikael D'Hagenenut and his form looks even better going into this race. He looks a fantastic horse an looks sure to get involved. He is another of those "could be anything" horses

Oscar Wells will be one of the Irish hotpots and his last win was a serious piece of work. He turned many doubters into believers destroying Zaidpour, Hidden Unniverse and Shot From The Hips. He deserves to be favourite and will win IF he can handle the ground. I'm not sure he will though.

First Lieutenant is another top Irish horse and Mouse Morris thinks the world of this yoke. Worth an each way interest. None of the English appeal.




VERDICT:So Young

RSA Chase Grade 1

Time for Rupert is certainly lacking in Chase form for a favourite for a RSA but what he does have is C&D(course and distance). He is many people's banker of the week but bankers just cost us money, a lot of money.I expect bookies to get stuck into him to get him beat and the cotton wool approach would be a worry but is this the strongest renewal? or just a cast of horses scared out of the staying hurdle division by Big Bucks. Mikael D'haguenet looks like he will never be the horse he was capable of being and the Mullins yard believe Quel Esprit is their best chance. AiteenThirtyThree looks uncomplicated and just looks a out and out chaser but I worry if something with some gears comes alongside him he will have no answer and especially it's been deserted by Ruby Walsh.

Wymott again has looked unspectacular this season but will have his supporters and Master Of The Hall again just doesn't look good enough.

Time for Rupert's win at Cheltenham over Chicago Grey worries me. Elliot says Chicago Grey wouldn't get within an asses roar of beating Jessies Dream and if that really is the case coupled with the fact I'm a big fan of the horse anyways after beating Mikael D'haguenet and winning a hot chase race at Galway early in the season so we know he'll go up the hill no bother, I have to back the Irish horse to win. Forget the last run, Timmy had a bit of a lobotomy moment.

VERDICT: Jessies Dream

141st Year of National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup (Amateur Riders´ Novices´ Chase)

Ireland has a terrible record in this race with only one win ni 10 years(and that at 40/1) but they appear to have a serious strong hand with Alpha Beat and Chicago Grey. We know Chicago Grey will enjoy the course and go up the hill and has enjoyed a wee break after a long 2010 and don't let me put you off. Alpha beat also has hill form at Galway winning at August and will love the ground. See how the market goes as Charles Byrnes horse could be another plot horse.

At an outside price Regal Approach will be worth an interest as it's battle hardy and will find trip OK, ground is a concern though.

VERDICT: Chicago Grey.

Coral Cup (Handicap Hurdle) Grade 3

For all the runners only one horse stands out. Call the Police will get hammered in the ring and could go off a silly price but he looks the most likely winner and I can't find anything else in the race to take him on with.

VERDICT: Call the Police

Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Grade 3

Plan A looks a plot job here and while the cat is kind of out of the bag, horses at the front of the market do well enough in this race with Sanctuaire perhaps the most impressive winner of the week last season

VERDICT: Plan A

Champion Bumper

Well with a week to go it was 8/1 the field and the most open in recent years. The form is just so hard to gauge and really it looks a bit of a lottery. That won't stop us having a go but I think the last bumper winner I backed was Total Enjoyment back in 2004. Raise the Beat as the intial talking Irish horse but to be honest if he was that good I think the price would have been smashed into.

John Shark Hanlon rates Star Neauville the best horse he has ever trained and word is he is slaughtering Luska Lad on the gallops. The booking of AP Mc Coy is a huge plus and he must enter calculations.

Nicky Henderson traditionally shuns this race but his horse Ericht has shown perhaps the best form on the course with his last win and he's the selection.

VERDICT: Ericht

Selections
1:30 Chicago Grey.
2:05 So Young
2:40Jessies Dream
3:20 Big Zeb(nap)
4:00 Call the Police
4:40 Plan A
5:15 Ericht