Cheltenham 2012 Ante Post Betting Tips

November has been quite an informative month for National Hunt followers. All categories, from senior to novice status, over a range of trips and obstacles, have given plenty food for thought. The Paddy Power Open meeting and the Hennessy Gold Cup meet have seen many stars and potential stars run. Grade One races and the tracks they were run on were also harbingers for decent types to get out – races like the Charlie Hall Chase, Betfair Chase and the Fighting Fifth Hurdle to name just a few. Here are others that caught my eye this month.

Montbazon (Alan King)

One of England’s top bumper horses last season Montbazon should make-up into a decent novice hurdler. Three runs in national hunt flat races yielded two seconds and one win. Funnily enough, his two runner-up runs were probably his best. On debut, he ran second to subsequent Cheltenham Champion Bumper winner, Cheltenian. This proved to be a great debut given the winners later exploits, but also as Montbazon’s conqueror had a previous start. After winning his next start Alan King sent his charge to Aintree for the track’s champion bumper. After travelling beautifully throughout the four-year-old didn’t produce the same turn of foot as the good winner, Steps To Freedom, who is now your Supreme Novice Hurdle favourite. Granted that Montbazon was taking on his elders at Aintree there is every chance that he may just improve that bit more this year. Food for thought especially when double Steps To Freedom’s price for the Supreme. He made his comeback run at the Cheltenham Open meeting, but could only finish third. Immediately after the race I thought it was a disappointing effort, but he took on fit horses and his trainer is adamant he’ll come on significantly. His breeding also suggests jumping will be his game and two-and-a-half miles should be within range.

Sonofvic (Paul Nicholls)

A full brother to the yard’s Aiteenthirtythree, but I think he’ll turn out to be a better horse given time. The son of Old Vic has only made three racecourse appearances in his short career, winning two hurdles, a maiden event before a decent novice race at Ascot. The form of that maiden has since worked out well with the second and third horses now rated 138 and 128, respectively. The form of his second run also looks promising. There he defeated a decent horse of Donald McCain’s, who was slightly unlucky in truth, but now obtains an official mark of 143. Granted his hurdles form was good and he’s bred for fences, no one could still envisage the highly promising chasing debut he’d make. At Newbury’s Hennessy meeting Paul Nicholls pitched him in against Grands Crus, last year’s World Hurdle second. Ruby Walsh’s mount jumped adequately, but wasn’t fully fluent. There is plenty of room for improvement in the jumping department, but considering the mistakes he made he still pushed a high-class horse very close. With a fluent round he may have gone closer. This was a highly encouraging start over fences which threw him right in the mix for next year’s RSA Chase. He’s in the right hands to improve and I personally cannot wait for his next start.

Macville (Patrick Neville)

Macville will go down as one of my main mares to follow this season. The daughter of Christophene hasn’t got a great pedigree, but that hasn’t stopped her winning races, races of good quality. In total she has won four races including a Listed contest and a Grade Three hurdle and I expect her to win more this season if being nicely placed by her trainer. Patrick Neville is a small Limerick trainer and truth be told I know very little about him. What I do know is he has placed this mare well and has had winners over hurdles and chases. The form of her Down Royal run this time last year has worked out well. There she beat a mare called Oilily by eight lengths. Subsequently, the runner-up has since gone on to finish second in a Grade Two at the Aintree Festival franking the form. She is a class mare, has options in terms of trips and is tough. She has already made an appearance this year, but it was in a hot contest at Down Royal. Here she was taking on genuine Champion Hurdle candidates, but ran a nice race for her seasonal pipe opener. I think she’ll pick up a couple of races this year especially against her own sex and should be a decent each-way bet for the mares race at Cheltenham.

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