As I sit here the wind and rain are lashing at my windows and I am a mere twenty minute walk from HQ. Looking at how testing the ground was today and coupled with Paddy Brennan’s comment on it as “The worst I have ever ridden on here” I have picked out a horse for tomorrow, who has winning form at Cheltenham and will handle the conditions. I am most definitely not a tipster, but I thought I would share it with you on this damp December evening.
1:20 Cheltenham
The 2011 Grand Annual winner Oiseau De Nuit has winning form on heavy if you go right back to January 2008. However, it is the 2009 Grand Annual winner Oh Crick that appeals to me here. Again, we have to go back in time to find a win on heavy ground (December 2007). He has been running well under Joshua Newman of late and tomorrow with his young jockeys claim he is carrying 10-4. Shooters Wood will most probably go off favourite, he has two victories at Cheltenham to his name, the most recent of which coming on the Friday of the Open Meeting before the deluge that turned the ground heavy. I just worry that he will not be at home on such testing conditions. His Excellency has form on yielding ground in Ireland and a win at Cheltenham under his belt. I do love his tail swishing madness, but I feel his target is later on in the season. Lancetto a winner at the Showcase Meeting last year, prefers to hear his hooves rattle. So, providing I am not sailing towards Wales in the morning, I shall be having a wager on Oh Crick and that will be my only bet of the day at Cheltenham.
Be lucky!
