Antepost tips: Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup preview and bets for Cheltenham Festival

Antepost racing tips: Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup

1pt e.w Corach Rambler in Cheltenham Gold Cup at 33/1 (General - 1/5 1,2,3)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook

With the Christmas period out of the way, it’s time to take another look at the Cheltenham markets to see what value there is around. We did take a look at Salver for the Triumph Hurdle as a bet, as we’re both of the opinion that he’d have beaten Burdett Road in the Finale if he’d have turned up and he’d have been a shorter price than 14s had that happened, but he’s one to back nearer the time once we have a better idea of the weather, as soft ground appears something of a necessity for this staying type, and indeed, whether Gary Moore even intends sending to him Cheltenham, as Aintree would appear a more suitable test at this point.

Instead, given the events of the past seven days, it has reinforced our view that CORACH RAMBLER now looks to be the value option for the Gold Cup at present, and now looks the time to back him.

Corach Rambler was only third in the Betfair Chase, but he was unable to keep tabs on the leaders after Bravemansgame and Protektorat locked horns, and to be beaten 15½ lengths won’t have seen him enter many notebooks. I thought his run was proof that he has plenty left to offer, though, and he closed up late without having the kitchen sink thrown at him at a track, and a trip, hardly designed to show him in his best light. The obvious thought afterwards would be how to set him up best for another Grand National tilt, but Lucinda Russell has since confirmed that he would next run in the Gold Cup before a decision is made about returning to Aintree to bid for a second Grand National. He would relish the trip at Cheltenham in March, is already a dual Festival winner over fences and could yet find further progress given how he’s been campaigned.

Regarding his opposition, Galopin des Champs certainly deserves to head the market, but there is not much solidity behind the favourite, and the reigning champion is not bullet-proof, as he showed when beaten twice by the clearly inferior Fastorslow.

Galopin Des Champs’ win in the Savills Chase was a return to form for the eight-year-old after a disappointing return in the John Durkan the month before but while it was a clear return to his best, the race also served to confirm that Gerri Colombe lacks the gears to win a Gold Cup, and the form of his second to The Real Whacker in the Brown Advisory last March has taken plenty of knocks, with the winner struggling in open company this season. Gerri Colombe only just held off 80/1 shot Capodanno for second at Leopardstown and while he’s a likeable performer, he’s currently looking a bit more Don Poli than Don Cossack (that would work better if he was a Gigginstown horse, but you know what I mean).

Second favourite for the Gold Cup is Fastorslow, and while his defeats of Galopin des Champs in the Punchestown Gold Cup and the John Durkan means he has to be taken seriously, it’s always dangerous to hang your hat on end-of-season form, and while his defeat of Galopin des Champs and Bravemansgame last spring is decent form, the John Durkan, where he beat Appreciate It half a length with a clearly sub-par Galopin des Champs third, is far from solid. He’s not an easy horse to weigh up in truth, but he comes out as only marginally better than Corach Rambler on their running in the Ultima last March where Corach Rambler was value for a little more than the neck he beat Fastorslow having typically idled when hitting the front. Corach Rambler was receiving 4lb that day and I doubt if there is more than a few ounces between them on that evidence.

So what of the other contenders? The King George also knocked more horses out of the Gold Cup picture than it elevated to the top table. Shishkin ought to have won at Kempton, but anyone who decides that on the back of one run that his mulish display at Ascot can be forgotten is being willfully naive. He is a player, but he has also looked reluctant to exert himself in the 2022 Champion Chase (I think we can kick the original explanation for that dire effort into touch) and for a large part of the Ryanair last year, where he only consented to give his all after turning for home.

L’Homme Presse hasn’t been seen for over a year, and has had more than one hold up this season according to those close to the horse, and he would be a surprise runner now, let alone a likely winner. Hewick took advantage of the pace collapse to win the King George, and was held when taking a heavy fall in the Gold Cup last March. Bravemansgame has collected multiple silver medals since landing the 2022 King George, but hasn’t hit the same heights, with a punishing slog in the Gold Cup perhaps responsible for that.

We toyed with the idea of putting up Corach Rambler for the Gold Cup after the Betfair Chase but on balance, thought it best to leave it until we had a better idea of the lay of the land with a few of his likely opponents. Now seems the right time to put him up, as he’s likely to go to Cheltenham without a run, which is no bad thing as he won the Ultima after a similar break last year, and as people start to look around for what value is left in the market, Corach Rambler might well figure on a lot of shortlists.

We know what he’s capable of in the spring. The way he won the Ultima as a raw novice in 2022 is still fresh in the mind, looking every inch the thorough stayer we know him to be, sprinting up the Cheltenham hill like a fresh horse. He did the same again last year, idling close home to allow Fastorslow to get within a neck of him when a two-length victory wouldn’t have flattered him. That is an undervalued form line now, but it will crop up more and more as this race gets dissected in the coming weeks, and I doubt the current 33/1 will last about our fancy. That 33/1 is a general ante-post price, but for those who like a little protection, the 25/1 with Hills and 888Sport has the NRMB proviso.

• Preview posted 1445 02/01/2024

Punting Pointers Antepost Portfolio

Nov 20 - 1pt win The Big Breakaway in Coral Welsh Grand National at 14/1 (LOST)

Nov 27 - 1pt win Torn And Frayed in Virgin Bet December Gold Cup at 25/1 (LOST)

Dec 4 - 0.5pts e.w. Captain Guinness in Champion Chase at 20/1, 0.5pts e.w. Haddex Des Obeaux in Champion Chase at 50/1

Dec 18 - 1pt win Irish Point in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham at 16/1 (General)

Jan 2 - 1pt e.w Corach Rambler in Cheltenham Gold Cup at 33/1 (General - 1/5 1,2,3)

More from Sporting Life

• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing columnists
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

Safer gambling

We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.

If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.

Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.