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- Cheltenham Festival Ante-post Movers After Showcase Meeting
Cheltenham Festival Ante-post Movers After Showcase Meeting
© Healy Racing Photos
It’s never too early to start thinking about the Cheltenham Festival if you’re a jump racing fan, as the entire season is geared towards it. Racing returned to Cheltenham at the weekend with their two-day Showcase Meeting.
It’s one of the track’s lesser fixtures and we will learn plenty more at next month’s Open Meeting but we do at least have some form pointers to go off at least. Here we take a look at three horses who have increased market prominence after the weekend’s action.
These include a novice hurdler winner for Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore who was as big as 66/1 before winning over the weekend and is now 25/1.
Conman John, Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
Most people probably hadn’t heard of Conman John before Saturday but he certainly drew some attention when winning the Class 2 novice hurdle over three miles. He won an Irish point at Damma House by 20 lengths last year but failed to win in two bumper starts.
Making a winning start to the season at Kelso earlier this month, he’s now unbeaten in two over hurdles. Derrick Fox was confident that stamina wouldn’t be an issue for the five-year-old and he employed positive tactics aboard the son of Malinas.
Conman John was as big as 66/1 for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle before Saturday’s race and is now available at around 25/1. He dons the same colours as Lucinda Russell’s former stable star Ahoy Senor and could be one to watch at the Spring festival.
3.202m. 7f. 213yds. 22 Declared.
Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1 ) of £154,650.00 5-y-o plus
- Formscan
- Race Info
1st - €87,022.00 2nd - €32,786.00 3rd - €16,408.00 4th - €8,196.00 5th - €4,114.00 6th - €2,057.00 7th - €1,021.00 8th - €526.00 Going - Good to Soft (Soft in places).
Formscan - The Irish have dominated this event over the last decade, winning seven times, and are likely to improve on that record based on the ante-post market. The leading English hope would have to be Kripticjim, who just prevailed in Grade 2 company at this course in January and this longer trip could bring out improvement. Out of the four Willie Mullins sends to post, Doctor Steinberg is the clear choice after beating Thedeviluno at Navan prior to bolting up at the top level at Leopardstown last month. The six-year-old should mount a bold bid in protecting his unbeaten record over timber, but the value may lie with SPINNINGAYARN. Gordon Elliott's gelding has shaped as if crying out for this step up in distance when winning comfortably at Fairyhouse and Punchestown the last twice, so with the potential for bundles of improvement, he looks the one to side with.
Odds Shortening 
Odds Lengthening
9/4
9/4
5/2
9/4
9/4
5/2
15/8
9/4
2/1
11/4
9/4
5/2
9/4
15/8
5/2
9/4
15/8- Odds
7/1
7/1 15:13
13/2 7/1 15:10
13/2 7/1 15:03
13/2 7/1 15:11
6/1- Odds
9/1 9/1 15:1312/110/1 9/1 15:0910/1 9/1 15:117/1 14/1 11/1 12/1- Odds
14/1 14/1 15:1318/1 16/1 15:1014/1 14/1 15:0214/1 14/1 15:1116/1 14/1 15:12 18/1- Odds
18/1 18/1 15:1318/1 18/1 15:1018/1 18/1 15:1218/1 16/1 14:5120/1 18/1 15:12 22/1 28/1 20/1
Kazansky 6 25/1- Odds
18/128/125/125/1 20/1 12:4133/1 50/1 80/1Alnilam, Grand Annual Chase - 12/1
© Healy Racing Photos
One of the most impressive performances of the meeting came from Olly Murphy’s Alnilam in the Class 2 Novices’ Chase on Friday. It looked like a ferociously competitive line-up and this gelding was right up there with the pace, with his rivals unable to provide any answers.
You would imagine the Arkle would be a big ask once the Willie Mullins battalions enter the picture but he ran a great trial for the Grand Annual. One bookmaker has installed him as one of the ante-post favourites and it’s easy to see why.
In order to win the Grand Annual, you need to be able to jump and travel powerfully and Alnilam displayed those characteristics throughout the race. Connections will need to protect his mark somewhat but further progress seems very likely.
Ma Shantou, Pertemps Network Final - 12/1
We don’t have much to go on in the Pertemps Final, as Saturday’s qualifier was the first of the season. The first four horses home have now qualified for the final in March and winner Ma Shantou is as short as 12/1 to repeat the trick at the Festival.
Emma Lavelle’s six-year-old was patiently ridden by Harry Cobden in the early stages of the race and began to make smooth headway after the ninth flight of hurdles. He then began to make his move approaching the second-last and he was travelling very smoothly.
Cobden then pushed him clear up the run-in and he scored by just shy of three lengths with plenty in hand. His handicap mark is going to be something to consider and provided he’s not over exposed throughout the season, a big run can’t be ruled out come March.
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