Mondo Man and Wreckless Eric head the market for tomorrow’s big race at Sandown, the Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (2.27 p.m.), and a good case can be made for each of them landing the spoils.
Mondo Man, trained by the father and son Moore team, is well handicapped over hurdles based on his flat form and, as a five-year-old gelding, his best days are surely ahead of him. However, odds of around 3-1 for a 22-runner handicap make zero appeal.
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Wreckless Eric, trained by the father and son O’Neill team, is well handicapped based on his run in this race a year ago when he was beaten only half a length by Go Dante, who will also be in the field tomorrow. Wreckless Eric re-opposes on 8 lbs better terms with Go Dante but that’s largely because he has run so poorly in three starts this season. That makes odds of no bigger than 13-2 on Wreckless Eric look skinny too.
I was tempted to put up Ooh Betty each way at 22-1 after her win at Ascot but she ran in this race last year off the same rating (132) as she will tomorrow and made no show, eventually finishing eleventh. On balance, I am happy to watch this race with no money down.
I prefer to put my hard earned on two horses at big prices in the European Breeders’ Fund Betfair “National Hunt” Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final (Sandown, 1.50 p.m.). The first is the Jamie Snowden-trained CINQUENTA, who has been aimed at this race since hacking up in the qualifier at Market Rasen early last month.
Connections say that Cinquenta’s future lies as a chaser next season but hopefully this six-year-old gelding can land this £45,000 pot on the way. Back him 1 point each way at 16-1 with Paddy Power, paying five places.
My other fancy at even bigger odds is GET ON GEORGE, who has to be forgiven a poor runwhen pulled up at Doncaster last time out. However, that came at a time when the stable was a little out of sorts having started the season so well. Now Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith’s yard is back among the winners so back Get On George 1 point each way at 33-1 with BetVictor or Coral, both paying five places.
As usual with long-range ante-post betting, I have a mixed portfolio of good and bad bets looking forward to the Cheltenham Festival next week. My biggest disappointment is that my huge fancy Laurens Bay has picked up an injury and will miss the meeting and, almost certainly, the rest of the season.
However, I will put up one more bet now that Paul Nicholls’ TUTTI QUANTI has been supplemented for the Unibet Champion Hurdle on Tuesday (4 p.m.). I would fancy him more strongly on heavy ground, which he is not going to get, but he is still a real improver judged on his easy victory under top weight in the William Hill Hurdle at Newbury.
I am very happy with my first bet in this race – the mare Golden Ace each way at 16-1 – but I will go into the Champion Hurdle double-handed. Back Tutti Quanti 1 point each way at 20-1 with bet365.
That price comes without the Non Runner No Bet (NRNB) comfort blanket but surely all this six-year-old gelding needs to do is stay sound until Tuesday to run now that he has been supplemented. If the rain stays away, the course will almost certainly water to ensure “good to soft” going for the opening day.
I will be tipping horses daily at Cheltenham next week with my blog due to go up shortly after 9am on all four mornings of the Festival, starting on Tuesday. Good luck to one and all for the battles that lie ahead with the old enemy, the bookmakers.
Pending:
1 point each way Cinquenta at 16-1 for the EBF Betfair “National Hunt” Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Get On George at 33-1 for the EBF Betfair “National Hunt” Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
1 point each way Sober Glory for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at 12-1 NRNB, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Romeo Coolio at 16-1 for the Arkle Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Mambonumberfive at 20-1 for the Arkle Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Konfusion at 20-1 for the Ultima Chase, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Golden Ace at 16-1 for the Champion Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Tuttii Quanti at 20-1 NRNB for the Champion Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Laurens Bay at 25-1 for the NH Novices’ Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Derryhassen Paddy at 25-1 for the Brown Advisory Chase, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way La Conquiere at 16-1 for the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Helnwein at 33-1 NRNB for the County Hurdle, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
1 point each way Haiti Couleurs at 14-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
1 point each way Resplendent Grey at 50-1 for the Grand National, paying ¼ odds, 4 places.
Last weekend – 1.8 points.
1 point each way New Order for the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase at 8-1, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places. 3rd (Rule 4. 25p in the £ deduction). +0.2 points.
1 point each way Spectacularsunrise for the Morebattle Handicap Hurdle at 11-1, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
2025-26 jumps season: running total – 7.785 points
2025 flat season: + 84.12 points on all tips.
2024-5 jumps season: – 47.61 points on all tips.
2024 flat season: + 41.4 points on all tips.
2023-4 jumps season: + 42.01 points on all tips.
2023 flat season: – 48.22 points on all tips.
2022-3 jumps season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
Total for six full seasons of tipping: + 126 points
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