Cheltenham 2024 Antepost 1

Whilst I haven't been particularly active on twitter and haven't posted on here in nearly a year, I have been studying the form from last season and watching a lot of the French racing over the summer. I'm not going to commit myself to a weekly schedule with these, and force a bet or angle if I don't feel 100% confident in it. Particularly as the antepost game that I love is changing, if not dying. Bookies are become more and more risk averse and some of the current prices are truly sickening. Though it makes us antepost backers have to work that much harder trying to find worthwhile bets, the thrill of sitting on a nice bet going into the festival, I think, is still worth it.

For what it's worth, my top performance for the juveniles in France, was Sir Gino now with Nicky Henderson in Donnelly silks. The small winning margin may not suggest it, but he aboslutely destroyed the now Mullins trained, Salvator Mundi. For context it was a young Tanguy Andrieux on board Sir Gino, a jockey looking to win his first race at black type level, in the Listed Prix Wild Monarch. Up against the well backed Cottin/De Giles favourite, Salvator Mundi, Andrieux didn't even draw his whip and just nudged away at Sir Gino even after being headed by the hard ridden Salvator Mundi. With the two pulling a fair way clear of the 3rd, I think both could be very good horses, but make no mistakes, Sir Gino was much the better horse that day and was ridden as though they knew it.

Though I have personally backed him in a few small multiples, my first antepost bet however, is not Sir Gino in the Triumph. I am Instead backing one in the Ballymore, the €75,000 purchase, JP McManus owned and Gordon Elliott trained, Down Memory Lane.

Down Memory Lane was an impressive winner of his point-to-point just over a year ago, he pulled 10 lengths clear of a field containing two further point winners, but it's not the strength of his point win that was eye-catching, but the manor in which he won it. Looking the winner a long way out, jumping well and quickening clear after the last.

Confirming that early promise, Elliott wasted no time in getting him out for a bumper in February, which he duly won. A full season in bumpers would have been a waste, and he now heads novice hurdling as a 5 year old, leaving plenty of time for chasing in the coming seasons. He travelled strongly and pulled 4 lengths clear of in a nice manner. The bumper form is stacking up nicely with 5 winners in behind, all the way back to the 93 length 9th! The subsequent winners including the Mullins trained Mister Pink, and The Wallpark who shortly after this race was sold and then sent to Elliott himself. The Wallpark then won three races on the bounce for him, before coming up short at Listed level, though he was a short enough 9/2 in that race, eventually finishing 3rd.

I feel it's important to get this bet out as soon as possible, as the price could collapse after he hopefully runs this weekend at Down Royal. He's entered for two races that Elliott has historically reserved for his better novice hurdlers. On Friday there's a 2 mile 6 furlong race that he's entered in. A race that Elliott has won with Albert Bartlett 3rd, Fury Road; Martin Pipe 3rd, Hollow Games; and the Grade 2 novice hurdle winning Farouk D'Alene, who was going best and still on the bridle when falling two out in the 2022 Brown Advisory. Last year it was his Champion Bumper 2nd American Mike, who made his seasonal reappearance here and although he disappointed thereafter, Elliott clearly thought a lot of him.

The other race, which is on Saturday, is a shorter trip at 2 miles 1 furlong, and arguably has an even better list of previous winners. Hitting the crossbar last year with a 3rd in the race, the previous 3 years Elliott has won the race with horses who then went on to win novice Grade 1 races the same season. Most recently with the ill-fated Mighty Potter, and before that, Supreme 2nd, Ballyadam; and Ballymore winning Envoi Allen. Though it was only Envoi Allen who was stepped up to the Ballymore trip, with JP owning the current 1st and 2nd Supreme favourites in A Dream To Share, and Ferny Hollow's brother Mirazur West. I think it would be Down Memory Lane who is more likely to step up in trip, with his other two horses being real two-milers.

At 20/1 I think the price is more than fair, particularly as if he wins this weekend we'll likely be seeing much shorter prices across the board. This is a 1pt win bet.