2009 PADDY POWER GOLD CUP TIPS

We’re less than 24 hours away from one of the most widely-anticipated races of the 2009/10 National Hunt Season. The much-vaunted Paddy Power Gold Cup, showpiece event at the Cheltenham Open, should be a classic jumps contest with a number of exciting permutations set to unfold. I predict an action-packed 3 mile chase with thrills, spills and plenty of excitement. There are some very interesting prices available at Victor Chandler and one of the notable drops in price is Ballyfitz who is now available at around 6/1. The Nigel Twiston-Davies-owned charge boasts a very solid record over the distance and I firmly expect him to be competitive. Tatenen, out of Paul Nicholls yard, is a 7/1 shot alongside Nicholl’s other favoured charge Chopturgeon. These are two of the yard’s premier runners at this class and distance. Poquelin is Nicholls other entrée, with a slightly lower profile, but the 14/1 odds can be belied by the fact that Ruby Walsh is taking the mount. I’ve had my eye on Tartak, at 16/1 with Victor Chandler, for quite some time. I think this is the type of race that he could strike in, especially if mistakes are made by any of the top 5. I think he’s good value for a place as well. Another runner we’re seeing plenty of movement towards is According to Pete, who ended last year with a 11114 record. His 14/1 price is buckets of value for a horse that will be contesting on the home stretch if he runs a relatively error-free race. I actually think, based on his prior races, that he could recover from a stumble better than most in the race. My final mention goes to the well-regarded Northern Alliance. You’ll find him trading at about 13/2 with Bictor Chandler and having AJ McNamara on top definitely gives me a bit more confidence to push on a runner with a shorter price than most. My value selections are Tartak and According to Pete. My short-priced selections are Chapoturgeon and Northern Alliance.