2010 CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL TIPS FOR NEPTUNE NOVICES RSA CHASE AND CHAMPION CHASE

We’ve got plenty of tips and analysis coming your way over the next few hours for tomorrow’s second day of the 2010 Cheltenham Festival. The big races of the second day of the Cheltenham Festival are easily the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the RSA Chase- both of which unfold in the first half of the days’ action.

In the Neptune Novices Hurdle, I like Quel Esprit- a fact detailed in some of the other articles available on Betting Choice and, though we didn’t see many favourites win on day one, he could definitely make a statement if given the proper trip. Personally, I am tempted to go towards Reve De Sivola as the key spoiler thanks to multiple graded victories this year and a strong 2nd place in a novice hurdle over this ground back in November. He’s won on soft and heavy ground and could be ready to slog it out in the opener. I like the 11/1 price as well.
In the 2010 RSA Chase we have an absolutely formidable field set to contest this and we’ve seen former favourite Punchestowns drifting slightly and I think that actually bodes pretty well for him. The current betting favourite is Nicky Henderson’s Long Run who is undefeated this year- all of which were graded races. I’m just sort of wondering how Long Run is going to handle the course at Cheltenham and I also don’t think he has matched wits with particularly high-quality competition. His 9/4 is way too short and I don’t advise backing him. I do, however, advise a punt on his stablemate Punchestowns. The talented jumper ran 2nd to Big Bucks twice this season and then managed to capture a pair of graded victories after that against smaller fields. I think the 11/4 is about right and I think he’s simply got more gas in the tank than Long Run. Weapons Amnesty looks the 7/1 spoiler, but he’ll need to dig deep. If you’re on the hunt for value, I suggest 12/1 Citizen Vic- who knows how to win a race and has already beaten 7/1 Weapons Amnesty.
A very compact field is set to contest the 2010 Queen Mother Champion Chase at 3:20 with Master Minded considered one of the biggest bankers at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival. You’ll find the first-class Paul Nicholls jumper boasting only two runs this year with form of 31 for the season. I think he needed the first race and he absolutely blew away the field in the Grade 2 Spirit Chase at Newbury. I think he is worthwhile even at the short price. Kalahari King is the 2nd place contender and he came 2nd in the Arkle last year to Forpadydeplasterer. He doesn’t really set the world on fire, but is a dependable Grade 2-Grade 1 sort. He’s at 9/2 and definitely should be there-or-thereabouts, but it will take some doing to top an in-form Master Minded. Twist Magic beat Forpady in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandowne. He did have a run in this one last year but didn’t look to have the handle of the course and wound up falling a few fences short. He is quality, but doesn’t have Cheltenham form. I think Forpadydeplasterer has been saving his best form for this race and the Thomas Cooper-trained gelding may be the surprise of the day. He’s trading at 10/1 and I plan on playing him on the bottom end of my forecast with Master Minded. I think he’ll be well-rested for this one and shouldn’t be troubled by the surface.