Boylesport Gold Cup Cheltenham Betting Tips

Irish raiders have won two of the last five renewals of the big race at Cheltenham on Saturday, which will be run as the boylesports.com Gold Cup for the first time this year, and Ross River, a 8/1 chance with VCBet, can enhance that record further. Tony Martin's versatile charge, who is one of four raiders from the Emerald Isle left in at the five-day stage, enjoyed a profitable campaign last term, acquitting himself well at trips ranging from two to three miles, while proving his ability to handle contrasting underfoot conditions. The ten-year-old looked to be on good terms with himself when making a winning seasonal reappearance at Punchestown last month when giving the best part of two stone and a cosy length and three-quarter beating to The Penitent Man in a 2m2f contest, a race in which he was conceding race-fitness as well as weight to his eight rivals. It has to be said, the grey has a lot more on his plate on Saturday, competing in a much tougher race, and off a 13lb higher mark. But there appears to be more to come from Ross River, and although he fell when favourite for the Racing Post Plate over this course and distance at the Festival in March, he is generally a sound jumper. Valuable handicaps like this are invariably run at a sound pace and, with the going likely to be on the soft side at the weekend, the selection's proven stamina could well come into play. Ross River travels well during his races and has good turn of foot. All in all, he looks well enough equipped to deal with whatever this race will throw at him. Paul Nicholls was open about that fact that he felt Taranis had a stiff task under topweight in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, and so it proved. Although just two lengths down in second when falling at the second-last, the five-year-old appeared to be beating a retreat at the time to my mind, and would have done well to have finished in the frame. It will be interesting to see if Nicholls leaves Thisthatandtother and Cerium in the field, as their participation will ensure that Taranis has a decent racing weight of 11st 4lb. If this is the case, the ante-post favourite must be a leading contender, especially as he'll be meeting the eventual Paddy Power hero, Exotic Dancer, on 10lb better terms. Exotic Dancer sprang a surprise at 16/1 in that race on the Old Course here on November 11, and Jonjo O'Neill's charge will, needless to say, merit the utmost respect in his bid to follow up on Saturday. But the proximity of the likes of New Alco and Butler's Cabin, who were third and fourth home respectively, raises a big question with regard to the overall value of that form in my opinion. Commercial Flyer looked a heck of a prospect when scoring on his chasing bow last season but disappointed when pulled up at the Festival here in March and then at the Grand National meeting at Aintree. It's too early to be writing David Pipe's charge off, but backing a horse who's failed to complete the last twice, and is making his handicap bow in a competitive heat on his seasonal reappearance, makes for a risky proposition. Thisthatandtother is the class act in the field but he looks vulnerable to improvers, and he's hardly built to carry big weights like he'll have to lump in this Grade 3 event. Reveillez and Copsale Lad, first and second in the Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase at the Festival, both failed to complete last time out but, providing there's no hard done confidence-wise, they could both figure prominently. Verdict - 1pt Ross River @ 8/1 (VCBet)