Briareus to chase home Nicholls star

IF there is such a thing as a certainty at a major meeting like the Cheltenham Festival, then Master Minded is surely the horse in question.

Steeplechasing’s highest-rated performer produced a performance of mega-proportions when blowing away his rivals in last year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase.

And, with last year’s runner-up and main two-mile chase rival Voy Por Ustedes ducking the challenge tomorrow, Master Minded need only avoid disaster to put his rivals to the sword once again.

The only problem in backing a horse as superb as Master Minded is his price.

Bookmakers are not known for their generosity and the six-year-old is trading around the 3-1 ON mark for tomorrow’s Grade One contest.

That means you have to stake three pounds to win one, which is hardly my ideal way to make money and, I suspect, not your’s either.

One alternative is to take a plunge in the betting without Master Minded and, as I don’t fancy market leaders Big Zeb or Petit Robin for different reasons, Briareus could be the one to back at 6-1.

This nine-year-old finished sixth in the 2006 Champion Hurdle and was a leading novice chaser the following season before a minor injury halted his progress.

He has returned this season as good as new, beating leading Arkle Chase contender Imsingingtheblues at Kempton and finishing a fine fourth to the magnificent Kauto Star in the King George VI Chase at the same course.

The three miles of that race stretched his stamina, however, and a stiff two miles around Cheltenham will be much more to his liking.

With champion jockey Tony McCoy in the saddle, Briareus represents the best value in this race.

The second day of the Festival opens with the four-mile National Hunt Chase which gives amateur riders the chance to advertise their skills.

Prowess in the saddle is a big factor in this race so I am delighted to see the excellent Derek O’Connor booked to ride my main fancy, Drumconvis, who has been steadily backed since I selected him at 20-1 last week.

Given a low-key preparation by his astute trainer Tony Martin, Drumconvis has the ability and stamina to make an impact in this event.

The following Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle is as good a race as there is likely to be at this year’s Festival, with potential top-notchers Karabak, Diamond Harry, Mad Max and Mikael d’Haguenet lining up.

Mad Max holds a verdict over Karabak and is better value at their respective prices, but Diamond Harry is unbeaten in two bumpers and four novice hurdles and has drifted to a backable price, around 9-2, in the last fortnight.

The RSA Chase is a wide-open affair in which Irish challenger Cooldine is a worthy favourite and What A Friend, unbeaten in two runs over fences, will bid to become a first Cheltenham Festival winner for Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ace jockey Ruby Walsh could have ridden either, which is a pointer in itself, so Cooldine gets the vote.

Other fancies on the second day of the Festival are Nicky Henderson’s Aigle D’Or and The Polomoche, who should both be backed (slight preference is for the former) in the Coral Cup, and Amore Mio, from last year’s winning stable, in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle.

And the lucky last, a wide-open renewal of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper, will go to the Irish, hopefully in the shape of Philip Fenton’s hugely-promising Dunguib.


War’s Gold dream is over

WAR Of Attrition has been ruled out of Friday’s totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup by trainer Mouse Morris.

The 10–year–old, winner of the blue riband event in 2006, pulled out of his box slightly jarred on Sunday morning.

He is now likely be geared towards a tilt at the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on April 4.

“We gave War Of Attrition a scan and that came back perfect, which was a big relief, but I’m not going to take a chance with him,” said the County Tipperary handler.

“I would say he’ll be sound by Friday and he’ll probably go for the National at Aintree now.

“It’s disappointing to miss the Gold Cup, but the National is a good race to go for with him and we’ll be happy enough if he wins that.”

War Of Attrition’s Cheltenham absence means there will not be a single Irish–trained runner in the highlight of the National Hunt season.

Meanwhile, Jonjo O’Neill expressed his delight at the condition of the Cheltenham ground after walking the course with JP McManus, but warned any significant rainfall would count against Albertas Run in the Gold Cup.

O’Neill said: “With the Gold Cup horses it depends how much rain falls. It might not suit Albertas but it won’t bother Exotic Dancer.”

Albertas Run is a best–priced 16–1 chance for Gold Cup glory, while Exotic Dancer is a general 10–1 shot.