Tipping 
/ Adam Brookes / 27 January 2012 / Leave a Comment 
Diamond Harry is a fourth-leg banker.
"With Captain Chris's stamina for the Argento Chase far from guaranteed, it could be the right time to catch Diamond Harry..."
With an estimated win fund approaching half a million pounds on offer, Timeform's Adam Brookes offers his permutation for Saturday's Scoop6...
Cheltenham 13:30
The Timeform-sponsored first leg is very competitive and highly likely to prove a race to follow going forward. Exeter scorer Bless The Wings could have finished closer to winner Our Mick (won Grade 2 next outing) at Kempton last time but for a mistake three out and remains capable of better having only had two starts over fences to date. That'lldoboy, who was in the process of adding another fine placed effort to his record in the same race before falling two, is a solid back-up, as he's being ridden by Ruby Walsh for the first time and has finished in the frame on both of his course starts.
Cheltenham 14:05
Top-rated for the two-mile-five-furlong handicap is The Giant Bolster but, for all that he's a course winner, his erratic jumping means he'd be a seriously risky perm inclusion. A safer option is strong-travelling ex-French six-year-old Aerial, who has improved in two starts this term having undergone a breathing operation over the summer. If he is to be thought of as a serious Ryanair contender (he currently trades at [24.0]), he ought to be winning off a BHA rating of 152.
The formerly quirky Corkage has returned to his best since being reacquainted with blinkers and is much respected in his bid for the hat-trick, but he's sure to feature on the lion's share of Scoop6 betting slips. With that in mind, it's worth siding with Philip Hobbs' Big Easy, a three-time Flat winner at up to a mile and a half in France, who could well prove a different proposition now handicap hurdling having not been knocked about in a trio of novices before Christmas.
With Captain Chris's stamina for the Argento Chase far from guaranteed, it could be the right time to catch Diamond Harry, who may not be bombproof but will be tough to overhaul if repeating the level of his last two chase starts (a Hennessy win and a fourth in the Betfair Chase). Trip and ground won't be an issue for him and, with first-time rider Noel Fehily expected to prove well suited to the horse, he can prove too good for the likes of Time For Rupert, Midnight Chase and the thoroughly enigmatic Tidal Bay.
While a bold show from Galaxy Rock (top rated) can be anticipated back on better ground, Shakalakaboomboom is another to have already run to a figure that would win most runnings of the Sky Bet Chase since the turn of the century, and a 4 lb rise for his success at Cheltenham last time isn't insurmountable. It could also pay to chance Shalimar Fromentro, who shaped well for a long way over the Grand National fences in the Becher Chase on his British return, having raced three times (first past the post prior to being demoted after impeding the runner-up on final occasion) at Auteuil in France. He may only be six years old, but young horses have a good record in the race (since 1993, nine of the 16 winners have been aged eight or under) and he's not harshly handicapped on his 2010/11 novice form.
Cheltenham 15:10
Despite both having to concede weight to the vast majority of their rivals, Broadbackbob and Knight Pass look the two to concentrate on in the closing leg, a Grade 2 novice hurdle. The form of Broadbackbob's two victories over timber has worked out very well (he beat Cinders And Ashes at Ascot on the first occasion) and it would be no surprise if he maintained his unbeaten start with improvement over the extra furlong likely. Knight Pass's only blip may well have come at Cheltenham (well beaten in last March's Champion Bumper), but he has also been progressive in three runs over hurdles and is given another chance to prove Prestbury Park holds no fears.
Selections:
Chelt 13:30 - 5, 9
Chelt 14:05 - 4
Donc 14:20 - 9
Chelt 14:35 - 1
Donc14:50 - 5, 13
Chelt 15:10 - 1, 3
= £16 (8 lines @ £2 per line)
............
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