Aintree Day Three: Graham Cunningham's In-Play Tips

Daily Tipping / Graham Cunningham / 13 April 2012 / Leave a Comment

Will Ballabriggs follow up last year's victory by winning the Grand National again?

"Ballabriggs was simply brilliant in this race last year, attacking the big fences with real gusto from the start and forging clear of the well handicapped Oscar Time."

The 2012 Grand National is finally upon us and Racing UK analyst Graham Cunningham feels last year's hero might be on the verge of another historic feat at Aintree this weekend.

They call it the worlds's greatest steeplechase with very good reason. You need to jump 30 formidable fences and stay four and a half miles thoroughly to go down in history as a Grand National hero.

Slowly but surely, the Grand National short list has been whittled down.

Shakalakaboomboom was at the top of it when the weights first came out, while Becauseicouldntsee and Always Right have been lurking on the fringes for at least a couple of weeks. However, as the big day dawns I've finally plumped for Ballabriggs and Giles Cross as my two against the field in this year's race.

In truth, there is no flash story behind backing either horse with a view to laying off to save the stake in running.

Ballabriggs was simply brilliant in this race last year, attacking the big fences with real gusto from the start and forging clear of the well handicapped Oscar Time as the pair drew well clear of the 2010 National winner Don't Push It.

Stats followers will point out that he's 10lb higher in the weights this time and that there hasn't been a back to back National winner since Red Rum in 1974.

But take another look back at the video of last year's race. Ballabriggs just looks an extremely good horse round this course and looks bound to give us a great run, while Giles Cross has eased in the market since the rain went away but looked an ideal Aintree type when winning at Haydock and is another with the potential to trade much shorter in running than his current big price.

As ever, the Aintree Hurdle is the chief supporting event on National day and this year's renewal promises to be a belter with Champion Hurdle winner Rock On Ruby taking on last year's principals Oscar Whisky and Thousand Stars.

This looks a complex puzzle to solve from a punting viewpoint, but there is one other horse on Saturday's card who commands my attention. And the horse in question is Kazlian in the Handicap Hurdle at 17:05.

This unexposed gelding was high on my list of handicappers to follow at the Cheltenham Festival. However, his rider Tom Scudamore asked him a huge question in setting off so hard at the head of a huge field. Sectional times show that Kazlian went harder from the first flight to the third last in the Fred Winter than the top-class Overturn did in a truly-run Champion Hurdle.

It came as no surprise to see Kazlian find no extra when challenged up the hill that day, but he gave the strong impression that he's still firmly on the up and I'll be looking to snap up the best early price with a view to trading out at much shorter in running.

Saturday Recommended Bets
Back Ballabriggs and Giles Cross (16:15) and lay off to save the stake at [5.0] in running
Back Kazlian (17:05) and lay off to save the stake at [2.5] in running

Timeform run the rule over the runners for the most famous race in the world, the Grand National at Aintree......

A nicely priced outsider in the opening race on the second day of the Grand National meeting......

Timeform run the rule over the 2m4f Grade 1 Melling Chase at Aintree on Friday afternoon......

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Aintree Day Three: Graham Cunningham's In-Play Tips

Daily Tipping / Graham Cunningham / 13 April 2012 / Leave a Comment

Will Ballabriggs follow up last year's victory by winning the Grand National again?

"Ballabriggs was simply brilliant in this race last year, attacking the big fences with real gusto from the start and forging clear of the well handicapped Oscar Time."

The 2012 Grand National is finally upon us and Racing UK analyst Graham Cunningham feels last year's hero might be on the verge of another historic feat at Aintree this weekend.

They call it the worlds's greatest steeplechase with very good reason. You need to jump 30 formidable fences and stay four and a half miles thoroughly to go down in history as a Grand National hero.

Slowly but surely, the Grand National short list has been whittled down.

Shakalakaboomboom was at the top of it when the weights first came out, while Becauseicouldntsee and Always Right have been lurking on the fringes for at least a couple of weeks. However, as the big day dawns I've finally plumped for Ballabriggs and Giles Cross as my two against the field in this year's race.

In truth, there is no flash story behind backing either horse with a view to laying off to save the stake in running.

Ballabriggs was simply brilliant in this race last year, attacking the big fences with real gusto from the start and forging clear of the well handicapped Oscar Time as the pair drew well clear of the 2010 National winner Don't Push It.

Stats followers will point out that he's 10lb higher in the weights this time and that there hasn't been a back to back National winner since Red Rum in 1974.

But take another look back at the video of last year's race. Ballabriggs just looks an extremely good horse round this course and looks bound to give us a great run, while Giles Cross has eased in the market since the rain went away but looked an ideal Aintree type when winning at Haydock and is another with the potential to trade much shorter in running than his current big price.

As ever, the Aintree Hurdle is the chief supporting event on National day and this year's renewal promises to be a belter with Champion Hurdle winner Rock On Ruby taking on last year's principals Oscar Whisky and Thousand Stars.

This looks a complex puzzle to solve from a punting viewpoint, but there is one other horse on Saturday's card who commands my attention. And the horse in question is Kazlian in the Handicap Hurdle at 17:05.

This unexposed gelding was high on my list of handicappers to follow at the Cheltenham Festival. However, his rider Tom Scudamore asked him a huge question in setting off so hard at the head of a huge field. Sectional times show that Kazlian went harder from the first flight to the third last in the Fred Winter than the top-class Overturn did in a truly-run Champion Hurdle.

It came as no surprise to see Kazlian find no extra when challenged up the hill that day, but he gave the strong impression that he's still firmly on the up and I'll be looking to snap up the best early price with a view to trading out at much shorter in running.

Saturday Recommended Bets
Back Ballabriggs and Giles Cross (16:15) and lay off to save the stake at [5.0] in running
Back Kazlian (17:05) and lay off to save the stake at [2.5] in running

Timeform run the rule over the runners for the most famous race in the world, the Grand National at Aintree......

A nicely priced outsider in the opening race on the second day of the Grand National meeting......

Timeform run the rule over the 2m4f Grade 1 Melling Chase at Aintree on Friday afternoon......

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Graham Cunningham's Arc Sunday Tips

Longchamp Arc Meeting / Graham Cunningham / 01 October 2011 / Leave a Comment

Will So You Think be the Arc winner?

"So You Think and Sarafina have the most persuasive credentials as win bets."

You wait ages for a big Group 1 contest and then seven come along all at once. The menu for Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe day could hardly be more tempting and Racing UK analyst Graham Cunningham has been lapping up the Parisian sunshine as he anticipates the jewel in the crown of the European Flat season.

So You Think and Hiruno to shine in a fiendishly difficult Arc

Nothing would please me more than to say I think I have the Arc 2011 winner up my sleeve. But, whichever way you slice it, this year's race looks very hard to solve. Timeform ratings have no fewer than nine horses within 7lb of each other and for most punters it's a case of trying to use a process of elimination to make the long list more manageable.

So here goes.

I'm very confident Sarafina (TF 138) will play a major role simply because she was very unlucky not to go close last year and has made serene progress towards a repeat bid. Her potent turn of foot could be very valuable.

And I'm equally confident that So You Think (TF 142) is a major player for the simple reason that his ten furlong form is just about the best on offer and there seems every reason to expect him to stay the extra quarter mile.

Last year's winner Workforce (TF 141) and Snow Fairy (TF 140) both tie in very closely with So You Think having finished just half-a-length behind him in the Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes, while Danedream (TF 137), the highly progressive Galikova (TF 136p), Reliable Man (TF 135+), Masked Marvel (TF 135) and Meandre (TF 132) all boast high-class form and represent the three-year-old group who have won no fewer than 14 of the last 17 Arcs.

Hiruno D'Amour (TF 131) makes more appeal than last year's runner-up and fellow Japanese raider Nakayama Festa (TF 133+) based on their running behind Sarafina in the Prix Foy, but enough of the detail and onto my likely betting plan for this year's Arc.

The first point to make is that I won't be going overboard; the second point is that I can envisage a tight finish with luck in-running possibly playing an important part again; the third point is that I think that So You Think and Sarafina have the most persuasive credentials as regards win bets; and the fourth point is that Masked Marvel offers some place lay potential given that by far his best Timeform figure was recorded granted a much more demanding stamina test in the St Leger.

Recommended Bets
Back So You Think
Save on Hirono D'Amour
Place lay Masked Marvel

*

Worthadd and Frankie to rain on Goldi's final French parade

It promises to be a long day in the sunshine if Sunday's Paris weather mirrors that of Saturday and my main punting action of the weekend will centre around the four Group 1 contests which lead up to the Arc.

Tangerine Trees is my live longshot for the Prix de l'Abbaye at 12.45.

Granted, he needs a career best to beat the likes of Prohibit and Margot Did, but he showed that he's in form of his life when defying a hefty penalty in the Beverley Bullet and his brazen early speed could be a big asset in a race where it can be very tricky to come from well off the pace.

Zantenda and Dabirsim will both be strong favourites for the Prix Marcel Boussac at 13:20 and the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at 13:55. I'm in no mood to oppose either.

Zantenda took a while to subdue Rajastani in the Prix d'Aumale over this course and distance but was nicely on top at the line.

The turn of foot she showed could well be the key factor against the front-running Elusive Kate and Fire Lily, while Dabirsim stamped himself as the leading juvenile colt in Europe by romping clear of Sofast in Deauville's Prix Morny and with the extra furlong here likely to suit it will come as a big surprise if he's beaten.

Goldikova's final appearance in France in the Prix de la Foret at 14:30 provides the perfect appetiser for the Arc and, despite having opposed the mighty mare to my cost in the past, I'm sorely tempted to take her on again in search of value.

The freewheeling Worthadd is the one who is doing the tempting. This Italian raider ran a screamer to chase home Canford Cliffs in Newbury's Lockinge Stakes in May and I'm inclined to forgive him a poor effort when well behind Goldi at Deauville last time on account of the fact that he was messed about by a couple of pacemakers.

I'm encouraged by the drop down to seven furlongs and I love the fact that Frankie will be aboard for the first time. In short, Worthadd makes clear each way appeal at [10.0] or bigger. In fact, he looks one of the best value bets of the entire weekend from where I'm standing.

Recommended Bets
12:45: Back Tangerine Trees win and place
13:20: Back Zantenda
13:55: Back Dabirsim
14:30: Back Worthadd win and place
.............
Timeform Race Cards for Arc Sunday are available now at timeform.com

Timeform give their opinion on each of the runners lining up in Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp.......

Isabel Mathew provides some helpful insights as she weighs up seven front runners in Sunday's big race at Longchamp......

Timeform's Flat Editor Jamie Lynch brings you his unique take on Sunday's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe......

Betfair website

Cheltenham 2011: Graham Cunningham's Day One tips

The Cheltenham Festival / Graham Cunningham / 14 March 2011 / Leave a Comment

Menorah and Richard Johnson win last year. Will they have more success in 2011?

"Definity has definite back to lay potential in the Centenary Chase (17:15). Paul Nicholls seems sweet on this lightly-raced gelding and I can see why given how well he has travelled and jumped against smart rivals on his last two starts."

Graham Cunningham is on RUK duty at Prestbury Park this week and he's back on familiar territory on betting.betfair.com as he sets out to nominate the ones to be with and his four to swerve on Champion Hurdle day.

After one of the bleakest winters on record it's finally here. And the good news is Cheltenham 2011 promises one of the biggest betting showdowns ever seen as the cream of British and Irish jumping talent bang heads for the honour of being crowned a Festival hero.

The first point to make about Cheltenham is that there is simply no place like it if you come away a winner. And the second point to make about the Festival is that you can get wiped out completely if you lose the run of yourself. Thankfully, day one has been kind down the years and, with any luck, the following lays and plays will set the ball rolling for another memorable week.

1. The Arkle (14:05) has been a fertile punting ground in recent years and Medermit looks the solid option this year based on a clinical display of accurate jumping and smooth travelling in Grade 1 company at Sandown.

Alan King's grey also scores well in terms of Festival form, having been pipped in the Supreme Novices' two years ago and backing him to win with a slightly larger amount to place looks the canny call.

2. Slice it however you like, the Champion Hurdle (15:20) is wide open with little to choose between a posse of improving contenders who have studiously avoided each other for the most part.

It would be wrong to go at this gung ho as a result, but Menorah and Oscar Whisky appeal as a strong pair against the field. Menorah did me a huge favour in last year's Supreme Novices' and has never stopped improving since, while Oscar Whisky is similarly progressive and appeals as the best of the rest.

3. Bensalem and Great Endeavour form a powerful two-pronged attack on the Spinal Research Chase (14:40). There is no flash story here save that both horses look primed for big efforts. Bensalem was tanking along when he fell two out in this race last year and returns off the same mark after looking as good as ever over hurdles of late, while Great Endeavour is a proven Festival performer who jumps boldly and is unexposed at three miles.

4. Definity has definite back to lay potential in the Centenary Chase (17:15). Paul Nicholls seems sweet on this lightly-raced gelding and I can see why given how well he has travelled and jumped against smart rivals on his last two starts.

He ran a corker here over hurdles last spring, so Cheltenham ought to suit, and taking the best available win and place prices with a view to trading out short looks a very fair call.

5. Noel Meade seems confident that Realt Dubh will handle spring ground in the Arkle. But I'm not so sure. Granted, Realt Dubh has two Grade 1's under his belt over fences, but neither of them was anything like this strong and he looks a fair place lay contender.

6. Finding the weak links in the Champion Hurdle chain is tough, but I wonder whether Peddlers Cross might be worth taking on in the place market at [2.6] or under. Granted, he heads south unbeaten with a proven Festival record, but there are five horses ahead of him on official figures and he might just be found out for pace up the hill if the ground is good.

7. Blazing Bailey looks another with place lay potential in the Spinal Research Chase. He's hit the frame at three Festivals over hurdles and two handicap wins here and Ffos Las since the turn of the year show that he's right back on song at the age of nine. However, the handicapper has had a firm say for those successes. BB is 20lb higher than for the Cheltenham win and 7lb above his Ffos Las mark. And I suspect that will tell once things get tough here.

8. I haven't settled on a definite bet in the cross country chase at 16:00, but I will be laying Poker de Sivola in the place market for the simple reason that he's a virgin in this odd discipline and because his current form is questionable at best.

Ferdy Murphy primed this gelding to land the NH Chase here last year, but his overall record is very patchy and recent comments suggest this may well be a springboard towards the Scottish National.

Even if you can't catch the action live at Cheltenham 2011, there's no need to feel beleaguered, as Jack Houghton explains in part two of his festival betting guide for the workers....

Timeform take you through the field for what is shaping up to be the most competitive Champion Hurdle in many a year......

Even if you can't swan off to Prestbury Park for the week, or even watch the action on TV, you can still have a profitable Cheltenham. Here's Jack Houghton's tips for the work bound bettor....

Betfair website