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2.50 Ultima Handicap Chase
Tuesday 15 March | Age: 5yo+ | Prize: £70,338
The Ultima (Festival Trophy) Handicap Chase is a Grade 3 National Hunt steeplechase handicap and is one of the big betting races on Day One of the meeting. Open to horses aged five years or older, the Festival Trophy Handicap Chase is run on the Old Course over a distance of about three miles and one furlong (3 miles 1 furlong).
Ultima Handicap Chase Betting
We enter the first of many handicaps of the week, with the Ultima Chase looking like your usual competitive handicap at the Cheltenham Festival. I’ve done well in this race previously, tipping up the 2020 winner for the thread with The Conditional, so fingers crossed I can dissect this race and get us a winner.
Normally in this race, it has old faces who have contested this race before, and this year is no different. I managed to pick out the winner in this race last year as well, with VINTAGE CLOUDS winning at odds of 28/1, he won it at the fifth time of trying, and he returns to retain his crown, running in this race for the sixth time. He comes into this race off a 1lb higher mark than last year, so must be respected despite the fact he is now a 12yo, he could be an EW player.
Another returning face is DISCORDANTLY for the Irish trainer, Jessica Harrington. He has an interesting profile as he ran well in this race last year, finishing 6th. So far this season he has been underwhelming, up until last time out which was nine days ago, where he won and won nicely. They changed the tactics upon him and put on the cheekpieces for the first time, so the fact he runs in this after such a quick turnaround shows they are confident he can run a big race, and chances are this has been the plan for a long time, so is another EW player.
There is expected to be a lot of pace in this race, with multiple front runners lining up. FRODON catches the eye in this race, being a multiple Grade 1 winner, and a horse who loves this track. I can’t see no other way of him running in this race than Bryony sending him to the front and pinging the fences, getting into a nice rhythm. The problem is for them, is that he is now a 10yo, and has to carry top weight, and will have competition for the pace from the likes of DOES HE KNOW, RUN TO MILAN, ONE MORE FLEURIE as well as a couple of others. He is a quality horse, and a fan favourite, but he’s not one I’d side with.
The British have won this race for the last ten years (could be more, but I can only see the last ten), and the main contingencies from the British in my opinion is, CORACH RAMBLER. I love this horse, and I’ve tipped him up on the thread three times now, which has resulted in a win, a place and fall. I think he has so much untapped potential, and when I saw him win at Cheltenham earlier in the year, I instantly thought that’s an Ultima horse, and here we are. My slight concern is the fact he is a hold-up horse, and normally you have to be up with the pace to win this race. However, like I previously mentioned, with the amount of pace on offer, it should hopefully let the closers play a part in this. He does have the stamina for the trip, he gets in off a low weight, and he handles the track. I still believe he is well handicapped off a mark of 140. FANTASTIKAS has been a name which has been thrown around for potentially being one of the best EW handicap bets of the meeting. I’ve listened to Sam Twiston-Davies, and he seems confident, and his old man Nigel is no mug when it comes to Cheltenham handicaps, but for me, I’m not totally convinced he’s the one to be on.
Gordon Elliott has been quoted saying that he is sending over a “savage” team for Cheltenham, and when asked about his best-handicapped horse, he said DEATH DUTY. For me, that is probably true, as based on form of a few years ago he was once rated 159 and won a Grade 1, so the fact he is running off 144 does make him well handicapped. He won last time out, but ideally, I think he wants it slower, which he shouldn’t be getting. He is trained by the master, Gordon Elliot, so has to be respected.
The Irish horse which got my attention is BEN DUNDEE, trained by the small outfit of Andrew Lynch. This lad hasn’t been seen since running a belter at Leopardstown, where he finished second in a €100k handicap. The fact he’s been put away for so long suggests this has been the plan for a long time, and they’ve put him away to keep his handicap markdown, then running him again, and potentially ruining that. His fitness will have to be taken on trust, having not run since December, but it doesn’t worry me, as they will have him as fit as possible for this, knowing it’s at Cheltenham, and everyone wants to win here. The form of that race looks quite smart with the 6th (Birchdale) winning a nice handicap, with the 7th (Foxy Jacks) finishing runner-up in that race as well. Noble Yeats has since ran a belter behind Ahoy Senor, and runs in this race as well, but was convincingly behind Ben Dundee when they last met. Enjoy D’allen who finished 3rd, has since been bought by JP McManus and is one of their leading tilts at the Aintree Grand National.
One who could be very well handicapped is FLOUER, but based on his jumping, he can be swerved. But it would not surprise me if he ran a big race.
Ultima Handicap Chase Tips
Cairnzy's Supreme Novices' Hurdle Betting
Not sure if this is a tip or me just sticking Frodon up because he’s my all-time favourite.
Carrying top weight in this race is not going to be easy but if there’s a horse in the race who can I think it’s Frodon. A strong jumper, a strong traveller and a horse with a great determination to win.
With most bookmakers offering 5 places on this race I thought Frodon to place at 11/4 was a great bet. You know Bryony will take him to the front and be prominent. You know on his day he’ll jump well and at the very least give you a run for your money.
He’s beaten some of the greatest with his front runner tactics before it’s just if he can do it under top weight is the question.
Cairnzy's Supreme Novices' Hurdle Tips
- Frodon ( TO PLACE ) 11/4 @ The Pools
Cheltenham Day 4 Tips
⭕️ 1.30 JCB Triumph Hurdle Preview, Tips and Racecard
⭕️ 2.10 Mccoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle Preview, Tips and Racecard
⭕️ 2.50 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle Preview, Tips and Racecard
⭕️ 3.30 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Preview, Tips and Racecard
⭕️ 4.10 Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase Preview, Tips and Racecard
⭕️ 4.50 Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase Hurdle Preview, Tips and Racecard
⭕️ 5.30 Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle Preview, Tips and Racecard
⭕️ Cairnzy's Cheltenham Tips: Fil Dor Can Get Punters Off to a Flyer on Friday!
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In December 2020 we sadly 
An absolute minefield of a race and you just can’t be confident picking anything.
With Frodon in the race though any horse rated 138 or lower will be running out of the H’cap, so I’ve scratched them straight away.
It’s also worth considering that this race tends to be an after thought for the Irish as they tend to aim for the Kim Muir but if they are over the 145 ceiling they then turn their attention here.
Horses that are up with the pace tend to fare well.
Novices or 2nd season chasers have also won 15-21 renewals so with all that in mind I’ve gone for 2.
Fantastikas 14/1 ew 6 places
Has been consistent all season including winning lto. He’s been put up 4lbs for that but I still think he can be involved off 144. He was also 2nd to L’omme Presse over an inadequate trip, nothing wrong with that form and likes to be up with the pace.
Ben Dundee 18/1 ew 6 places
Was 2nd to School boy Hours lto only beaten 1/2L and would have had a 4lb pull for this with him. SBH was well fancied for this race trading at 9/1 before deciding to turn his attention to the plate.