I've not had the best of Cheltenham Festivals in recent years, and I thought this year was very difficult.
Obviously, many of you will have found winners and think it hasn't been that bad. However, the handicaps have been a nightmare. You back the favourites, they don't win, you don't back them, and they go on to win, it was one of them.
Nevertheless, it was a solid enough week from a viewing standpoint. Bring on the other spring festivals and the start of the flat season, which kicks off in Ireland on Sunday.
A Pai De Nom 7/4 (2pt) – Uttoxeter 2.25
I highly doubt the odds on A Pai De Nom will be attractive, as he looks like a typical Dan Skelton handicapping hurdler who improves throughout the year.
He has won some decent handicaps this season, not winning with huge amounts of authority, and the handicapper has slowly been edging him up the weights. Off his current handicap mark, I think he has a superb chance of winning this.
This race is his hardest task, but we see it all the time with this yard; they just continue to improve, and there is a strong possibility that this horse is a Graded horse, and we've just not seen his final ceiling yet.
Neo King 9/1 (0.5pt EW, 5pl) – Uttoxeter 3.00
Like normal, when I don't back a previous selection of mine, they go on to win on their next start. That was the case for Neo King, who was given an impossible chance of winning by the rider in the Borders' National at Kelso, but went to Windsor and won nicely.
Last time out at Haydock, he ran a respectable race behind a horse who has been in tremendous form all year. I think this horse needs a proper stamina test, so today's trip of 4m 2f will be straight up his street.
It's amazing when you take off an apprentice for a professional jockey like Ben Jones, as he showed Ellis Collier how to ride a horse when taking over at Windsor. Ben Jones wasn't on him last time out, but returns for this Midlands Grand National, and I think he is one of a select few who will stay this trip.
Based on how well he stayed on from the rear of the field at Kelso over 4m, there's no doubt about his stamina. I'm a little concerned if they anchor him towards the rear again, as a mistake is always likely when trying to make up the ground late into the race.
Chuggy 3/1 (1pt) – Kempton 2.08
Chuggy was put up last time out at Aintree on Boxing Day, and the race didn't play out like expected.
The low sun was the reason for the defeat, in my opinion. There were six fences removed, and that turned it into more of a stamina test, which sounds daft, but they will be going quicker without the obstacles in place. Chuggy was travelling nicely through the race, but his jumping was very good and taking that away hindered him.
They've given him a small break since Aintree, and that will have freshened him up. He has run four times between October and the end of December, so the break will have recharged his batteries.
This is another tricky handicap, but in turns out that he was beaten by a decent horse last time out, who was carrying a lot less weight. The winner went on to win again on his next run.
GambleAware