Festival Plate Handicap Chase Tips

‘If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em…’ or words to that effect, have probably been ringing in the ears of trainer Richard Bandey, ever since his Theatre Man only found the extremely likeable Ginny’s Destiny, (who is also the Turners Novices’ Chase ante-post selection for these pages,) just too good at Cheltenham’s Trials Day meeting.

Jockey Harry Cobden is worth his weight in gold in most races, but when it comes to riding effective races on the New Course at Cheltenham, I don’t think there are any equals to Paul Nicholls’ stable jockey.

So, with Nicholls employing Freddie Gingell to claim off Il Ridoto, it leaves the way clear for Harry Cobden to pick up outside rides, and whether it was his agent, trainer Bandey or the owners, what is clear is that the speed with which the champion jockey-elect has been snapped up is notable.

As is predictable, given the form lines for Theatre Man and the booking of Cobden, Theatre Man’s price has been in freefall over the last few days, but there is some 6/1 each-way available with Ladbrokes or Coral currently, and I think that is more than respectable enough to lock in now.

It might be that a similar price is available nearer the off for more places, but I wouldn’t bet on it, as such is the extremely solid case to be made for Theatre Man, that he could find himself one of the gambles of the Festival.

Crebilly had been the pre-confirmations favourite, and he has the look of a horse going he right way for sure, but his usual run-style lends itself to relying a little on fortune and sound jumping under pressure, both of which aren’t guaranteed in my opinion.

An alternative option could easily be Shakem Up’Arry, who was a game winner at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, and if 16/1 or so is available for extra places, and the ground is suitable come the day, then he may be an additional bet in the race.

But for now, in the immediate post-Cobden announcement rush, making sure you’ve got some 6/1 each-way with Ladbrokes or Coral about Theatre Man in the Trustatrader Plate Handicap Chase makes a lot of sense to me.

Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival is on a par with the anticipation for the ante-post bets on Day 1 for these pages, with the likes of Ginnys Destiny in the Turners, Gaoth Chuil in the Pertemps and Theatre Man in the Plate all providing us with hopefully some live chances.

Having scoured the whole of the Day 3 card following declarations, I am happy to let Ginnys Destiny and Gaoth Chuil run alone in their respective races, the Ryanair and Stayers Hurdle look too hard to unpick, while the Mares Novice Hurdle and the Kim Muir really do look at the mercy of the market leader(s). So, it is the Trustatrader Plate Handicap Chase that gets another string to it’s betting bow for these pages.

Looking at the markets across the board for tomorrow, it is the stables of Mullins, Skelton and De Bromhead whose runners are being supported. hardly surprising given the excellent two days those yards have had.

However, it is a similarly in-form stable’s representative that I am adding to the Theatre Man bet, in the shape of the 10/1 each-way generally for 5 places about Shakem Up’Arry, who could continue Ben Pauling’s outstanding season and more relevantly, his excellent recent form.

Course and distance from throughout the course of the season in various different races, over the 2m4½f trip on the chase track of the New Course, seems to play such a pivotal part in the outcome of this race year on year.

So, with Theatre Man safely in the locker following his eye-catching runner-up finish to Ginnys Destiny on Trials Day, taking the 10/1 each-way about Shakem Up’Arry to follow up his resounding New Year’s Day win here looks a value option too.

Sometimes in the past, Shakem Up’Arry has been called a few names, but as can be the case with many ‘bridle’ horses, there can be reasons why finding at the end of races might have become too painful, too tiring, too arduous. Often, these may be physical issues that we can’t see, but in Shakem Up’Arry’s case, it is clear that the breathing operation he had before this season has worked the oracle.

His three runs this season have been sharply progressive, and granted the same chunk of improvement, he could easily trouble the likes of Theatre Man in the closing stages, in a fashion more so than perhaps we had been accustomed previously.

Will Smith’s Magners Plate Handicap Chase

The next big field handicap to offer up some lovely each-way betting opportunity is the Magners Plate at Handicap Chase at 4.10, and market leader So Scottish would have preferred slightly better ground I would think, and so theopportunity is too look elsewhere.

The course and distance handicap chase at Trials Day is always a key pointer to this race, and looks set to be so again with the first two home in that race, Il Ridoto and Fugitif locking horns again. Il Ridoto was given a maximal ride that day, and so Fugitif’s run could be significantly marked up in my eyes.

At 10/1 each-way with SkyBet for 7 places, Fugitif will love the soft ground, and his rate of progression this season could easily see him running in Graded company this season if we get a wet spring, and so represents the bet of the day for me.

Henry De Bromhead has had a brilliant couple of days, and you would wish him and his team no less after the heart-wrenching loss of his son earlier in the season. Him and Rachael Blackmore can team up to good effect yet again with the lightly raced but extremely talented Marvel De Cerisy.

At 16/1 each-way with SkyBet for 7 places, or 20/1 for 6 places with Bet365, Marvel De Cerisy has strongly suggested in 3 runs over fences, that he could be much better than a 142-rated handicapper.

He was giving creditable chase to the brilliant Impervious at Wexford on chase debut before an unlucky fall at the last, and then two runs at right-handed tracks wouldn’t have suited but Marvel De Cerisy still managed to show his ability with a win at Punchestown, before a quiet run at Fairyhouse is chief reason behind his appealing handicap mark.

Steve Mullington’s Magners Plate Handicap Chase

Midnight River looks like being trainer Dan Skelton’s best chance of the week and he and his brother Harry can land another big handicap with the eight-year-old on Thursday afternoon.

The eight-year-old won here on New Year’s Day and totally deserved to move up a notch or two after finishing third in the former Hennessy Gold Cup in November. Skelton is on record as saying during his Cheltenham media day that he’d love it to be good to soft, soft in places for the Plate and it appears that he has got his wish from the weather gods.

Others to consider in this massive field of 24 are Fugitif in the hands of Sean Bowen, plus serial placer Frero Banbou for the Venetia Williams stable.