RSA Chase 2016 - Festival Focus

We Could Be Heroes - Bryan Cooper and No More Heroes can land the RSA.

In spite of the fact that generally speaking the thought is that the RSA is a slog of real attrition that can rip the guts out of a horse, in recent years we’ve seen the classiest sorts in the race rise to the top.

With what we’ve seen to date this season only two horses set for the race look genuine top class staying chase prospects, with the remainder of the market made up of strong staying sorts who would want the relentless test of stamina the RSA is often billed as but doesn’t always transpire to be.

No More Heroes and More Of That look well clear of the remainder that are likely to take up their engagement in the race, and although Jonjo O’Neill’s former World Hurdle winner is the bigger price it is Gordon Elliot’s charge that appeals most for the novice staying chase event.

I’ve thought of No More Heroes as a future Gold Cup winner since his Bumper days and his novice chase campaign to date has done nothing but strengthen those thoughts.

He was a good novice hurdler last season and while he looked every inch a chaser killing time until his destiny called, he still managed an unlucky third in last year’s war of an Albert Bartlett.

World Hurdle 2016 - Festival Focus

Rheu of Light - Last year's runner-up looks a good each way bet in the World Hurdle.

With the Cleeve Hurdle taking place tomorrow featuring two of the top five in the betting for the World Hurdle, the market for Thursday’s festival feature is due for a shake up before close of business on Saturday.

As such I want to get a horse on side for that race now in case one, or both, of the big two of Thistlecrack and Camping Ground fluff their lines in the Cleeve.

The horse in question is last year’s runner-up Saphir Du Rheu, currently available at 20/1 best price or 16/1 with the Non Runner No Bet concession. A big price if you ask me, though I can see the reasoning behind why he’s currently so long in the betting.

I don’t necessarily agree with the decision of connections to revert back to hurdles after what I thought was a perfectly good run under a welter burden in the Hennessy, but in the aftermath of that decision he was under half his current price for the World Hurdle.

Supreme Novices' Hurdle 2016 - Festival Focus

Air Raid - Buveur D'Air looks the play to take on Min with in the opener.

It’s that time of year again, as the countdown to the Cheltenham Festival begins in earnest.

Therefore it’s also the time for a look ahead to the greatest week of the year in my Festival Focus posts.

Sadly, time constraints are likely going to prevent me going as in depth as years past this time around but after a good, and at times unlucky, festival year I’m hopeful of picking out plenty of winners at what will hopefully be some decent prices.

With Willie Mullins set to dominate the opening day of the festival (as he also did last year) it’s tough to be massively confident in tipping anything else in the feature races on day one and the best chance of finding a big-priced winner is likely going to come in the handicaps.

However of the day one hotpots I don’t think there’s anyone out there who would argue that Min in the opener is the potential weak leg of the big 4-fold.

King George 2015 Preview

Conti-nued Dominance? - Don't Give up on Silviniaco Conti before the King George.

This year’s King George is shaping up to be one for the ages.

If the likely protagonists all do in fact turn up at Kempton on Boxing Day we could be in for one of the best renewals in recent memory (insert your own Christmas pun here).

The common consensus at the moment seems to be that are witnessing the dawning of another era of chasing superstars. I was only just getting in to racing when Kauto Star, Denman, Master Minded et al were at their peak and it was kind of lost on me at the time just how lucky we were to have so many shining lights at the top of their game at the same time.

We’ve not exactly been starved of talent since, but the last twelve months or so has seen a huge influx of potential superstars to the chasing game and although we’ve yet to get that big showdown where all their paths cross, the King George could be just that, and as a result there is definitely some serious value in the ante-post market at present.

Jumps Ten To Follow – 2015-2016

Run of the Mil - Milsean (left) features in my Ten To Follow and is an early fancy for the NH Chase.

It’s that magical time of year again as the National Hunt season proper edges tantalisingly closer by the day.

That flat turf season has once again had its moments over the sorry excuse for a summer we’ve endured, but the excitement that comes with the return of jumps stars past, present and future simply cannot be rivalled.

As always around this time of year I like to highlight some horses to look out for over the winter months in a blatant rip-off of the popular Ten To Follow format.

We all know about the big guns likely to be making headlines over the coming months – Faugheen, Un De Sceaux, Vautour et al (what an embarrassment of riches Willie Mullins truly has) but what about some potential greats that could make an even bigger name for themselves this season?

We’re hardly talking curveballs here but we’re trying to stay away from the blindingly obvious and flag up horses that will hopefully build on promise already shown and go on to establish themselves in the upper echelons of the British and Irish National Hunt hierarchy.

So without further waffle from me, here is my Jumps Ten To Follow for 2015-2016: