Wednesday 8th March 2017

Three Cheltenham Festival bets I’ve placed are below:

I don’t know what will win the Champion Hurdle but I’m fairly sure Yanworth won’t. In my opinion he’s too slow for a flat out two miles at Championship level whilst his jumping isn’t good enough.

I can see Yanworth coming off  the bridle and being outpaced from an early stage with his jumping falling to pieces. There must be a very good chance he’ll get behind and won’t be involved at the business end of the race. I think connections have him in the wrong race and Yanworth should take his chance in the stayers or something similar.

I’ve laid Yanworth at 7-2 and done the same in the place market at much shorter odds.

Neon Wolf will likely run in the Neptune Hurdle unless the going turns soft on the first day, he could then switch to the Supreme but I think that’s unlikely. Neon Wolf look a high-class horse in the making. He won in a faster time than The New One over C&D at Haydock last time out. The step up in trip will be ideal and he’ll take all the beating.

I can’t have the second favourite Finians Oscar, he’s not beaten much and the times of his races have been rather average. If you’ve not backed Neon Wolf I would suggest you snap up the last bits of 5-2 that remains.

Un De Sceaux is the favourite for the Ryanair Chase, if the going turns good come race day Un De Sceaux will be in trouble. He’s not the greatest jumper in the world and might be better over two miles. I’m taking him on with Empire Of Dirt priced at 5-1.

Trained by Gordon Elliott, I’ve heard Gordon is very keen to run the horse in the Gold Cup but his owner Michael O’Leary insists he lines up in this, wants to win his own sponsored race etc.

Empire Of Dirt got within ¾ of a length to Sizing John last time out, quite a few people are talking him up for the Gold Cup. Before that effort, Empire Of Dirt won his 3 previous races, this includes the Brown Advisory Plate at the Cheltenham Festival last year.

Empire Of Dirt is a rock solid EW bet to nothing at 5-1, I couldn’t put you off backing him and think he'll take the beating.