Paul Ferguson has two selections for us on Tuesday; Footpad in the 14:10 and Singlefarmpayment 14:50 both at Cheltenham. Compare odds and bet.
Unbeaten chaser Footpad (2:10) is fancied to land the Arkle Trophy for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh, on the opening day of this year’s Cheltenham Festival.
The smart hurdler has flourished as a chaser this season and has already bagged two Grade 1 prizes on home soil. Despite the fact that he renews rivalry with old advisory Petit Mouchoir and fellow unbeaten chaser Saint Calvados, he is taken to make it four-from-four over fences, if jumping with the same fluency as he has to date.
It really could be a good day for favourite backers on day one, with both Buveur d’Air and Apples Jade likely to be very difficult to beat in the Champion Hurdle and Mares’ Hurdle, respectively.
Narrowly beaten in last year’s Ultima, Singlefarmpayment (2:50) is taken to gain compensation, despite his season not really having gone to plan. Runner-up on his return, he was moving into contention for the places at Newbury when falling in the Ladbrokes Trophy, before pulling up in the Cotswold Chase.
If he can reproduce last year’s run, off just a 3lbs higher mark, he really should go close and he might be worth one last throw of the dice (regular readers will know that I have followed this horse – rather expensively – for some time now).
Tuesday’s selections:
2:10 Cheltenham Festival – Footpad; 11/10 Ladbrokes
2:50 Cheltenham Festival – Singlefarmpayment; 7/1 Paddy Power
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