Rest of Cheltenham

The other 3 races at Chelteham are also pretty strong, with huge fuelds and comoetiti betting. The "easiest race" would appear to be the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle (Grade Two) at 17.40, in which two mares stand out on ratings- the Irish challengers Quevega (Willie Mullins/ Ruby Walsh) and Voler la Vedette (Colm Murphy/ Barry Geraghty). Quevega was an impressive winner of this last year, but has not run for 10 months, while Voler la Vedette is unbeaten in 4 starts this season. Both of them would probably prefer softer going, but even so, any other winner - of which the most likely would be the ex-French 4yo Sway (Jonjo O´Neill/ Tony McCoy), a faller on her only British start.

The cross-country at 17.00 is theoretically a handicap but is really a race for specialists, and the real specialist here are trainer Enda Bolger, who has totally dominated the cross-country races, both here and in Ireland, in recent years, and jockey Nina Carberry, who has won this race for the past 3 seasons. She again partners Garde Champetre, winner for the past 2 seasons, and although he is hard to fancy from a handicapping point of view, he will probably win again. Bolger saddles 5 runners, all of them owned by JP McManus, including L´Ami (John T McNamara), runner-up last year and likely to be in the same position today, although he is now better off at the weights. An Irish winner here seems certain, and if th Bolger armada is defeated, it is most likely to be by Silver Birch (Robbie Power) or Sizing Australia (Harry de Bromhead/ Andrew Lynch).

Th William hanicap chse over 3 miles at 15.40 has 24 runnrs nd looks lmost impossible. The two favourites are Bensalem (Alan King/ Robert Thornton) and The Package (David Pipe/ Timmy Murphy), but we also have a sneaking fancy for course spcialist Joe Lively (Colin and Joe Tizzard).

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Dunguib - Get Me Out Of Here - Oscar Whisky
2. Race: Captain Cee Bee - Somersby - Sizing Europe
3. Race: Bensalem - The Package - Character Building
4. Race: Go Native - Solwhit - Punjabi
5. Race: Garde Champetre - L`Ami - Sizing Australia
6. Race: Voler La Vedette - Quevega - No One Tells Me