Latest news with #Sixandahalf
Extra.ie
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
This Diamond in the rough is ready to sparkle at Punchestown
What a fantastic week we're having here at Punchestown, it's great to enjoy such quality racing in glorious sunshine. Let's start our look at day three's card with the feature race, the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers' Hurdle (6.0). I think we could get a funny result here. Many of the main protagonists don't appreciate quick going conditions. Teahupoo, Home By The Lee, Crambo, Asterion Forlonge, they all prefer the rain. With that in mind, I'm going to go for an outsider, and I think Declan Queally's Rocky's Diamond could spring something of a surprise. Rocky's Diamond winning at Gowran Park earlier this year. Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy Despite his win in the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park and his promising run when fourth in the Cheltenham equivalent, I think this guy will actually improve for drying ground conditions, given his breeding. Hiddenvalley Lake will be tough to beat but Rocky's Diamond, under Shane Fitzgerald, might just spring a surprise for the Dungarvan family. The Barberstown Castle Novice Chase (5.25) over two miles is a foregone conclusion — if Majborough jumps, he wins. Majborough at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown earlier this year. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile Despite throwing his chance away at the Cheltenham Festival with multiple jumping mistakes, he still only got beaten less than a length by Jango Baie and Only By Night, who reopposes. He was never considered a bad jumper before Cheltenham, and I hope he'll put that right with a clear round of jumping here. That would be giving Willie Mullins his 12th win in this race. The Close Brothers Mares' Novice Hurdle is at 4.50. Plenty of these have had busy campaigns, including running in the Grade One Honeysuckle Hurdle over Easter at Fairyhouse. One filly that skipped that assignment was Sixandahalf and that was due to the rain softening the ground — how a couple of days make such a difference. Sixandahalf racing at Cheltenham in March. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile The sunshine here will really be up her street. The quick ground and the trip will really bring out the best in her, because I consider her a very speedy filly. Rachael Blackmore picked her pocket at Cheltenham so make no mistake Keith Donoghue will be playing his cards late here. Both are likely odds-on favourites, Sixandahalf and Majborough could be two for a double. The Conway Piling Handicap Hurdle (4.15) run over just shy of three miles is a hugely difficult puzzle for which I'm going to side with Flicker Of Hope for Mark Fahey. Disappointing in the Albert Bartlett Grade One at Cheltenham last time, I think there's more to come from this six-year-old and I'm willing to give him another chance. His run behind Perceval Legallois at the Dublin Racing Festival is an encouraging one, and with Conor StoneWalsh taking three pounds off his allotted weight of 11st 2lb, I think he has an each-way chance to make an impression in a big field. Perceval Legallois and Flicker Of Hope battle it out at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown earlier this year. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile The Frontline Security Handicap Chase (3.05) over two miles is a prize headed for export, in my opinion. We saw the British horses hit the board on the first day of the Festival, and I expect they might just take home a few more euros here, too courtesy of No 13, Keep Running. Warren Greatrex has plundered prizes at this Festival before and this guy had a solid run at Kempton in February behind Bad, before which he showed his aptitude for quick ground by winning at Ludlow and Ffos Las. I think this guy with the newly crowned British champion jockey Sean Bowen aboard can make a big impression. The opening race of the day is the Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle (2.30). Trainer Gavin Cromwell. Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy The Other Mozzie carries top weight in this, but for a good reason. If he were running over fences, he would be running off a rating of 145, but he is running off his hurdle rating today of 119. That's obviously attractive. And that combined with the fact that I think he'll appreciate good ground conditions suggests to me that he is well handicapped. He disappointed behind Caldwell Potter in the novice handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but reverting to hurdles could be an inspired move by Gavin Cromwell. He's still only a six-year-old and I think The Other Mozzie can justify his burden of top weight in the opener to get us off to a flying start.
The Independent
12-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Cheltenham Placepot Tips: Day Three Placepot Selections For £750,000 Prize Pool
A huge field for the Ryanair Mares Novices' Hurdle (Cheltenham, 1.20pm) provides a stiff early test for placepot players with just three places available to aim at on betting sites. Sixandahalf has only tackled hurdles once, but it resulted in a smooth 12-length success at Fairyhouse, and she can at least call on the experience of an excellent summer on the level which saw her win a nice flat race at Newmarket and finish placed in the Irish Cesarewitch. Given that Joseph O'Brien has a stellar record at this meeting and Galileo Dame has been rerouted from the Triumph Hurdle, she is hugely respected, while Jubilee Alpha is also shortlisted following some impressive performances at Taunton and Windsor. There is another sizeable field for this Novices' Handicap Chase (2.00pm), but Springwell Bay boasts experience of the track courtesy of his impressive win on New Year's Day and, although saddled with plenty of weight, looks a class act. The lightly-raced chaser Nurburgring and Caldwell Potter – third to Arkle winner Jango Baie here in December (Springwell Bay second) – are others to add to the perm. The full complement of runners line up for the Pertemps Final (2.40pm) and Feet Of A Dancer should appreciate both the ground and test that this fiercely competitive handicap offers. Jeriko Du Reponet has also been aimed at this race all season and the cheekpieces may help him focus on the job in hand, while stablemate Doddiethegreat is also equipped with headgear and may surprise at a price on horse racing betting sites. It will be hugely disappointing if Fact To File doesn't at least place in the Ryanair Chase (3.20pm) as he has some front-runners in the race to ensure he has a generous pace to aim at. He has already beaten Galopin Des Champs at this intermediate trip this term, so he should take all the beating. For the placepot to pay well, it is the nature of the beast that some strongly fancied runners must underperform so, with that in mind, it could be worth trying to take on Teahupoo in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle at a very short price. The ante-post favourite in the Cheltenham odds faces a raft of new blood in this year's renewal with the likes of Lucky Place and The Wallpark fancied to be involved at the business end. The closing amateur jockeys' handicap chase is a tough riddle to solve but the front-running Midnight Our Fred, Johnnywho (gamble of the race) and Walking On Air look three likely types. Cheltenham Placepot Perm - Day Three 1.20 9 Jubilee Alpha 21 Sixandahalf 22 Galileo Dame 2.00 1 Springwell Bay 3 Caldwell Potter 8 Nurburgring 2.40 8 Feet Of A Dancer 10 Jeriko Du Reponet 19 Doddiethegreat 3.20 3 Fact To File 4.00 9 Lucky Place 15 The Wallpark 4.40 4 Johnnywho 13 Midnight Our Fred 23 Walking On air 3x3x3x1x2x3 = 162 lines Bettors should always gamble responsibly, especially during Cheltenham Festival when the number of offers and betting markets widely available increase. You should always stick to a budget and never exceed it. When using gambling sites be aware that sports betting can be addictive so please take steps to remain in control of your time and budget. The same applies whether you're using new betting sites, slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, or any other gambling medium. It's particularly important not to get carried if you receive a casino bonus or any free bets, which are available in abundance before and during the Cheltenham Festival, but must be approached with caution. You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs. You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:
The Guardian
12-03-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Cheltenham festival day three tips: Il Est Francais can score for French
While Friday's Gold Cup revolves around the odds-on Galopin Des Champs and his bid for a third straight success, the Ryanair Chase over two-and-a-half miles on Thursday is much more open, with live contenders from Britain, Ireland and France, and the prospect of seeing the bold front-runner Il Est Francais tackling Cheltenham for the first time, with top-class opponents including Fact To File and Protektorat in hot pursuit, is one to savour. Il Est Francais (3.20) was a clear leader for much of the way in the King George VI Chase at Kempton at Christmas before Banbridge reeled him in on the run to the last, and his devastating front-running success in the Kauto Star Novice Chase at the same meeting in 2023 was one of the best performances by a novice of recent years. The fact that his best form outside France has come at a flat track is a slight concern, but Thursday's drop back to an intermediate trip on decent ground should suit and Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm's seven-year-old has a big chance to become only the second French-trained winner at the festival meeting since 2005. Cheltenham 1.20 A record field for the Mares' Novice Hurdle and deep reserves of untapped potential among the two-dozen runners, including Gavin Cromwell's Sixandahalf, making just her second start over hurdles. A decent stayer on the Flat, she made short work of her field on debut over hurdles at Fairyhouse in January, pulling 12 lengths clear in a fast time, and her big-field experience on the level should also stand her in good stead. Cheltenham 2.00 Answer to Kayf showed a liking for this track when fourth in the Martin Pipe over hurdles last year and took a big step forward over fences to win his handicap debut at Naas in January by a dozen lengths. That was a well-run race in the conditions and while his career wins have all come on heavy ground, he has form on good-to-soft going too. Cheltenham 2.40 Tom Cooper's D Art D Art has been kept fresh for this since finishing second in the qualifier at Carlisle in December and should have further room for improvement with just nine previous starts over hurdles in the book. Cheltenham 4.00 Last year's winner, Teahupoo, has had the same light prep for this as he did last season, with just a single outing in the Hatton's Grace at Fairyhouse in December. He was only second in the latest renewal but was less than four lengths behind Lossiemouth, Tuesday's Mares' Hurdle winner, and the return to three miles at Cheltenham should once again see him at his best. Hexham 1.05 Dickens 1.42 Benmore 2.22 Diamond Mix 3.02 Breeze Of Wind 3.42 Baratablet 4.22 I See The Sea 5.00 The Big Breac Cheltenham 1.20 Sixandahalf 2.00 Answer To Kayf 2.40 D Art D Art (nap) 3.20 Il Est Francais 4.00 Teahupoo 4.40 Masaccio (nb) 5.20 Johnnywho Newcastle 4.50 Dee's Dream 5.30 Spartan Times 6.00 Fallen Soldier 6.30 Moby Quick 7.00 Starliner 7.30 Castan 8.00 Mondammej 8.30 Odd Socks Havana Chelmsford 5.05 Amaysmont 5.45 Wonderbolt 6.15 Brunel Charm 6.45 Diomed Spirit 7.15 Penzance 7.45 Egoiste 8.15 Stella Hogan Cheltenham 4.40 Jagwar and Masaccio finished first and third in what is effectively a trial for this race over track and trip in January, and a 6lb swing in the weights and first-time cheekpieces could be enough for Alan King's eight-year-old to turn the tables. Cheltenham 5.20 Now one of only two races at the festival for amateur riders, and the booking of Derek O'Connor for Jonjo O'Neill's Johnnywho looks significant.
