S.P. Read Esq: Cheltenham DAY FOUR

Our daily columnist and pundit S.P. Read Esq. looks ahead to Friday’s final day of the CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL and finds the best opportunities available on Star Spreads, the home of sports spread betting.

Cue Card will bring the house down if he can record a third Cheltenham Festival success by claiming the gold medal today but the recent form of the Tizzard yard must be a concern and that comment obviously applies to Native River too.

Mind you, I seemed to mention something similar about the form of Willie Mullins yesterday too. That project worked out well 🙁

Tizzard is 0-26 over the last fortnight with six places.

We’ll never know whether Cue Card’s date with Gold Cup glory should have been 12 months ago. He was still travelling so strongly before falling three out when a 5/2 chance leaving the path clear for the 9/4 fav Don Cossack to beat Djakadam by four and half lengths.

Djakadam gets the chance to swap silver for gold and must have a good chance now the ground has come up good again and the (sudden!) return to form of the Mullins stable.

The race has a real open look to it though with Don Cossack missing and Cue Card, now an eleven-year-old, bidding to become the oldest winner of the race since 1969 when What A Myth won it as a 12-year-old.

The race last produced a major shock in 2014 when 20/1 chance Lord Windermere scrambled home and I’m hopeful another long-shot today, Champagne West, can grab a slice of the action.

The Henry de Bromhead stable have been flying this season and Champagne West arrives in great form having won the Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park in fine style.

The main concern is the ground – the bulk of his form has been with give in the ground but the going was good when he finished fourth in the 2014 Albert Bartlett so it’s not inconceivable he can run well – especially if a lot of the question mark horses disappoint.

I’m a buyer at 8 with Star Spreads (chasing the bonus – see below)

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RECOMMENDED BETS (scale 1-100 points)

BUY CHAMPAGNE WEST for 25 points at 8 with Star Spreads

PROFIT/LOSS SINCE JAN 1 2017: LOSS 1060.00 points

• Any spread prices quoted are indicative and as always prices are subject to fluctuation.
• Please note the opinion, views and forecasts above are of the author and not of Star Spreads.