Coral sponsored Racing Post podcast reviews the weekend action
David Metcalf | November 6, 2015
In the latest edition of the Racing Post podcast “Postcast”, proudly sponsored by Coral, Alastair Down, Pete Scargill and our very own Simon Clare join Bruce Millington to look back on the weekend’s racing and ahead to the Open meeting at Cheltenham.
The team kick-off with discussing the impressive comeback success of last year’s Gold Cup winner Coneygree at Sandown.
Mark Bradstock’s stable star made all and jumped his rivals ragged to win easing down by 25 lengths and is currently 6/1 with Coral to retain his crown next March.
Down believes he would be clear 7/2 favourite for chasing’s blue riband event if trained by a more fashionable yard, and the gelding is now firmly on course for a crack at the Hennessy Gold Cup for which he was trimmed to 5/1 (from 6s) by Coral after his Sandown romp.
There are plenty of potential Gold Cup challengers rising through the ranks in what promises to be a vintage year in the staying chase division, including the Willie Mullins trained Vautour who currently heads the betting for the Cheltenham showpiece at 4/1 with Coral.
Bobs Worth beats stablemate Simonsig
The team also discuss a farcically run hurdle race at Aintree which saw former Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth get the better of stable companion Simonsig.
Simonsig, who was returning to action after nearly 1000 days on the sidelines, cruised into contention approaching two from home in the hands of a motionless Barry Geraghty but found little when push come to shove after the last.
Did Geraghty by the grey an over confident ride? Or was it just a case that he wasn’t hanging on to as much as it appeared?
Simonsig’s next target is the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown, and he is now a 12/1 shot with Coral for the 2016 Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Litigant’s fabulous weight carrying performance in the November Handicap also comes under the spotlight, as well as some tremendous performances at Navan where Kitten Rock emerged as an Arkle contender after making an impressive winning debut over fences and Champion Hurdle hope Arctic Fire capitalised on a final flight blunder of Monksland to get up on the line and score by by 1/2 a length.
The show rounds off with the team looking ahead to a terrific three-days action at Cheltenham’s Open meeting, the highlight of which if the Paddy Power Gold Cup.
Boondooma and Kings Palace are currently Coral’s 8/1 joint-favourites for Saturday’s big race, and the latter is one of several possible contenders in the race for trainer David Pipe who has an excellent record at the meeting.
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