Queen’s horse Barbers Shop could be a Gold Cup King

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We’ve already revealed why we think Neptune Collonges offers good value tomorrow (check the Best Bets panel on your right) but here’s why Barbers Shop is the best of the non Paul Nicholls-trained horses:

BAD NEWS FOR KAUTO STAR!
Four of the last six Gold Cups were won by the favourite but ahead of the final day of the Cheltenham Festival nine successive races have passed without one winning, while two of the three feature race frontrunners have underperformed.

Good omens for Barbers Shop:
» He’s a seven-year-old, as were three of the last four winners.
» His jockey Barry Geraghty won the Champion Hurdle on 22/1 Punjabi.
» He’s won in various conditions so the weather shouldn’t affect him.
» He was placed at last year’s Festival, as were 9 of the last 11 winners.
» Nicky Henderson has had more Cheltenham winners than any other current trainer.

Paddy Power are paying FOUR PLACES each-way on Friday’s 1.30pm race and FIVE PLACES each-way on the 2.05pm!

Posted: March 13th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Punchestowns is available at 7/2 to win the World Hurdle

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Kasbah Bliss is the 11/10 favourite to win Thursdays’s Ladbrokes World Hurdle (3.20pm) but here’s why we are backing Punchestowns at 7/2 with Paddy Power:

REASONS TO DISCOUNT KASBAH BLISS!
Just three favourites have won this race in the last ten years. Kasbah Bliss finished second in 2007 and 2008 but only one of the last eleven runners-up have triumphed the following year.

» Four of the seven winners of Ascot’s Long Walk Hurdle between 1998 and 2007 also won the World Hurdle. Punchestowns won at Ascot in December.

» Punchestowns meets all the vital trends: he’s aged between six and eight, he’s not Irish and he’s priced under 8/1. Both jockey Barry Geraghty and trainer Nicky Henderson (twice) have won this race before.

Paddy Power are paying FIVE PLACES each-way in Thursday’s 2.05pm, 4.00pm and 4.40pm races!

Posted: March 11th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Why Diamond Harry is good value at 5/1 with Paddy Power

Wednesday’s 2.05pm could be one of the week’s most open races

Hopefully you followed our advice for the festival’s opening race and backed Go Native at a massive 12/1. Wednesday’s Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle could be the most open race so far and third-favourite Diamond Harry is generously available at 5/1 with Paddy Power.

PROMISING TRENDS!
Diamond Harry, who is unbeaten in six races, has all the key attributes that past winners of this race have possessed. He is in the first six of the betting at under 12/1, he finished first or second on his last outing and is aged five or six.

The two other frontrunners also meet these specifications but there are reasons to write both off. Only one jockey has retained since 1988 and last year’s winner Ruby Walsh rides favourite Mikael D’Haguenet while Karabak’s jockey Tony McCoy hasn’t won this race in twelve attempts.

Click here to claim a free £25 bet with Paddy Power

Paddy Power are paying an extra place e/w in the 4pm and 5.15pm races

Posted: March 10th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Juventus are the Champions League’s best comeback kings

Other gambling-related material working its way around the web

Juventus have comeback from first-leg deficits more than any other team
[Guardian]

Every Champions League team’s percentage chance of progressing
[Soccerlens]

Our friends at the Money Bonzai expect Chelsea to win in Italy
[Money Bonzai]

A guide to betting in-running on this week’s Champions League ties
[betting.betfair]

Paddy Power are paying each way on FIVE places at the 2.40 at Cheltenham
[Click here for a free £25 bet]

Posted: March 10th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Get your Cheltenham Festival betting off to a strong start

Paddy Power will refund all bets if Cousin Vinny wins the opener

Cousin Vinny is the 9/4 favourite to win the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle - the opening race of the 2009 Cheltenham Festival. Paddy Power will refund all bets if Patrick Mullins’ mount triumphs, so you have the perfect chance to kick-off the week with a big win by backing against the favourite.

PROMISING TREND!
11 of the last 12 winners of this race had won their last race. This is good news for those backing against Cousin Vinny, who unseated his jockey on his last outing at Leopardstown.

Other key trends in this race include that nine of the last 12 winners have been aged either five or six while ten of the last 17 were Irish trained.

Second favourite Torphichen (6/1) is only four and wasn’t trained in Ireland but third and fourth favourites Go Native (10/1) and Kempes (11/1) meet all three specifications. Whether you choose to bet win or each-way on this race is entirely your choice because the money-back special applies to both.

Click here to open an account and claim a free £25 bet

Posted: March 9th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Paul Nicholls is 10/1 to deliver another treble at the Gold Cup

Denman doubts damage trainer’s chances of consecutive 1-2-3s

Photo Credit: Barry Batchelor/PA Wire

Sky Bet are offering 10/1 on Paul Nicholls repeating his 2008 feat of training the top three horses in the Cheltenham Gold Cup while they offer 20/1 on none of them being placed.

Denman, Kauto Star and Neptune Collonges, the three horses who delivered the 1-2-3 last year, are the frontrunners once more but doubts over last year’s winner have compromised Nicholls’ chances.

Make sure you visit chickendinner throughout next week for all the important Cheltenham Festival statistics and tips.

Posted: March 5th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment