Cheltenham Festival Review

Day 1.

Supreme Novices' - As the Tuesday update stated, Marine Nationale once given his official BHA rating was the joint best horse on general stats and the sig stat. I personally didn't back him; however, it is always pleasing to see the sig stat and the generals being upheld.  

Arkle - A race that went exactly how the sig stats suggested with the fav El Fabiolo winning impressively. A good result personally and for the sig stats.

Ultima Handicap - A case of what might have been. Having been keen on Monbeg Genius when the initial entries came out and steadily backing him, I thought coming to the last he may have won. I was left rueing the fact he was given an additional 3lb and upped to from 137 to 140 due to a collateral form boost, perhaps that was the difference. Oscar Elite ran well and got some place money finishing 5th while the EW analysis highlighted the winner, Corach Rambler as a solid EW bet.

Champion Hurdle - The sig stats and general stats suggested it was going to be between Constitution Hill and State Man. CH produced an awesome performance and looks to be a superstar.

Mares Hurdle - Honeysuckle met all 3 sig stats and the correlation and she bowed out with a win. All sig stats upheld along with the correlation. 

NH Chase - 2 sigs stats with one really strong (OR). The winner GDM was the only horse to meet the strong stat and went on to win, perhaps a tad luckily. Chemical Energy met both sig stats and was highlighted as a solid EW bet and finished 2nd.

Boodles Handicap Hurdle - Byker was a tad unlucky and perhaps if he was held onto a bit longer would have won.

Day 2.

Ballymore - The winner was impressive and met 2/3 sig stats. Gaelic Warrior and Champ Kiely were highlighted as EW bets, and both filled the places.

Brown Advisory Chase - A bit of a shocker for my ante post bet with GC just failing to get up. The winner, The Real Whacker was highlighted in the EW analysis.  

Coral Cup - I am completely annoyed that I used someone else’s stats to narrow the field down even further as my winner stats had Langer Dan on the shortlist. I won't be making that mistake again. Not a great race for my personal punting. 

Champion Chase - Energumene met all the sig stats and the correlation and was a confident selection. Well backed on the day he won impressively.

X Country - Tricast landed at 17/1. Didn't have much as it was a fun bet. Delta Work did complete some doubles with Energumene.  

Grand Annual - Another race in which I used someone else’s stats to narrow and (potentially) missing out on a winner as my stats originally had Maskada in the shortlist. Have a look through the stats if you don't believe me. Whether I would have backed is a different story, but lesson learned.

Champion Bumper - Cracking result for the sig stats with the winner and 2nd highlighted.

Day 3.

Turners Chase - Stage Star was highlighted as a horse who met the sig stats and went on to win well. He was also highlighted in the EW analysis. Like the Ryanair, a horse who has won at Cheltenham is a sig positive.

Pertemps - No sig stats but the general stats highlighted the winner Good Time Jonny.

Ryanair - A complete balls up by myself as Envoi Allen met 4/4 sig stats but I just completely missed him. I would normally go back through every race but for some reason (perhaps Guinness) I missed it. Hopefully other people went back through the race and found him.

Stayers Hurdle - Terrible race for my pocket and the sig stats. Moving on.

Plate Handicap - The winner Seddon was highlighted in the EW analysis.

Kim Muir - Some place money but not a great race for stats in general and one in which stakes are kept low.

Day 4. 

Triumph Hurdle - Lossiemouth and Gala Marceau met the sig stats and the general stats and came 1st and 2nd. The winner landed a nice ante post bet.

County Hurdle - No luck here and the sig stat was not upheld. The Skeltons know how to win a handicap.

Albert Bartlett - Not a great stats race and one of the few graded races that does not have a sig stat which shows how volatile this race can be. One stat I will be focussing on next year is 3+ runs.

Gold Cup - All sig stats upheld along with the correlation. The first three all met the sig stats and ran as expected. A good result.

Foxhunters - Poor race for stats and a poor result for myself and no doubt others.

Martin Pipe Handicap - A lovely way to end the week with all 3 sig stats being upheld and the well backed winner Irako was highlighted.

As always, the week didn't disappoint. I was really happy with the sig stats and the general stats and hopefully a few of you were as well. Onto Aintree we go.