Kevin Blake has revealed his Cheltenham Festival tips for Wednesday, including a 66/1 selection in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle. Blake also tipped Ultima winner Johnnywho in his column on Tuesday.
Zeus Power at a Colossal Price
The first race of interest is the Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle (1.20). Joseph O’Brien-trained Zeus Power is highly likely to be the biggest-priced selection that Blake is siding with all week. The changes to the handicap rules, requiring horses to have had five runs over hurdles, have mainly benefited the Grade 1 novice hurdles. In previous years, a horse like Zeus Power might have been aimed at the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle. But now he finds himself in this race along with 21 rivals at a huge price. However, Blake believes he might be capable of enough improvement to get in the mix against the odds.
Zeus Power, son of Protectionist, has consistently improved since being sent over hurdles. He secured a win at Thurles in December. He impressed with his low and fluent jumping technique. For his third start, he faced Lazare De Star at Navan.
Zeus Power was ridden with confidence and showed plenty of bravery to see off the favourite snugly at the line. He is sure to benefit from that experience. This tilt at Grade 1 novices’ hurdle will hopefully reward the bravery of stepping up so steeply in class. This longer trip promises to suit him well and the style of race should also play to his strengths. He rates as a really interesting contender at a colossal price.
Kaid D’Authie in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
The Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase (2.00) is another wide-open Grade 1 contest. The overpriced one in Blake’s book is Willie Mullins-trained Kaid D’Authie. This is a classic case of the market not wanting to believe an unexpected result, which is what Kaid D’Authie beating Final Demand at the Dublin Racing Festival was. For Blake, there was absolutely no fluke about it. Kaid D’Authie put Final Demand under serious pressure from a long way out and Final Demand didn’t have the answers.
It hasn’t been this competitive for quite a few years and while lovers of short-priced favs might be getting withdrawal symptoms, the opportunity to back talented horses at very big prices is what sets these big meetings apart. Day two of this year’s festivities has a particularly open look to it and hopefully I can steer you in a profitable direction.
The Cheltenham Festival is always a pleasure no matter what, but isn’t it great to see such big fields and competitive races at the meeting this year?