The latest news and best bets in our daily horse racing blog, plus the climax of our weekly tipping competition
Paul Jones' daily Cheltenham Festival countdown stat
The Irish route to the Arkle Trophy has generally been predictable for the last 25 years, involving one or both of the two Grade 1 two-mile novice chases run at Leopardstown in December and January. On Sunday, Realt Dubh will attempt to complete the double, having made the most of Saludos's last-fence fall in the Christmas race. He will face stiff competition from Flat Out, Quel Esprit, Saludos (again) and Noble Prince amongst others. Without question, though, it has been Sunday's race, also called the Arkle, that has been the key Irish guide to Cheltenham's Arkle Trophy, as seven of the last eight Irish-trained winners of the Festival race contested this event. Therefore the winner has to be seriously respected for the Festival, especially if Realt Dubh should win, as four of the last five Arkle winners at the Festival had also contested the Grade 1 event he won in December. He had also won the Grade 2 Craddockstown Chase at Punchestown in November, which Moscow Flyer and Sizing Europe also won during their Arkle Trophy-winning seasons.
Paul Jones is author of The Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide published by Weatherbys
Today's best bets, by Will Hayler
Let's hope that Haydock's clerk of the course, Kirkland Tellwright, hasn't put his name in the frame for another kicking ahead of tomorrow's big meeting. Tellwright never seems to be too far away from a spot of controversy, memorably being forced to abandon a meeting at the last minute 13 months ago when jockeys demonstrated to him that the fences had frozen by walking, tightrope-fashion, across the top of them.
A very likeable guy, nevertheless Tellwright is once again leaving himself open to criticism with today's statement that he anticipates "no difficulties" for tomorrow, despite calling a precautionary inspection. Let's hope the weather forecast is correct, because it looks a very interesting card. Oh, that and the fact that I'll have to drive all the way down to Ascot to see some quality jumps racing if it's off.
We have naught but all-weather action today after the abandonment this morning of the jumps cards at Catterick and Chepstow. Some form students may well think the best thing to do is to spend even longer looking at tomorrow's action, but there might be one or two contests worth tuning in for at Lingfield this afternoon ? not least those which will decide the destination of this week's Talking Horses tipping competition (below).
Sweeping generalisation or simple fact ? I'm not sure ? but most horses who are effective over a mile and a half on the all-weather seem to be able to stretch themselves out to two miles easily enough. Maybe the slightly slower pace of the longer races enables their stamina reserves to be extended easily enough.
In any case, I can't see the move up in distance being an issue for the in-form Alternative Choice (1.25) this afternoon and, at 7-2, he looks a safer bet than the rare winner Gandalf.
Lord Lansing (3.05) has been on an upward curve since first encountering Polytrack and the 11-4 shot is fancied to defy a rise in the weights for his latest comfortable success.
Tipping competition, day five
Buaiteoir was only 4-1 but picked by just three of you yesterday, possibly because he's so hard to spell. TL127 and chanleyman had both the other two winners, Ciceron and Mighty Clarets (both 8-1), which sent them soaring up the table. Slackdad38 leads a packed field into the final day.
Today, we'd like your tips, please, for these races: 3.40 Lingfield, 4.15 Lingfield, 4.35 Wolverhampton.
This week's prize is a a pair of club enclosure tickets to Cheltenham's meeting on Saturday 29th January. Featuring the Argento Chase, this will be the last day's racing before the Festival and always throws up vital clues for the bigger days to come. Those of you who don't win can buy tickets here.
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of �1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not yet joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today but you will start on -12.
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
Standings after day four
slackdad38 +13.25
moidadembums +12.75
JahLion +12.75
melonk +12.50
johnny909 +12.50
sangfroid +12.25
TL127 +11
Brochdoll +10
Mulldog +9.75
pops2 +9.50
SepticPeg +9.25
tom1977 +8.50
chiefhk +7.50
chanleyman +6
William36 +4.25
londonpatrick +4.25
goofs +3.75
xwireman +3.50
SussexRH +3.50
steve084 +3.50
triggo321 +3.25
SmokingGun1 +3
arunpaul +2
carl31 +1
millario +0.75
diegoisgod +0.75
irishbrumy +0.50
Ellandback -1
scandalous -1.75
sandiuk -2.25
23skidoo -2.25
TheVic -3
millreef -3
erniemung -3
snowy81 -3
BearRides -3
willbeckwith -3
Viejo -3.25
Ormrod76 -3.50
tiznow -3.50
chris1623 -5.50
chrishol -5.50
HartnettRob -5.50
johne5knuckle -5.50
ToffeeDan1 -6
Captain77 -6
orso -6
leannemarie27 -7
MillieJ -8.25
oniztiptoes -8.25
TheSquire86 -8.25
shears39 -12
MISTERCHESTER -12
Copshaw -12
fatfrank29 -12
15244 -12
twig28 -12
spudpt -12
Harrytheactor -12
Moscow08 -12
Templegate -12
Shrewdette -12
Lameduck -12
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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/jan/21/horse-racing-live-21-january-2011
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