Ante Post Wagers

[Mike]

Hi
We have had a few requests to bring back the Cheltenham Countdown (archive) and now Rob has started putting some ante post bets up on QUALITY RACING 2026 it looks an ideal opportunity to throw this one out there again.
The main difference with this thread is that it will not just cover Cheltenham but will cover any ante post bet from racing through to footabll etc. I am unlikely to be placing any bets on the racing until Non Runner No Bet is available but this does not mean I am against it as sometimes it is simply a case of “Who Dares Wins”.

[Mike]

Hi
As the games kick off I will start the thread off with an example of a football ante post bet. Last Friday the relegation battle was all but done and dusted according to the old enemy. But being a life long hammers fan I decided to take a punt against them bring relegated.
The outstanding price to me was Crystal Palace at 28-1 as the club is in turmoil with players wanting to leave, the manager has fallen out with the board etc etc.
As it stands the 20-1 this morning still looks tempting and if they lose today they play Nottingham Forest next which could be a big nail in the coffin for them and a get out jail card for West Ham should they not take all three points.

[Mike]

Hi
Well that was a close but no coconut prediction Nottingham Forest went a goal up then gave away a penalty and got a man sent off before halftime which rather let Palace off the ropes. Also my beloved hammers went 2-0 up against Chelsea and the old coulds,woulda,shoulda comes into play where if my boys had held on and Nico Williams had not handled the ball on the line against Palace we would now be looking at Palace being around 5-1 to get relegated. But the bet is still valid and at between 8-1 and 9-1 currently and still has some legs.
We will now turn our attention to Cheltenham as the Non Runner No Bet has come into play with Paddy Power and our first suggestion is to go with Love Me Tender each way @ 20-1 for the Albert Bartlett there are bigger prices available without Non Runner No bet but his looks a safer option given that he runs today.
If he runs well today he could drop drastically in price as he runs against Doctor Confusion who is currently the 5-1 favorite for The Albert Bartlett. Alternatively if he gets well beaten they may well consider running him in his alternative Cheltenham option the Turners where he is currently priced up at 16-1. The obvious option is to go with both races but….. ?.
The next one Salsinha is one of my ridiculous options but I believe this one has some improvement in her and has the right backing to get involved in the Mares Novice Hurdle.
Salsinha has clocked a decent enough time to be considered and has been running against some decent opposition. Although not certain to run with quotes of as short as 33-1 to get 40-1 with Non Runner No Bet (in my opinion) has to be a decent each way shout.

[Mike]

Hi
With both Love Me Tender and Salsinha looking to be non runners that leaves us with just one still running which is Donnacha @ 20-1 in the Festival Plate. This was mentioned in Rob’s QUALITY RACING 2026 thread and is the only one we have agreed on so far…lol.
Rob is comprehensively covering the big boy races and I will now turn our attention to the handicaps etc still looking for a bit a value before the weights and final declarations are announced.
The first race will be the old Fred Winter Juvenile hurdle on day one which right up our street as it likely to involve an Irish raider. We have a shortlist of the following runners.
Saratoga
Madness d’Elle
Dawn Coming
Highland Crystal
Mode Avion
Bibe Mus
Kilmeaden
Saratoga is too short in the market at 5-1 and most of the others are showing no real obvious value with the exception of Mode Avion who is a stand out @ 25-1 for 4 places with Paddy Power. Mode Avion shows the fastest time albeit on treacherous heavy ground but should get involved. The second one is Kilmeaden who was firmly put in his place by both Sartoga and Highland Crystal last time out but I thought this one was not right on the day and looked in trouble a long way out. He was not given a hard ride when his chance had gone and @ 40-1 for 4 places with bet365 looks a lively outsider, both are obviously NRNB.

[Robmull]

Hi Mike,

The Fred Winter is a race I want to get involved in, but I would prefer to see the weights before parting with my money.

I see your shortlist includes 3 of the horses who competed in the recent race at Naas, but I wonder whether both MUNSIF and GENEALOGY should also be considered.

All the best,

Rob.

[Mike]

Hi
I am torn between a handful of runners in the Coral Cup but using the same principle as before taking the big prices now using NRNB is a shot to nothing so here goes. This again is a Handicap Hurdle and from my original shortlist I am concerned about the trip with my original fancy I Started A Joke and at 12-1 looks to short in the betting.
This leaves three and I am going with all three hoping one will line up on the day the first is Galileo Dame @ 40-1 for 4 places this one is an interesting entry and I am surprised to see her still in as I had expected her to go elsewhere. She is a dual purpose mare who has contested some decent flat races but wasn’t disgraced behind Cousin Kate last time out.
The next one is a Coyote Spirit @ 33-1 for 4 places a Gordon Elliot trained runner who knows how to set one up for this race and he gets in off 10-1 in the weights. From the same yard is Open Secret @ 33-1 for 4 places who as a bonus has had a run at Cheltenham gets in off 10-5 and this one is ultra consistent. Jack Kennedy swapped from this one and got beaten by him last time out and it will be an interesting conundrum to see who he goes for on the day having ridden both of the above.
nb. There will probably be extra places on the day etc etc but at 1/4 odds 4 places and your money back if they do not run you could do a lot worse than go in early. As a perfect example one of the earlier bets Donnacha mentioned by both Rob and myself and advised @ 20-1 is now best price 14-1 and still shortening up.

[Mike]

Hi
I have a few thoughts on the County Hurdle and the first is why bother it’s too complicated but joking apart from the data base a couple look interesting off low marks such as Roc Dino which is a Mullins entry. This one has been well and truly put it its place but this has been by the likes of Mighty Park etc and there is no shame in that. However being a Mullins entry the 14-1 is too short to consider early doors.
The one I am going in early with here is Celtic Dino @ 25-1 for 4 places (NRNB) this one is lightly raced but has not been disgraced at level weights against black type winners such as Sir Gino and Woodhooh. My only concern is that he has not been tried around Cheltenham and appears to be better going right handed. ? But as I say lightly raced and if running looks a decent shout at the price.

[Mike]

Hi
In the Martin Pipe Conditional Handicap Hurdle I have just the one bet to put up early doors which is Newbrook Diamond this one is ultra consistent having clocked four decent times on our figures and if getting a run there is no way I can see this one being available at the 33-1 currently on offer. This one hails from the Gordon Elliot yard is only declared for this race and looks to have been laid out for this. There are only the 4 places on offer at present but I really cannot see this one not getting involved.

[Mike]

Hi
This one is not going to be popular but is declared to run in the Pertemps fits the bill and could still be literally anything.The selection is Absolutely Doyen this one has been a revelation since joining the Nicholls Yard and has yet to be put under any pressure but you can only beat what is in front of you and having made hay off a light mark may still have more to offer.
The last run has made sure he is rated high enough to get in and I am surprised he was not rated a little higher.
However at 14-1 for 4 places he completes the first part of the jigsaw that is the Handicap Hurdle races over the festival. I have deliberately targeted those 5 races as I will now be looking to put up my usual 5 horse each way doubles and accumulator option as the next step.
I will be looking into the other races at Cheltenham but the Irish hurdling scene has been my main target this year and I will be looking forward to the Punchestown Festival in April where we hope to finish the season off with a bang.

[Mike]

Hi
I have been left with three of my ante post bets running and have my money back on all of the others which leaves us with the following wagers left standing.
Thursday sees Absolutely Doyen @ 14-1 for 4 places in the Pertemps Hurdle
Friday still has Celtic Dino @ 25-1 looking good value now in the County Hurdle
along with Newbrook Diamond @ 33-1 for 4 places in the Martin Pipe Conditional Hurdle
I will put a couple of others up on the To “CAP” the season off. ? thread which I will be looking to use in each way doubles along with these in my usual 5 horse Cheltenham each way doubles etc but obviously the price on Celtic Dino has dropped to 16-1 for any new bets.

[Mike]

Hi
I have been patiently waiting for one of my ante post wagers to run in the hope of pulling off a stroke and Rob goes and beats me to it with Jingko Blue today which he advised at 20-1 (a while back) on his QUALITY RACING 2026 thread. He still has a few to go so if you have not been following the thread there are still two days to go so get your reading glasses out and follow the link.

[Mike]

Hi
All in all I spent a lot of hours selecting one runner Absolutely Doyen who was squeezed out of a place in a blanket finish and five non runners. Painful is a word I would use but hopefully a few of the selections will turn up at Aintree fresh for having bypassed Cheltenham so possibly I may yet get my just rewards….lol.
Rob still has some going tomorrow and I will link you now to his last post detailing tomorrow’s selections (QUALITY RACING 2026)

[Mike]

Hi
I do not know whether just rewards are due but one of our Cheltenham non runners is going today and we grabbed a bit of 14-1 for 6 places in the wee hours (having missed the 16-1) and it looks like he is being backed again as now best price 12-1 with most firms going 10-1.
The horse is Coyote Spirit in the 3.00 at Cork he bypassed the festival looks fresh has a decent claimer on board and usually hits the top 6.
Strangely another one previously mentioned in this thread Open Secret who runs from the same yard is a drifter but could still get involved and at 16-1 for 6 places and is worth a look. Options are both for top at 13-2.

[Author]

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