1:30 Musselburgh

11/02 13:30

The form of Ebanours run here at Mussleburgh in November with the winner Allow Me stepping up into decent handicap company and scoring. Ebanour himself has subsequently win at Doncaster although it can be said that that race was not as good as the Mussleburgh one and he did all he had to do to pik up the winners prize money. Cross of hounour from Charlie Longsdon is the short priced favourite for he race and so he might be as there is little between the pair on what they have done so far, although the latter does recieve seven pounds from the selection on the day. The fact that Cross of Honour has yet to win over hurdles, (he won his bumper), is the deciding factor as we know Ebanour will stick to his game, the price is right, Ebanour come on down

Birmingham v Portsmouth

07/02 19:45

A painful call to make as a Pompey fa but i simply see my team getting a right rolling over at St Andrews tonight. We scored three away from home against peterborough in the last game and for Pompey that represents a months worth of goals in a game!!!. Birmingham are nothing if not tight at home, have a great unbeaten record in front of their own fans and to top things off have conceded only in two games from the seven, one each game totaling two. If Pompey can make an impression on that record they deserve to get something from the game, but i find i very unlikely and expect Birmingham to once again net three home goals and take the points

3:25 Punchestown

05/02 15:25

In the Grand National Trial at Punchestown today, we have a field and a market which looks wide open as one would expect from a race of this nature. Because of that, i am looking at one at a really good price who, if running to his best form has the ability to be in the shake up should his jumping hold up. In the absence of any confidence further up the market, i think STREETS OF GOLD could be worth a shout on either an each way basis or indeed a simple place only bet.

It is fair to say the highlights are very few and far between over the last 12 months or so, in fact he has failed to finish more races than he has crossed the line in any position, but if getting round i believe he can be thereabouts at the finish in what is going to be a stern test in tough conditions, which will ask questions of many in the race who have yet to run this far, let alone on ground such as this.

2012 Champion Hurdle

13/03 15:20

Here I run my eye over the Champion Hurdle 2012 and take a look at the best odds available for the Cheltenham Festival
Whilst we await the seasonal reappearance of Paul Nichols ZARKANDAR prior to the Cheltenham Festival, Willie Mullins' HURRICANE FLY still looks the one to beat, even at the admittance of Nichols himself following his BHP Irish Champion Hurdle at Leoparstown at the end of January. GRANDOUET makes up a trio heading the ante post market 6 weeks out.

At the turn of the year, 11/4 was the price to be taken should Hurricane Fly's chance been fancied and plenty were interested at the price. "Those that hesitate are lost" as the saying goes and after his demolition of Oscars Well, Thousand Stars and Unaccompanied at Leopardstown, the price is long gone and most firms have slashed him back to odds on! Evens is just about available on Betfair now. Whilst his chance is obvious, EVENS is on the short side for me. Personally I am kicking myself for not taking the 11/4, recalling a conversation I was having in the Malt Shovel in Lambourn at the beginning of January with a number of chaps, to whom I was urging to GET ON!

Many did and are sat quite happy on the Ante Post Vouchers now sat snugly in their wallets. I shall have to wait now to asses my options as far as value is concerned. Perhaps Zarkandar will appear and change my mind. Paul Nichols runner is unbeaten in three runs to date, his highlight, possibly his win in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Festival last year, when sent off 13/2 for the race. Those sort of odds were a long way away when following up at Aintree to confirm his class in the 4yo Juvenile Hurdle at an Sp of 4/6. He is currently a 7/1 shot for the Champion Hurdle, and has been since the turn of the year. I thought perhaps he might have drifted a point after Hurrican Fly's win, but alas he has remained static. Certainly if he goes to Newbury on 11th Feb and walks the Betfair Hurdle that price is likely to shorten up. Mullins must be praying for a break in a weather forecast that is already throwing doubt over that fixture, even at this stage. (a week away). He surely must have a run before the Festival?

Grandouet must not be forgotten. I have been most impressed with him this season. He has repaid my faith twice since coming to grief two out at Wincanton in the Elite Hurdle in November. Celestial Halo, who has been a revelation this season, leading him over the second last, he looked to have him comfortably in his sights as he came down. Nicky Henderson had him back out on course within a fortnight at Haydock where he comfortably beat a weaker field at 8/13 odds to repay some of the investment a couple of weeks earlier. The "Grandouet Bank" was well and truly evened up in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham the following month when an easy victor over the likes of Overturn who was in fine form, Brampour and the joint favourite for the race and arguably disappointing on the day, Menorah, who has since been switched to fences. Grandouet's price halved from 14%u2032s into 7%u2032s and even 6%u2032s in places following that win and he does look like a serious contender for Fly's crown. Although it should be considered that only one of the past 37 winners of the International Hurdle have gone on to win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham which is a huge negative.

Willie Mullins holds favouritism for the Thomas Pink Top Trainer title for the Festival and Hurricane Fly is certainly an aspect of how that position has come about.

Oscars Well and Thousand Stars have been mentioned already and can be considered but look to be held on all known form.

I have yet to mention Binocular, he certainly can't be ignored. Winner of the race in 2010 at 9/1. Twice the price he would have been had there not been doubts about his participation right up until the last minute. At his best he can run up to a mark as high as anything Hurricane Fly has achieved thus far as indeed he did in his Champion Hurdle and again when winning last seasons delayed Christmas Hurdle in January at Kempton. Going down to Overturn in the Fighting Fifth, he may not have been ready, but the fact he reversed the form when following up in this seasons renewal of the Christmas Hurdle was as much to do with Overturn regressing that Binocular improving on the Newcastle run. As much as anything he will be battling against the consistency of Hurricane Fly in this race and that's what puts him out at 10/1. Add in the stat that only one Christmas Hurdle winner from the past 24 have gone on to win the Champion Hurdle and we have a seriously negative statistic for Binocular.

Since 1985 only 1 of 87 5yo's have won this race, that winner being the diminutive Katchit in 2008. Zarkandar, Grandouet and Unaccompanied all fall into that category. I add in my doubt about Binocular and I am left with only Hurricane Fly as an option and the 10/11 starts to look a bit bigger. I shan't wait for Zarkandar to run to decide if I am going to jump in, even if he flops, which I am sure he wont, the favourite wont shorten or lengthen too much as Nichols runner will have to post something far superior to what he has so far to shake the market up.

CHAMPION HURDLE ADVICE:

It's not overly adventurous, and is very much a case of after the horse has bolted so to speak, but HURRICANE FLY is a definite bet for the race and my first struck for Tuesday's action. 10/11 generally available.

2:10 Wolverhampton

03/02 14:10

This maybe a huge mistake, but Pipers Piping won in great style just yesterday and the form of the race actually looked really good. Alistair Lidderdale has the horse back out very quickly but the change in rider is the thing that concerns me of the ability to follow up with another win. In this instance, on in the field who looks to be an excellent price should he bring his best form to this track is Potential from the Hills yard. The last four runs have come on the allweather and in differing company, the race today looks to be one of his easiest in a while, on that basis 9.5 odds from William Hill look to be at least a couple of points out.

4:40 Taunton

31/01 16:40

Colin Tizzards Dimpsy Time can repay backers after being beaten last time out when sent off odds on favourite. After hitting the front and looking lik winning he edged left and arguably cost himself the race with his greeness. Certainly he should know his job far better this tim out and he has an opportunity against a decent sized field in which only a smattering have previous form, albeit with one or two with winning form at that. The run at Ffos Las did look sound however giving weight away to the eventual winner, and on simialr term with the majority of the field today he can compensate

4:30 Southwell

31/01 16:30

Beachwood Bay has to be considered in what look a terrible race. A race in which one wouldnt normally wantto get involved but for the fact none of these with the exception of the selection and Bird \Dog have any winnig form of note in the book of late. The latter certainly will have to step things up markedly to be competitive here, whilst the selection is given some relief from the six pound hike in the handicap she got for her win on her penultimate outing. That ability to get a nose in front and stay there from a better draw than the coffin box she had to go from last time out when finishing only sevent can only be positives and she is the selection at the head of the market

5:40 Wolverhampton

30/01 17:40

A fascinating little four runner race to finish off the card at Wolverhampton on Monday and i think we could have a little gem in the Reg Hollinshead trained and Hayley Turner ridden Boa. All four of these runners have been performing well enough in simialr company of late and as such all are moving up the ratings. Boa is no exception, carrying seven pounds more than he has previoulsy won with and a further four pounds more than carried when runner up to Mount Abora here last time out. Only a pound better off with that rival today in this smaller field, he was headed at the finish last time out, that time with Jamie Spencer on board the victor.Spencer is replaced by O'donohugh today and it could make all the difference, i take Boa to reverse the form, and hit the front from around the 2 pole to bound home to victory

Arsenal v Aston Villa

29/01 16:00

I've thought long and hard about this tie in the FA Cup and find myself unable to back Arsenal to win this game at the first time of asking despite the recent home form whihc has proven Wenger to organis a very tight back line, with the exception of the recent home defeat to Manchester United, for which any team can be forgiven. Is the fact they have been unable to net more than once in thier previous five home fixture, which leads me to consider them vulnerable today against a team who have managed to net three goals in each of their last three games on the road. Villa have shown great form away from Villa Park and can only arrive in London with confidence that they can get on the scoresheet at least once. I have taken the draw as back up to this bet on the correct score market, and in doing so am banking on Arsenal failing top score more than once yet again. ON that basis, even if Arsenal can prevent Villa from getting three goals once again, they are going to be up against it. I believe Arsenal will get one, but think that Villa can run out winners with a single goals deficit, and think 16/1 is simply too big for that outcome

Arsenal v Aston Villa

29/01 16:00

Aston Villa sit just nine points behind Arsenal in the Premier League table and today have the opportunity to knock them out of the FA Cup. certainly if they can continue thier brilliant away form of late they should have every chance, with three consecutive away games producing three goals for the Villans Arsenals back line will be tested in London this afternoon. A quick look at Arsenals Home record shows very little goal action from either end. Prior to the visit of Manchester United who ran out 1-2 winners, Arsenal have kept clean sheets in three of the previous four matches. Can they do the same against Villa? Certainly i would expect both sides to score, but will it be a tight game with a 1-1 scoreline or indeed, will the floodgates open and treat us with an FA Cup classic. On this market the value has tobe with the draw at 4.33, over 3/1 is simply too big for the draw. I dont expect Arsenal to win the game at the first attempt, and they could even be laid, they will have to improve on ust the one goal for themselves and i question if they can do that, Villa at 5/1 is tempting, but i am more enamoured by the 16/1 for a Villa win by 1-2, if they are to progress at the first time of asking, so between the two bets,i would be hoping for some profit

Arsenal v Aston Villa

29/01 16:00

Arsenal have been netting just the single goal at home of late, nothing spectacular, but have been getting results by keeping things tight at the back and keeping clean sheets. Today they face Aston Villa who have been scoring for fun away from home and are unbeaten in a runs of four wins and a draw whilst away from Villa Park. That run has seen them fail to score just once and net three goals in three of the games. I dont think hey will as many opportunities v arsenal today, although they did get three at Stanford Bridge against Chelsea recently. Both sides can score today, and we may even be looking at this game going to a replay with a 2-2 draw

2:20 Ffos Las

29/01 14:20

This first of two licenses to print money today comes with Charlie Manns Hows Business at Ffos Las, later on Hurricane Fly at Leopardstown will be the other. Mann also had Dun See Dee in the race and i was wary in that case, but with the latter now coming out of the race, and despite this only being the favourite second outing over fences, when looking at what he did last time out compared to what the other pair have shown, its simpy a case of if he stands he wins. The price is short enough but on this occasion looks good enough