Bazza's Champion Bumper Best Bets
Barry Hill gives insight to several contenders for the 'Champion Bumper' at the Cheltenham Festival
Weatherbys Champion Bumper (A Standard Open NH Flat Race) (Grade 1) (GBB Race)
Throughout the years, the Champion Bumper has thrown up some cracking stories, and this year might just add another chapter with Jalon D’oudairies potentially making an appearance. It's a bit left field, considering where we're at in the season, but it's not out of the question. So far, the horse has put a foot wrong, cruising to victory over Redemption Day at Leopardstown, which on paper, looked impressive.
But here's the rub - Redemption Day didn't exactly set the world alight at the Dublin Racing Festival, which has me second-guessing the strength of that Leopardstown win. It's not that I'm saying Jalon D’oudairies isn't a good horse; it's just that the shine from that win is starting to dull a bit as we see more from the others.
I'm on the fence, to be honest. The form from that race is beginning to look a bit iffy, and it's got me wondering if there are some gaps we're not seeing. It's all well and good winning, but when the horses you've beaten start to falter, you've got to question how solid that victory was. So, yeah, I'm a tad hesitant to jump on the bandwagon just yet. It could all come together on the day, but right now, I'm keeping my cards close to my chest.
That Leopardstown race on St Stephen's Day is shaping up to be a bit of a dark horse in the build-up to the Champion Bumper, isn't it? CANTICO finishing third behind Martin Brassil's Goldinthemountains might just be one of those results we look back on as a clue to cracking the Champion Bumper puzzle.
Cantico's an interesting one for sure. It's a head-scratcher why he skipped the Dublin Racing Festival. That no-show could mean he's flying under the radar as we head into the Champion Bumper. Given Willie Mullins' knack for springing surprises, Cantico might well be his secret weapon this year.
And then there's GOLDINTHEMOUNTAINS If he lines up for the Bumper, he could be the sleeper hit of the race. Right now, the odds are more than generous, and with the Non Runner Money Back safety net, it's tempting to have a punt on him. He's shown he's got the goods, and in a race that's as open as this year's, a bit of value like that is hard to ignore. Keep an eye on Goldinthemountains in the market as there is some doubt on his participation in the Champion Bumper.
Usually, by this point in the run-up to the Weatherbys Champion Bumper, you've got one horse everyone's buzzing about, a clear favourite that's got everyone talking. But this year, it's a different kettle of fish altogether. The horse that blew everyone away at the Dublin Racing Festival, Jeroboam Machin, isn't even in the running anymore. That day, he left the others eating his dust, making you wonder if there's any horse from the Irish side of things that can hold a candle to past winners like A Dream To Share or Facile Vega.
Still, if I were a betting man, I'd say the winner's probably going to be Irish, given they've had a stranglehold on the trophy for the last seven years. But, and it's a big but, I wouldn't put it past a British horse sneaking in for a win this time around. Paul Nicholls, for one, looks like he's holding a couple of aces up his sleeve. He's planning to run both Teeshan and Quebecois, and the word on the grapevine is that there's not much to split the two of them. Quebecois, in particular, looks tempting with the bookies offering generous odds, especially since he showed a clean pair of heels to a pretty decent horse at Exeter on his only bumper outing.
Equally impressive, though, was Sixmilebridge, trained by Ben Pauling, over at Sandown. Right now, I don't think there's a trainer on the British circuit with a hotter hand in the young horse department than Pauling. He's chalked up eight bumper winners this season alone, and Sixmilebridge, on his debut, left four previous winners trailing in his wake, attracting a lot of smart money in the process.
Comparing the form from Sandown to what the Irish contingent will bring to Cheltenham is a bit of an apples and oranges situation. But, with Pauling's knack for pulling rabbits out of hats at the Cheltenham Festival, and Sixmilebridge having blitzed a recent workout at Kempton, leaving Shakem Up'Arry - no slouch himself - in his dust, you've got to sit up and take notice. Pauling's been a bit cagey, mentioning some minor hiccups with SIXMILEBRIDGE not being 100% for Sandown, but he's all systems go now, which could mean we've not yet seen the best of him.
Jonjo O'Neill's also got a couple of dark horses that could surprise us. Bill Joyce and MISTER MEGGIT, both unbeaten in bumpers, with the latter looking particularly comfortable winning last Sunday at Doncaster without breaking a sweat. It's tricky gauging how good they might be, but O'Neill's decision to get a run into Mister Meggit before Cheltenham, and the ease of his victory, hint at a horse with a bit more in the tank.
Mister Meggit's win at Carlisle, with several subsequent winners in behind him, and his overall aura, just screams quality. His run at Doncaster was so recent that he might not show at Cheltenham, but with bookies offering your money back if he doesn't run, I'm tempted to throw a few quid his way, along with Sixmilebridge.
As for Willie Mullins' battalion, it's like trying to pick the best chocolate from the box without a guide. Jasmin De Vaux, after romping home at Naas, looks the part but is already short in the betting. Yet, he's not done anything to really stand out from other short-priced Mullins runners in the past. Picking which horse Paul Townend opts for is anybody's guess.
Looking at Mullins' other options, Argento Boy has an interesting pedigree, being a half-brother to Briar Hill, the 2013 winner, which piques the interest. Then there's Cantico, who showed he's got stamina in spades at Navan. He's just one of many in the Mullins camp that looks set to show a lot more than we've seen so far. It's a wide-open race this year, and while the favourites from the Mullins yard are getting all the attention, there could well be a surprise or two in store.
Cheltenham Festival
Champion Bumper Odds
CANTICO - 14/1
MISTER MEGGIT - 16/1
SIXMILEBRIDGE - 20/1