Alan Kelly’s Tips
Alan heads to the Cheltenham Festival on Friday for his best bet
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A frustrating end to last week with narrowly beaten seconds at 11/1 (backed into 9/4), 5/2, 11/1 (Nap) and 20/1. Winners at 15/2 (Nap) and 13/2 helped to end the final week before the Cheltenham Festival with a small profit of +£4.90, although things could have been so much better.
- P/L for the week ending Sunday, 8 March: +£4.90
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- P/L for the year 2025: +£22.38
- P/L for the year 2024: +£200.42
- P/L since 1st September 2022: +£570.83
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Alan Kelly's Tips - Cheltenham Festival Day Four
The 2026 Cheltenham Festival reaches its conclusion on Friday afternoon with the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup due to take place at 4:00pm.
Rain is forecast on Thursday evening, which could make the ground genuine good to soft conditions by the time the JCB Triumph Hurdle gets underway at 1:20pm.
2:00pm Cheltenham - Jubilee Alpha (Each-Way) & Sixandahalf (Each-Way)
In a race he has won a record 7 times, most recently with Absurde 12 months ago, Closutton trainer Willie Mullins holds a strong hand once again courtesy of three leading fancies among the maximum field of 24, including last year’s winner. Murcia, winner of Aintree’s Grade 1 Boodles Juvenile Hurdle last season may prove best of the trio, but my two each-way suggestions are SIXANDAHALF (Each-Way), one of two Gavin Cromwell runners, and JUBILEE ALPHA (Each-Way) from the Ditcheat stable of Paul Nicholls.
The former was narrowly beaten by Air Of Entitlement in last year’s Dawn Run after travelling like the winner for most of the race. The mount of talented 3lb claimer Conor Stone-Walsh has yet to produce her best form so far this season but a repeat of last year’s effort would put the daughter Snow Sky bang in the mix off an opening handicap mark of 139.
It has to be said that the Paul Nicholls-trained mare Jubilee Alpha (8th in last year’s Dawn Run) has failed to fulfil her earlier promise and lofty reputation, Harry Cobden’s mount yet to get her head in front in four starts this season. A combination of this drop back in trip on decent ground and in a race sure to be run at a fierce gallop, may well bring out the best in the Flemensfirth mare.
Recommendations: Jubilee Alpha (Each-Way) - 16/1 with bet365 (6 places) & Sixandahalf (Each-Way) - 14/1 with bet365 (6 places)
2:40pm Cheltenham - Spindleberry (Nap)
Winner of this Grade 2 mares’ chase 12 months ago after finishing second in 2024, the JP McManus-owned Dinoblue will be a short price to follow-up in an effort to record her 11th victory over fences. I think Mark Walsh’s mount is worth taking on however with her year younger stablemate SPINDLEBERRY (Nap).
An impressive winner of her first five starts over fences, including when defeating lively Gold Cup outsider Firefox in a Grade 1 at Fairyhouse last April, the mare lost her unbeaten record as a chaser when failing to get the trip on soft ground when pulled-up behind Fact To File in the Irish Gold Cup at the DRF last month.
A bump jumping the second fence at Leopardstown, together with a couple of mistakes, did not help Spindleberry’s cause. Now racing over a more suitable trip on better ground, the daughter of Policy Maker is fancied to get back to winning ways. This is far from a two-horse race however, with Dan Skelton’s Panic Attack and Diva Luna from the Ben Pauling stable best of the home team in receipt of weight from the Willie Mullins pair.
Recommendation: Spindleberry (Nap) - 9/2 with Paddy Power
4:00pm Cheltenham - Gaelic Warrior & Firefox (Each-Way)
Bookmakers are struggling to find a favourite for what looks to be a wide-open Gold Cup, the market headed by three horses who were separated by just half a length in Kempton’s King George V1 Chase on Boxing Day, The Jukebox Man, GAELIC WARRIOR and Jango Baie. Of the three, preference is for Willie Mullins’ impressive Arkle winner of two years ago.
The eight-year-old is versatile trip-wise, and if Paul Townsend can settle his mount better than has been the case on some occasions, this hugely talented son of Maxios looks the one they all have to beat. At a massive price, I think Godon Elliott’s FIREFOX (Each-Way) is more than capable of outrunning his odds and I will have an each-way saver on Jack Kennedy’s mount.
Just over eight lengths behind Gaelic Warrior when fourth in Leopardstown’s Irish Gold Cup at the DRF on his first try over a trip of 3m plus, the Walk In The Park gelding will be better suited by today’s livelier ground and looks overpriced at current odds of 33/1.
Recommendations: Gaelic Warrior - 7/2 with Betfred & Firefox (Each-Way) - 33/1 with William Hill (3 places)
4:40pm Cheltenham - Wonderwall & Wrappedupinmay
There are few better point-to-point trainers than Sam Curling, who rode as a conditional jockey for the likes of Edward O’Grady, Willie Mullins and Nicky Henderson before learning his trade with Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle. Successful with Angels Dawn in the 2023 Kim Muir, the Skehanagh handler won this race 12 months ago with the ex Peter Bowen-trained Wonderwall.
The 10-year-old son of Yeats has clearly been trained with a repeat bid in mind and is fancied to confirm the form with the second and third horses home last year, JP McManus’s Its On The Line and Willitgoahead from the Gordon Elliott stable. The biggest danger to WONDERWALL may in fact come from his stablemate WRAPPEDUPINMAY, and I will back them both.
At the age of 8, the ex Paul Nicholls inmate is one of the least exposed runners in this 24-runner stamina test for amateurs, hardly breaking sweat in winning both of his point-to-points for connections. The mount of Mr D Doyle is an excellent jumper with plenty of early pace, qualities which have proved essential in this race over the years. Top amateur Patrick Mullins takes the ride on Faye Bramley’s Stattler, winner of the National Hunt Chase at the festival four years ago when trained by Willie Mullins, and more than capable of going close at a double-figure price.
Recommendations: Wonderwall - 9/2 with bet365 & Wrappedupinmay - 10/1 with bet365
5:20pm Cheltenham - Andashan (Each-Way)
Plenty of guesswork is needed in an effort to find the winner of the lucky last at the 2026 Cheltenham Festival in which the market is sure to prove a significant guide to the outcome. The betting is currently headed by the JP McManus-owned/ Willie Mullins-trained Kel Histoire, beaten a total of 34 lengths on his two starts this season after finishing 8th in last year’s Turners, beaten 44 lengths.
Whether the mount of talented claimer Michael Kenneally wins or not, the unexposed six-year-old won’t carry any of my money. Of the other four Willie Mullins contenders, preference is for Jump Allen, last seen winning a handicap at Sandown on the final day of last season. In what will be the ‘getting out stakes’ for many following the greatest four days of national hunt action in the world, I would rather look for something at a decent price with form in the book, the horse in question being ANDASHAN (Each-Way) from the Chris Gordon stable.
Dylan Johnston’s mount opened his account over hurdles when winning a Kempton maiden 13 months ago, beating a horse, Absolutely Doyen, by 18 lengths and who has since gone on to land a five-timer this season. No match for the classy Kabral Du Mathan when runner-up to Dan Skelton’s Stayers’ Hurdle contender in a handicap at Haydock in November, after which Andashan went on to record a comfortable victory at Newbury. The each-way selection is more exposed than many of his rivals but is guaranteed to run his race and is worth chancing at the 20/1 currently available with Coral.
Recommendation: Andashan (Each-Way) - 20/1 with Coral (5 places)
* Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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About Alan Kelly
A passionate follower of horse racing for over 50 years, Alan has enjoyed a 40-year career in the betting industry, 28 of which he spent running his betting shop as an owner/manager.
A successful punter with a keen eye for value, Alan has had many betting highlights, including a Scoop 6 win and has shown a consistent profit in the battle with bookmakers since joining Freebets.com in 2008.
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