Cross Country Chase – Cheltenham 2017 Day Two Tips

Wednesday is all about Douvan. If you have an interest in the sport of horse racing you just need to appreciate his greatness.

Greatness
He’s not a betting proposition and it’s hard to even confidently pick something out that will definitely make the frame behind him, so from a punting point of view it’s probably a race to sit out of altogether and hopefully we’ve found a decent priced horse in the Cross Country Chase later in the card.

Enda Bolger is always a man to take note of in this discipline and he has a few very live contenders in Cantlow, Auvergnat and Quantitativeeasing,

but it’s a horse called Usuel Smurfer that is worth a second look.

Avoid Elliott
I think Gordon Elliott is set for a very good Cheltenham Festival but I couldn’t have Cause Of Causes in this race and Bless The Wings has had a few goes and gone close but will struggle to make the frame this time.

Usuel Smurfer makes appeal at his price of 16/1, which is twice the price of Auvergnat (8/1) despite there being just a length and a half between them at Punchestown last time.

Value
That was a first cross country experience for Alan Fleming’s charge and it was a fairly good effort with Cheltenham possibly likely to suit him even better and certainly that experience to stand to him.

As well as that, Auvergnat will meet Usuel Smurfer off level weights next week having been getting a nice pull at the weights in Punchestown so he just could be a horse that is coming into Wednesday’s meeting at a decent price and under the radar.

Recommended Bet:
Usuel Smurfer each-way (16/1)

*Prices correct at time of publication