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31st Dec 2014 | Cheltenham Festival

Champion Chase Tip: Al Ferof

It’s like watching One Man all over again. Has the speed for two-miles and the top two in the market might not even turn up.

Everyone is looking to the future on New Year’s Eve but for our first Cheltenham Festival tip we need to go back to 1998.

One Man was a much-loved chaser of the mid-90’s, he won the King George twice but Gordon Richards could never make his stamina last the test of the Gold Cup.

Cut back to 2-miles his swan song came in the 1998 Champion Chase, where he ran out a convincing 4 length winner, for an emotional John Hales.

Watching the race, Al Ferof is his spitting image; same colour horse, same silks and another doubtful stayer. Can you spot the difference?

 

After his third place in the King George, Paul Nicholls said he’d love to run him over 2-miles at Cheltenham but he’d have a job convincing his owner John Hales.

Lets hope Nicholls gets his way because the race is wide open.

Sire De Grugy and Sprinter Sacre have health scares to get over and thereafter the field looks quite weak. Last year’s runner-up Somersby was slammed by Al Ferof in the Amlin Chase and that form line gives him the beating of Dodging Bullets.

Al Ferof’s participation in the Champion Chase is not certain, he needs supplementing, but with Skybet going 8/1 and non runner no bet our downside is mitigated.

Odds correct at time of publishing: 08:14 31st Dec, 2014 but subject to change

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