11th Mar 2015 | Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham Tips: Pearl Swan
Smart hurdler as a 4-year-old but barely made it to a racecourse since. Trained by Paul Nicholls it is unlikely he’s here to make up the numbers.
If you are looking to get out of jail at the end of the Festival a trappy handicap hurdle doesn’t make life easy but there are riches on offer if you can find the winner.
Pearl Swan could be absolutely thrown in off a mark of 138 for the Martin Pipe Hurdle (4.40 Fri) assuming he hasn’t completely lost the plot.
Early in his career he was touted as a possible Champion Hurdle horse and had strong form to his name. During his 4-year-old season, he lost a Grade 2 in the stewards’ room and was well fancied before falling in the Triumph Hurdle.
We’ve not seen much of him since, he’s had a breathing operation but not much action, starting only one race in the last two years.
Paul Nicholls is a master at fixing broken horses and he doesn’t run them at Cheltenham just for fun.
Jack Sherwood takes the ride and has a 29% strike rate (8-28) for Nicholls with a £30 level stakes profit.
There is a chance Pearl Swan blows up and finishes last but if he retains any of his old ability he could go very close at 25/1 (Bet365) with 1/4 odds for a top-5 finish.
Extra Place Race - Bet365
Bet365 are paying 1/4 odds for a top-5 finish.
Best Odds Guaranteed – Bet365
Back Pearl Swan with Bet365 as they are best price and offer Best Odds Guaranteed. If the starting price (SP) is bigger than the current price, you get paid at the bigger SP.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 18:36 11th Mar, 2015 but subject to change
