Horsebetting.com experts give their Ballymore Trial betting tips for the 2m 5f novices’ hurdle contest that gets proceedings underway on a cracking card at Cheltenham on Friday, 26 October. Irish raider Canardier boasts some solid form, so looks worth a wager to land the spoils under Barry Geraghty. Go Another One, who is also trained in the Emerald Isle, has a progressive profile and is feared most. The locally trained Grageelagh Girl, meanwhile, looks the each-way value in a competitive eight-runner affair. Read our in-depth 2018 Ballymore Trial betting tips preview for more details on these horses’ chances one day one of The Showcase meeting at Prestbury Park.Canardier the value Ballymore betIrish raider Canardier looks decent value to land the 2m 5f Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle that gets proceedings underway on day one of The Showcase meeting at Cheltenham on Friday (14:00). This Dermot McLoughlin six-year-old is an improving sort who has his ideal underfoot conditions and boasts some strong form to his name.
After winning his sole start in a bumper when beating the useful It’s All Guesswork by three-quarters of a length in an 18-runner affair at Punchestown, the son of Crillon shaped with stacks of promise in his first two starts over obstacles. In the first of those, he kept on nicely to finish a five-length third of 16 to Jetz at Fairyhouse.
The winner went on to chase home the hugely exciting Samcro in a Grade 2 at Navan and be beaten just a head by Tower Bridge in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown to end the season on an official rating of 142. That gives the form a very strong look in relation to this contest, especially as Canardier was attempting to give Jetz 8lb.
He then ran far better than the 26 lengths he was beaten when fifth of 14 to the very smart Paloma Blue at Leopardstown, getting badly hampered and nearly brought down when attempting to mount a challenge on the inside turning for home with two to jump. Canardier easily opened his account over hurdles next time up when landing a 20-runner contest at Down Royal by 6 1/2 lengths.
Since then he’s posted three decent efforts in defeat, most notably last time out when a staying on 3 1/2 lengths third of 10 to Woodland Opera at Down Royal where he split two rivals that were rated 142 and 150 going into the contest. That was his first start under Barry Geraghty, who is once again in the saddle and will have learnt plenty about him.
Canardier is clearly going the right way and looks the type who should have even more to offer this season. His profile and form is rock solid, so he therefore had to feature as the main selection in our 2018 Ballymore Trial betting tips.Progressive Go Another One feared mostGo Another One, who is also trained in Ireland, has a progressive profile and rates the main danger to Canardier. This six-year-old hails from the yard of John McConnell and comes into the race in terrific form, having won three of his last five starts and finishing runner-up on the two other occasions.
After making all and strolling to a facile 28 lengths success on his penultimate outing at Stratford, the son of Stowaway could not have been more impressive when making a winning handicap debut in an eight-runner affair at Kelso where he beat Forever Field by four lengths.
Under a confident, stalking ride from Sean Bowen, Go Another One tracked the leaders in third going ominously well as they approached the omitted last flight. When then asked to go about his business, he quickened well to instantly put the race to bed and score with far more in hand than the winning margin suggests.
Go Another One made a totally mockery of his mark of 129 and, having been raised 8lb to 137, it makes him the joint highest rated in the line-up. He does, however, have to give 3lb to Canardier who himself is rated 134. It makes them matched on adjusted ratings and we may still not have seen the best of Go Another One.
The gelding is also three from three under Bowen, who is once again in the saddle, and boasts a terrific strike rate of 42 per cent on the forecast ground. He looks sure to make a bold bid to land the hat-trick, but his form does not looks as strong as Canardier, so he is narrowly passed over in favour of that one.Grageelagh Girl appeals each-way In what is a competitive renewal, Grageelagh Girl is another that cannot be ruled out. The mare, who is trained local to the course by Fergal O’Brien, was a smart bumper performer. After losing a race to Posh Trish in the stewards’ room at Aintree 12 months ago, she then chased home the same rival in a Listed contest here the following month.
The seven-year-old looked the type that had a bright future when sent hurdling, and that view was confirmed when she made a winning debut over the obstacles at Newton Abbot back in June when keeping on strongly to beat Inessa by 3 1/4 lengths.
Grageelagh Girl then registered a facile five-length success at Stratford before getting turned over when sent off the 2/7 favourite and finishing only third of eight at Perth. Her cause that day wasn’t helped by a bad blunder two from home when making a challenge. She then got outpaced before rallying to be beaten 2 3/4 lengths.
Although disappointing on the face of things, it wasn’t too bad an effort given how things transpired. Grageelagh Girl give has since been given a break to freshen-up and undoubtedly has the potential to do better in this sphere.
So, with underfoot conditions ideal, the daughter of Craigsteel looks decent value at the odds on offer and thus features as the each-way punt on our 2018 Ballymore Trial betting tips.Your Next Bet
