Cheltenham Festival Tips: Corach Rambler is backed for the Gold Cup

At The Races tipster Hugh Taylor has two picks for the final day of the Cheltenham Festival, coming in the Gold Cup and Albert Bartlett.

Readin Tommy Wrong (Albert Bartlett – 2.50)

READIN TOMMY WRONG has probably the best form on offer in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Cheltenham 2.50), promises to be suited by the step up to 3m, and should have the race run to suit, so he looks the one to beat.

Having scrambled home in a slowly-run race over 2m on his hurdling debut at Cork in November, he was sent off at 16-1 – the longest price of the Willie Mullins quartet – when stepped up to Grade One company in the Lawlor’s Of Naas Hurdle in January.

However, he was clearly well suited by the step up to 2m4f, ridden much more conservatively than on his hurdling debut and staying on well in the closing stages to narrowly edge out stable mate and hot favourite Ile Atlantique, the pair pulling clear of the remainder.

Ile Atlantique ran about as well as could have been expected when third behind the stable’s star novice Ballyburn in the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle on Wednesday, and fourth-placed Firefox also ran very well when third in the Supreme Novices Hurdle on Tuesday.

Readin Tommy Wrong will be partnered by Paul Townend for the first time and looks the number one contender for the stable that saddled the first five home in the 2m5f Grade One novice event. There looks to be plenty of pace in the race and it’s not hard to envisage Townend pouncing in the closing stages.

Corach Rambler (Gold Cup – 3.30)

CORACH RAMBLER is firmly up against it in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (3.30) according to official ratings, but he’s a decidedly unorthodox horse who is far from easy to pigeonhole in terms of ability, and he makes a bit of each-way appeal in a race that is likely to be run to suit at a track where he’s unbeaten in three starts.

He was one of the easiest winners of the Grand National in living memory last year, sauntering clear after the last before putting his head in the air once he thought he’d done enough, the final winning margin no reflection of his superiority on the day.

He had idled in similar style when winning the Ultima Handicap Chase here the previous month, when he was recording his third win from as many starts at Cheltenham (two on the Old Course, one on the New Course).

He beat Fastorslow despite idling that day, and although that rival probably improved again when twice subsequently beating a below-par Galopin Des Champs, it does highlight that it’s not impossible to bridge the gap between top handicap and Grade One company, and Fastorslow is a much shorter price than Corach Rambler here.

This race promises to be run at a good gallop, especially with Galopin De Champ’s recent return to form coming when ridden more prominently, and Corach Rambler might be staying on in the closing stages when others are flagging.