Cheltenham Festival Question

[Charli125]

My boss is British, and he loves his UK horse racing. He's signed us up for a Trainers and Jockeys contest through the Telegraph, and while I have no doubt I'd destroy him at a US racing contest, I'm a bit lost when it comes to the UK.

Basically, I have to pick 3 jockeys and 3 trainers for the upcoming Cheltenham Festival. The rankings total for Jockeys is 23 and Trainers is 33, so I can't just pick the best. Even I know Ruby Walsh is going to have some wins, but then he's ranked #1 so little good that does me.

Below are the rankings, and my picks. If anyone has any thoughts, I'd love to hear them. The first column of numbers is the ranking which has to add up to over 23 or over for Jockeys and 33 or over for Trainers. The second column is their current number of wins at Cheltenham.

Jockeys
I have Richard Johnson, Paddy Brennan, and Jason Maguire.
JockeyRatingCheltenham Wins
Ruby Walsh127http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Tony McCoy223http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Barry Geraghty319http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Robert Thornton415http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Richard Johnson515http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Paul Carberry611http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Timmy Murphy78http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Jason Maguire82http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Davy Russell96http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Paddy Brennan106http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Graham Lee114http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Nina Carberry124http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Andrew Thornton133http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
J T McNamara143http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif


Trainers
I have David Pipe, Alan King, and Nigel Twiston-Davis(that is a fantastic name by the way)
TrainerRatingCheltenham Wins
Paul Nicholls127http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Nicky Henderson237http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Edward O'Grady318http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Jonjo O'Neill417http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Willie Mullins517http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Philip Hobbs613http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Nigel Twiston-Davies713http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Alan King811http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
David Elsworth99http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Ferdy Murphy108http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Howard Johnson117http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Arthur Moore127http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Henrietta Knight137http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Francois Doumen146http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Jessica Harrington156http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Mouse Morris166http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Oliver Sherwood176http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
David Pipe185http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Dessie Hughes195http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Venetia Williams205http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif
Enda Bolger215http://fantasyracing.telegraph.co.uk/images/t/select_btn.gif

[horses4courses]

Cheltenham kicked off at 930am ET today. Will you be picking in-running?
I follow it in a nostalgic fashion - I studied and watched every festival there from 1969 to 1986. When I came back to the US after that, I became out of touch with national hunt racing.
I best leave it to those better informed to mark your card.
I can tell you this, though. There is no better week of racing on this planet than mid-March at Cheltenham. Only Galway comes close in late July.
Enjoy!

[Charli125]

Cheltenham kicked off at 930am ET today. Will you be picking in-running?
I follow it in a nostalgic fashion - I studied and watched every festival there from 1969 to 1986. When I came back to the US after that, I became out of touch with national hunt racing.
I best leave it to those better informed to mark your card.
I can tell you this, though. There is no better week of racing on this planet than mid-March at Cheltenham. Only Galway comes close in late July.
Enjoy!

Yeah, he just found the contest last night so he signed us up and we start as of tomorrow. So, I have to get my picks in tonight.

I was in Dublin for Cheltenham a few years ago and spent it at a local William Hill or something along those lines. I had a fantastic time and I'm looking forward to going to the actual race next year. I actually made a few each-way bets and hit a nice longshot on a horse named American Trilogy or something American. They other guys in the bookie gave me a ton of grief and said I'd only picked that horse because of the name. It reminded me of the back and forth in the simulcast centers here in the States. Awesome time. Every cab driver talked Cheltenham with me whether I was in London or Dublin.

My boss has actually been every year for a long time except for this year.

[horses4courses]

Cheltenham got off to a great start for the Irish today, with 4 winners coming from Irish stables in the opening day's 7 races.
Willie Mullin's trained Hurricane Fly was a winning favorite (2.75 to 1) in the featured Champion Hurdle, and Quevega was a popular slight odds-on winner in the mares' hurdle, winning by 10 lengths.
Brought back memories hearing that Irish roar in the winner's enclosure for Hurricane Run. Excellent stuff!

charli, your picks look great to me - especially the trainers.
I know little about the less famous riders over there anymore, but all the trainers you picked can each get a winner, or two. Such wide open racing, though. Many favorites go off at 6-1, or higher.

One of my favorite trainers in recent years at the meet is Ferdy Murphy.
He has horses in the lesser races - handicaps. Very often gets a winner, or two, at a price. Of course, I did not bet him today when he won the last race with a 10-1 shot. He may put another one over by Friday, though.

Glad to hear you had fun in a Dublin betting shop. I spent more hours in those places in my teens and twenties than I will admit to! Both as a customer and as a shop manager. It was a kick!

Good luck in that contest....and have your boss go double or nothing on the Breeders' Cup this fall!

[Charli125]

Thanks for the input. I'll win the BC bet as long as it's not all Europeans winning! That's the way he picks them. He bets every Euro to win.

[horses4courses]

Thanks for the input. I'll win the BC bet as long as it's not all Europeans winning! That's the way he picks them. He bets every Euro to win.

A bookie's dream customer, eh?
Takes the heart over his head......... ;)

[Scanman]

Cheltenham got off to a great start for the Irish today, with 4 winners coming from Irish stables in the opening day's 7 races.
Even better today winning 6 out of 7, only losing the bumper.

[horses4courses]

Even better today winning 6 out of 7, only losing the bumper.

Funny, that. The bumper is often a race won by the Irish.
Not sure how many times the Mullins family has taken it, but it's a few.

Irish-trained winners in 10 out of 14 races, halfway through the meet.
The best backed favorites went down today, though, so the bookies are ahead after 2 days. Hopefully, the punters do better after today.

After all, St. Patrick's Day is tailor-made for Irish success!

Good luck!

[gm10]

Did anyone see the Gold Cup today?
What an epic!

A great win by the young horse, but also kudos to Denman who ran his heart out in defeat. Great effort by Kauto as well.

[jfdinneen]

gm10,

At the top of the stretch [Cheltenham / Festival 2011 / Race 04 (3:20) (http://www.cheltenham.co.uk/racing/watch_historic_races.html)], with the two old warriors Denman and Kauto Star (former winners 2007, 2008, 2009) ready to do battle to the wire and the young pretender Long Run closing quickly, it merited its long-held reputation for the best steeplechase race in the world...

John

[Charli125]

The prices in that last race were unbelievable. Anyone know what they do when they have a Tri carryover?

[gm10]

gm10,

At the top of the stretch [Cheltenham / Festival 2011 / Race 04 (3:20) (http://www.cheltenham.co.uk/racing/watch_historic_races.html)], with the two old warriors Denman and Kauto Star (former winners 2007, 2008, 2009) ready to do battle to the wire and the young pretender Long Run closing quickly, it merited its long-held reputation for the best steeplechase race in the world...

John

It truly was 'a vintage edition'.

[Humph]

It truly was 'a vintage edition'.

I'll admit it , I was close to having a tear watching the replay of the race , seeing both Denman and Kauto running like that at their time of life. And perhaps the powers that be at Cheltenham are glad that neither won - the roof almost certainly would have come off had one of them come home first And well done to Nicky Henderson . All these years of trying and finally he's won the big one.

Yeah , a vintage renewal.

[horses4courses]

There have been many memorable, and historic, Cheltenham Gold Cups over the years. Yesterday's race is right up there with the best..... :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

Oh btw, Charli, how did you end up in that contest? You beat your boss?

[Charli125]

Oh btw, Charli, how did you end up in that contest? You beat your boss?

Not even close, he destroyed me! It sure was fun to watch though.