Sobot’s Selections: Cheltenham - Day Three ....

THE vibes are right for Vautour who can take today’s JLT Novices’ Chase (1.30pm) for dream team Rich Ricci, Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh on day three of the Cheltenham Festival.
DREAM TEAM: Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins, right.DREAM TEAM: Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins, right.
DREAM TEAM: Ruby Walsh and Willie Mullins, right.

Ptit Zig sets the standard on the figures with a rating of 159 and the initial thought was that the Paul Nicholls six-year-old was the horse to beat.

Ptit Zig fell in the Betfair Ascot Chase last time but had previously rattled off four consecutive novice chase wins and he is clearly a force to be reckoned with.

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He looks a decent price at 7-2 but all the vibes are that we are about to see an improved showing from 2-1 favourite Vautour.

The world looked Vautour’s oyster when he bolted up in last year’s Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ and, in fairness, he has only been beaten once since being switched to fences.

It is the fact that defeat came when he was 1-4 favourite on Boxing Day when beaten 17 lengths by Clarcam that is rather off-putting.

However, Vautour clearly comes alive at Cheltenham and both owner Ricci and jockey Walsh are making bullish noises, with the six-year-old said to be working the house down ahead of today’s opener.

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Ricci said: “He worked really well last Saturday at Leopardstown. He’s a hell of a horse, you saw what he did last year and I’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t win.”

Walsh added: “I love him and I think he’s a Gold Cup horse for the future. The JLT trip should suit him down to the ground and I think he’ll win.”

That will do for me and if Nicholls is to miss out with Ptit Zig then perhaps Saphir Du Rheu can bag him today’s feature, the Ladbrokes World Hurdle (3.20pm).

Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies reportedly rates Saphir Du Rheu as a potential future Gold Cup winner so there can be no doubting his class and the six-year-old has the highest rating in the field. Whisper could also run well at 10-1 for Nicky Henderson, who says his seven-year-old has recently started to bloom.

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There’s also a strong word for Don Cossack in today’s Ryanair Chase (2.40pm) with the eight-year-old bidding to win the race for his owner and race sponsor Michael O’Leary. Call The Cops has to be the selection at 7-1 for the Pertemps Network Final (2.05pm) given the visual impression created by his recent Doncaster romp while Buywise looks progressive enough to take the 4pm race at 10s.

That just leaves the wide open Kim Muir finale (4.40pm) in which the progressive Gold Bullet leaps off the page for Irish trainer Tom Taaffe at 10s.

SOBOT’S DAY THREE TIPS

1.30: Vautour – Connections bullish about his chance

2.05: Call The Cops very impressive at Doncaster last month

2.40: Don Cossack represents race sponsor Michael O’Leary

3.20: Saphir Du Rheu – top rated and highly-regarded

4.00: Buywise – Paddy Power-fifth has more to offer

4.40: Gold Bullet – progressive raider from Ireland