Ladbrokes top price on Pricewise pick for Paddy Power Gold Cup

Grands Crus, Hunt Ball and Menorah are among the biggest names heading the betting for the Paddy Power Gold Cup, but Pricewise has focused his attention elsewhere and Ladbrokes are offering the best price on Michael Flips.

The superstar of Andy Turnell’s yard can be backed at 20/1 and this seems a fair each-way price, especially given the way his jumping regularly improved over the course of last season.

Meanwhile, For Non Stop’s recent demolition job in the Old Roan Chase, when beating a host of likely contenders for the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March, only boosts Michael Flips’ claims.

Michael Flips twice finished behind For Non Stop last season, but on neither occasion was he truly hammered when clashing off level weights.

However, there is now 16lb separating the pair based on official ratings, which should be enough to allow Michael Flips to switch placings, assuming that he is close to his best on his seasonal reappearance.

In his four racing seasons to date, Michael Flips has never been out of the first three on his first start of a new campaign and has finished second on both occasions since stepping up from hurdles to fences.

Further in his favour is the recent record of his age group in the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

All of the last nine winners have been aged between six and eight and even though Michael Flips is an eight-year-old, he is still open to improvement having competed just eight times over the larger obstacles previously.

Seven of the last 11 winners had also run at Cheltenham in their final race before returning for the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Michael Flips could follow this trend having finished fourth in the Jewson Novices’ Chase at March’s Festival on his last start, a performance he has only been raised 1lb for.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.