Racing Round-up: Sire De Grugy back to best as Beltor impresses

The final preps looks like they are complete as Cheltenham draws ever nearer, but with just two weeks until that illustrious Festival roar, there was still plenty of opportunity for late market movers last weekend.

And as connections put the finishing touches to their plans, so are we!

You can now get stuck into the antepost market on all 27 races at the Prestbury Park showpiece, with every contest priced up and ready for action.

But first we will reflect on the few days just gone in our latest Racing Round-up podcast…

Sire De Grugy was the most notable market mover of the weekend as Gary Moore’s defending champ proved his well-being at Chepstow.

After his Newbury mishap on his return, saddling 11-10 in a tricky little handicap in trying conditions would certainly be a true acid test of his Festival credentials.

But the chestnut passed the physical exam in flying colours, showing a renewed verve in his jumping and stayed on strongly to run out a 7l victor.

His Champion Chase target now looks well and truly back on track, with the nine-year-old clipped in from 5/1 to 7/2 for the 2m showpiece.

Elsewhere, there was success of sorts for the Ladbrokes News team, as their 50/1 Triumph Hurdle pick Beltor caused those odds to disappear at Kempton.

Despite pulling hard in the early stages of the Adonis Juvenile Hurdle, Robert Stephens’ 3/1 shot travelled into the home-straight with plenty left in his locker.

When pressed by Tom O’Brien, the response was very taking as he went on to score by 5l against a field that included four horses that were either the same price or shorter than him in the Triumph betting.

That is no longer the case, with the son of Authorized originally being cut from 50s into 16/1.

However, such was the market support for the impressive victor, Ladbrokes have been forced into further shortening him into 10/1, and yet the money keeps coming.

Could this horse be a real threat to Peace and Co on the Friday of the Festival?

All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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