66/1 Ramillies could charge to glory
Firstly, this tip is no certainty to win. It’s 66/1!
The horse in question is Ramillies, and the race target is the Hunters Chase at Cheltenham.
Recent form is not good. He has been parading in the odd point to point mainly, but was last seen under rules on Boxing Day where he ran fourth at Down Royal behind current Hunters Chase favourite It’s On The Line.
Ramillies also ran a shocker from the start in the 2024 Cheltenham Hunters Chase where he was beaten by the first fence. That can surely be ignored as there must have been an issue.
So why do I fancy it? This now ten year old was trained by Willie Mullins and showed a lot of ability before being sold to the leading point to point trainer D Christie who paid a lot of money for him. If you watch his races back he goes with enthusiasm and often looks the best horse in terms of travelling well.
Now saying that anyone is holding him back from winning races is controversial, but I can’t help but get a feeling that he isn’t ‘in it to win it’ during recent runs under rules, finishing respectably behind better fancied stablemates.
It’s my belief that he is being targeted at the big two races in the Hunters Chase calendar – the Cheltenham Hunters Chase (the race after Fridays Gold Cup over the same course & distance), and the same race at Aintree. Cheltenham is obviously the focus of these ante-post tips.
Keep an eye on this weekend. He is entered at Thurles over 3m 1f on Sunday. Ramillies should run soon and will probably take in another race before the Festival. A good performance in one and we won’t see 66/1.
He does have pace to lay up with the leaders, and I have him pencilled in the notebook as an out and out stayer, despite runs over the last 12 months being rather underwhelming.
29 Jan 2023 – he was first past the post in a Grade 3 at Naas under Paul Townend, beating subsequent Grade 2 winner TheDevilsCoachman. The list of horses beaten by Ramillies include Grade 3 winner Journey With Me and Aintree Grand National winner Noble Yeats.
At 66/1 he is not guaranteed by any means, but it’s a massive price and I can’t leave him alone. If we get a run, I’ll get excited.
Selection: Ramillies, Hunters Chase, 2025 Cheltenham Festival, 66/1.
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