Key Points
- My Mate Mozzie is a Graded horse running in a Handicap!
- This horse will relish the big field, and thrive on the strong pace it generates
- The drying ground conditions will suit My Mate Mozzie perfectly - he loves good ground
For Day 2 of the Cheltenham Festival, I strongly fancy a Gavin Cromwell-trained runner in the Grand Annual. Poor Gavin hit the woodwork repeatedly on Day 1 with Only By Night finishing second in the Arkle, Malinas Girl finishing third in the Ultima, Robbies Rock finishing second in the Fred Winter and then Now Is The Hour looked set for at least a place when falling at the last. If nothing else, it tells you he has his horses in top form! Hopefully Gavin has saved his luck for my selection today, and in this article, I’ll tell you why I fancy his Grand Annual runner.
This is now my sixth article for betting.co.uk and two of my existing ones are still worth checking out if you haven’t already. One of them discusses my selection for today’s Coral Cup, and there’s also an article with betting tips for a Lucky 15 across the meeting. For the latter, there’s plenty of value in the odds so you could easily use the remaining three for a Trixie, or play them as singles. And on that note, be sure to check out my selection for the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Meanwhile, the show goes on, and I’ll be bringing you more tips for the rest of the week.
Betting advice
- Day 2 - Grand Annual (16:40 Wednesday) -
My Mate Mozzie
@ 13/2 (5 places) -
1pt Each Way
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My Mate Mozzie will be on the bridle turning in
I love the chances of My Mate Mozzie in the Grand Annual and I feel he is an excellent each way bet with five places on offer. As they say, you cannot keep a good man down and there aren’t many better men at preparing horses for a Handicap than Gavin Cromwell. He had runners in three handicaps yesterday, a third, a second and a faller that looked sure to be in the mix at the line. So whilst he hasn’t had the rub of the green to see him land a winner yet, he’s down but not out. I think My Mate Mozzie could be the one to return him to winning ways today and bag us some profit in the process!
A Graded horse in a Handicap
My Mate Mozzie is one of the classier horses in the Grand Annual lineup, sitting third in the ratings at 151. During his Novice Hurdle days, he won a Grade 3 by 10 lengths and was a short head away from recording a Grade 1 victory when just denied by Statuaire. In December 2023, he was second to Found A Fifty in the Grade 1 Novice Chase at Leopardstown. He raced off level weights with Found A Fifty that day and was only beaten 1.5 lengths. Found A Fifty is now rated 162 over fences, so that form reads very well.
His next effort in Graded company came in the Galway Hurdle, where he only found Nurburging and Ndaawi too strong and there is no shame in that, especially giving them 6lb and 13lb respectively. They actually thought so highly of My Mate Mozzie last season that they decided to run him in the Grade 1 Arkle rather than this Handicap race, but sadly the weather/ground went against him and he could only finish sixth. I think he is well up to a Graded level when he gets his ideal conditions, so he’ll be very dangerous in Handicap company here. Ironically, with the way the Arkle set up for Jango Baie yesterday, I bet Gavin Cromwell wished that renewal was last year.
The fast pace in a Grand Annual will be perfect from him
With a maximum field of 20 runners for this year’s Grand Annual, there should be a strong pace on. Especially with Western Zephyr in the field, as he is an out and out front runner. As My Mate Mozzie is a 98 rated Flat horse, he’ll have absolutely no issue with travelling through a strongly run race. In fact, he has actually gained a bit of a reputation for how strongly he travels on the bridle. Some of you may remember him over this course and distance back in October 2023 in a Novice Chase, where he cruised between the opposition to lead after the last, hitting 33mph on the bridle and cantering to victory without Keith Donoghue even moving a muscle!
Speaking of which, course experience and his run in the Arkle will stand him in good stead, and knowing that he’ll handle the track is another plus point, naturally. I expect My Mate Mozzie to be held up deep in the field, travel through the race strongly, passing rivals as the race develops, and he’ll likely still be on the bridle turning for home. What is left in front of him as they reach the hill, and how much he finds off the bridle will determine where he finishes. However, I really struggle to see him out of the places at least. You may recall the ride Paul Townend gave Absurde to win the County Hurdle last year - A mirror image of that would be the ideal today!
Bring on the dry and breezy weather - He loves good ground!
As we saw last year in the Arkle, My Mate Mozzie performs at his best on decent ground, as it allows him to show off his exceptional speed. Judged on RPR, his top eight performances have come on ground varying from Good to Good to Soft/Yielding. Whilst he can run respectably on softer ground, he simply isn’t able to show his best. The ground on Day 1 looked pretty perfect for him and it may dry out further heading into Day 2.
On his latest run, My Mate Mozzie was returning from a break of 125 days, but cruised into the Dublin Racing Festival’s Ryanair Handicap Chase incredibly smoothly, until his effort petered out in the home straight. Considering he was returning from a lengthy break and connections most likely had today’s race in mind, I’m sure he wasn’t fully tuned up and will come on for that. However, just seeing how well he cruised in the race and the fact he produced the third best RPR of his career (149) suggests he is in rude health. It also gives me plenty of hope that he still has scope in his Handicap mark, despite being at the top end of the weights.
Is it a bird, is it a plane, no it’s My Mate Mozzie on the bridle!
In summary, I think My Mate Mozzie has a massive chance in the Grand Annual. In these Handicaps, the stars really do need to align for you as they are exceptionally competitive. That’s exactly what seems to be happening for My Mate Mozzie this year. His trainer is in great form, he should get the perfect race set up tactically, he is getting his ideal weather/ground conditions and ultimately, I feel he is a Graded horse in a Handicap here. When you combine all of that with the fact that he is coming here in fantastic form, he must have an outstanding chance today.
You do need luck in-running with these Handicaps, especially so for hold-up horses. But if Keith Donoghue can nurse him during the race and guide him through the gaps, I cannot see anything in this race that’s likely to travel as well as My Mate Mozzie. I’m sure he’ll be running into the places late on, and with a bit of luck and grit, I think he can get up to win.
Looking at Libberty Hunter taking his chance in the Queen Mother Champion Chase off the same mark as My Mate Mozzie, and Marine Nationale sitting second favourite off just 8lb higher, I don’t think My Mate Mozzie would have looked out of place in that field. So hopefully he’ll be too strong for this Handicap company and give his rivals weight and a beating!
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