Racing - Ferdy plumps for Divers as 'Festival best' (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Racing - Ferdy plumps for Divers as 'Festival best'

9:15am Saturday 12th March 2011 in Sport

TOP trainer Ferdy Murphy named Divers in the Centenary Novices Handicap Chase on Tuesday as his best chance of a winner at next week’s Cheltenham Festival when Cartmel Racecourse held its annual Cheltenham preview evening on Thursday.

An enthusiastic capacity audience packed into the racecourse restaruant for the preview, which included visual clues provided by Racing UK as well as erudite comments from the four-man panel.

Murphy, who has a strong hand for next week’s meeting, also offered each-way encouragement for a couple of others in his team, Hollo Ladies and Galant Nuit, although he named Nicky Henderson’s Long Run as his best of the week in Friday’s Gold Cup.

Local trainer Jim Moffatt and jockey Paddy Aspell, who teamed up to win the William Hill Handicap Chase with 33-1 shot Chief Dan George 12 month ago, were both on the panel and optimistic of a bold showing again this year.

“I don’t think it is as strong a race as last year and so even though he has a lot of weight, I am still very confident he will run well again” said Moffatt, who named his Grand National-bound stable star as his best bet of the week.

Aspell was more circumspect about his chances of a repeat win and though he believes Chief Dan George will run well, he named Reve De Sivola as a big threat in Tuesday’s Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap Chase.

Top form expert Marten Julian, from Kendal, who completed the panel, produced a hatful of winners last season and came out strongly for the Donald McCain-trained Peddler’s Cross in Tuesday’s Champion Hurdle.

Bookmakers Chas Kendall provided the latest betting during the evening and laid a charity bet of a Lucky 31 on the best bets offered by the panel and chairman John Sexton.

The horses chosen were: Recession Proof (1.30, Tuesday), Chief Dan George (2.40, Tuesday), Aberdale (1.30, Wednesday), Copper Bleu (4.0, Thursday) and Long Run (3.20, Friday).