You always feel you’re at a bit of a crossroads after the Cheltenham Festival and it’s invariably nice to reflect on jump racing’s most important week. 

 

The meeting returned a healthy profit for Ante-Postman followers, although I can’t help but rue what might have been. 

 

I advised 3pts each-way on Oscar Elite at 40-1 in the Ultima and after he jumped the last infront I thought we were staring down the barrel at a 150pts victory for the column.

 

However, such calculations were premature as he was eventually outstayed by Corach Rambler and beaten a head into second by Gericault Roque. 

 

Frodon was perfectly entitled to run but his participation left a slightly sour taste as it meant Oscar Elite was forced to line up from 4lb out of the weights. On the revised terms, he might have won.

 

Queens Brook and Ahoy Senor gave us a good long-term run for our money too, finishing second in the Mares’ Hurdle and Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, but I got it wrong with Song For Someone in the Stayers’ Hurdle. He wasn’t good enough and nor was Teahupoo in the Champion Hurdle, albeit I’m convinced something was amiss with him.

 

The column is +32pts since its inception in November (with 20pts in non-runners factored in) and the form figures of the horses who ran reads 131F32533952P0.

 

There have been plenty of places and I’m confident those results can improve going into the remaining spring festivals and with the imminent return of Flat turf racing.

 

 

Discoveries

1,000 Guineas, Newmarket, May 1

1pt each-way at 16-1 generally

This week is always one of the trickiest for ante-post punting if you’re still in ‘jumps mode’ as the pickings are slim until Aintree and Punchestown markets surface.

 

I’ll admit to not being 100 per cent on the ball with the Flat just yet ahead of the Lincoln on Saturday, and nothing particularly stands out as being overpriced at Doncaster this weekend.

 

Therefore, I’m going to take aim at a Classic as Discoveries looks overpriced at 16-1 for the 1,000 Guineas in five weeks time.

 

I’m not delusional or arrogant enough to garner complete credit for this one as my colleague Paul Kealy made a strong case to me about Discoveries at Newmarket a while back, but she is still the same price and it is time the market corrected itself.

 

Discoveries is among the best-bred fillies in training as a sister to four-time Group 1 winner Alpha Centauri and a half-sister to 2020 Coronation Stakes heroine Alpine Star.

 

It is to her credit that she achieved more as a juvenile than both by virtue of her top-level strike in the Moyglare.

 

You never know how two-year-olds are going to train on heading into their Classic campaign and it’s far from guaranteed that hot favourite Inspiral will kick on this year.

 

Second favourite Tenebrism was an excellent winner of the Cheveley Park on just her second run, but her ability to get home over a mile must be in doubt considering she looks all speed and landed her maiden over 5f.

 

We can assume with confidence that Discoveries, who has been kept to 7f, can improve for a step up to a mile and time to develop into her frame. 

 

Big things await and the only concern is whether trainer Jessica Harrington elects to keep her at home for the Irish 1,000, but there is no reason why Discoveries can’t pitch up in both as there are three weeks between the two.