Racing: Mighty's price might fall

WITH the King George result in the form book and many of the major pre-Cheltenham hurdles settled, this is a good time to scour the ante-post lists for value in the Festival's feature races.

Mighty Mogul confirmed his position at the head of the Champion Hurdle betting with an impressive display at Kempton on Monday. With just one prep race planned between now and March, his price is likely to contract from the present 7-2.

He makes much more appeal than Halkopous, who is second favourite at 6-1 on the strength of a comfortable defeat of the disappointing Granville Again at Cheltenham earlier this month.

One clairvoyant Bristol punter clearly believes that he has found the answer. He reportedly placed pounds 1,000 each-way at 100-1 with Ladbrokes yesterday on the Jim Old-trained Mole Board, who has not run since the 1990-1991 season.

The world's largest bookmakers were quick to cut his odds to 50-1, but Old was unimpressed, saying: 'It's a load of rubbish. I know someone who had pounds 10 each-way on the horse last week because he rang me up and told me. But I would disregard this totally, it must be a wind up.'

The Gold Cup has a warmer favourite in King George winner The Fellow, who is a best-priced 9-4. At the age of seven he is still improving, but Martin Pipe's Chatam makes considerably more appeal.

Just behind The Fellow when the pair were third and fourth in the Hennessy, he will be 9lb worse off in the Gold Cup, but was in need of the race that day. He is clearly over-priced at the 33-1 offered by Coral.

Jodami, runner-up in the Hennessy, needs to improve by at least a stone to trouble the market leaders, yet is as low as 8-1 with Ladbrokes. He attempts to justify that position in the Mandarin Chase at Newbury on Saturday.

------------------------------------------------------------------------ GOLD CUP: Cheltenham, 18 March - latest odds ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Horse & trainer Coral Hills L'broke Tote The Fellow F Doumen (Fr) 7-4 2-1 9-4 9-4 Run For Free M Pipe 7-1 7-1 5-1 8-1 Jodami P Beaumont 12-1 14-1 8-1 14-1 Rushing Wild M Pipe 14-1 16-1 12-1 20-1 Kings Fountain K Bailey 14-1 16-1 14-1 14-1 Chatam M Pipe 33-1 20-1 16-1 20-1 Miinnehoma M Pipe 14-1 14-1 20-1 14-1 Pat's Jester R Allan 16-1 20-1 25-1 16-1 Blazing Walker P Cheesbrough 14-1 14-1 20-1 16-1 Cahervillahow M Morris (Irl) 25-1 20-1 20-1 25-1 Bradbury Star J Gifford 25-1 20-1 20-1 25-1 Garrison Savannah Mrs J Pitman 20-1 20-1 25-1 25-1 Tipping Tim N Twiston-Davies 16-1 25-1 33-1 25-1 Docklands Express K Bailey 20-1 33-1 33-1 25-1 Cool Ground G Balding 20-1 25-1 33-1 25-1 Mutare N Henderson 33-1 33-1 25-1 33-1 Carrick Hill Lad G Richards 25-1 33-1 20-1 33-1 Captain Dibble N Twiston-Davies 33-1 25-1 33-1 33-1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Not all of the above horses are certain to run. Punters should be aware that stakes would be lost on ante-post bets if their selections failed to participate for any reason. The lists for the Gold Cup and the Champion Hurdle are not complete, and prices on other entries may be available on application.

----------------------------------------------------------------- CHAMPION HURDLE: Cheltenham, 16 March - latest odds ----------------------------------------------------------------- Horse & trainer Coral Hills L'broke Tote Mighty Mogul D Nicholson 7-2 3-1 3-1 5-2 Halkopous M Tompkins 9-2 6-1 4-1 9-2 Royal Gait J Fanshawe 11-2 6-1 8-1 6-1 Vintage Crop D Weld (Irl) 10-1 7-1 10-1 10-1 Granville Again M Pipe 10-1 14-1 12-1 10-1 Morley Street G Balding 12-1 8-1 12-1 12-1 Staunch Friend M Tompkins 12-1 10-1 12-1 14-1 Flown N Henderson 16-1 16-1 12-1 14-1 Destriero N Furlong (Irl) 10-1 10-1 16-1 12-1 Gran Alba R Hannon 20-1 25-1 20-1 25-1 Oh So Risky D Elsworth 16-1 16-1 25-1 16-1 Muse D Elsworth 25-1 33-1 25-1 33-1 Ruling R Johnson Houghton 25-1 20-1 25-1 25-1 Coulton M W Easterby 20-1 25-1 25-1 33-1 Current Express N Henderson 40-1 33-1 33-1 40-1 Crowded House B Kelly (Irl) 33-1 40-1 40-1 33-1 Sanndila P Flynn (Irl) 50-1 40-1 33-1 40-1 Satin Lover N Tinkler 50-1 33-1 40-1 40-1 Al Mutahm J Old -- 33-1 40-1 33-1 Duke Of Monmouth S Sherwood 33-1 40-1 40-1 40-1 Mole Board J Old -- 50-1 50-1 50-1 Spinning I Balding 33-1 40-1 33-1 33-1 Baydon Star D Nicholson 33-1 33-1 -- -- -----------------------------------------------------------------