What are the current best-value bets - and worst - for this year's Ryanair Chase?
Best Value:
It's hard to see past the top three or four in the betting and Voy Por Ustedes is an obvious favourite at this stage, but one horse who has the potential to shorten up between now and the Festival is IMPERIAL COMMANDER, and he's worth backing at 10/1 (Ladbrokes).
A most impressive winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup first time out in November, he failed to deliver next time out in the King George (sixth) when his stable were under a cloud. He hasn't run since, but that's not a concern as we know he goes well fresh (unbeaten record) and his trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies is at last showing signs of emerging from his slump with the odd winner in the last week or so.
What I really like about him, though, is the fact that he loves Cheltenham. He's won there four times no less, and it's in his favour that he probably stays a bit further than 2m5f - his breeding suggests he'll stay further than 3m - so I can see him making a bold bid from the front.
Whether he can beat Vor Por Ustedes is another matter, but I reckon he can beat the rest and you should never be afraid of one horse.
Click here to back Imperial Commander.
Worst Value:
Vor Por Ustedes was cracking value at 5/1 at the turn of the year, but I can't get excited about the current best of 7/4. He's a perfectly plausible winner of course, but putting your money down now is a different matter as there are still three weeks to go before the race and anything could happen (and often does with ante post betting). I would much rather wait until nearer the time, when conditions are a known quantity, even if that means backing him at a shorter price. Saying that, I can't see him being much shorter than 6/4 on the day.
With doubts over his participation, Tidal Bay is rank bad value around the 5/1 mark. Even if he does recover from his injury in time, I wouldn't be taking that price as he's been a bit disappointing this season and his jumping has left a lot to be desired at times. Sure, he's going to improve on better ground in the spring, but even so I just can't see him beating a peak-form Vor Por Ustedes or Imperial Commander.
As for Our Vic, I'm a huge fan of the horse and would love to see him bounce back from his abject display in the King George last time when admittedly his trainer David Pipe was out of form. It's not impossible, but he's an 11-year-old now and has been through some tough battles, so I just don't know.
Of the rest, Gwanako and Tamarinbleu had their limitations exposed in the Betfair Chase, while Schindlers Hunt isn't good enough.
