Hi all,
The eyes of the jump’s world will be on Cheltenham on Saturday for Festival Trials Day which sees the last day’s racing here until March. The dry spell of weather means the going at Cheltenham is being officially described as good.
The Grade 2 Paddy Power Cotswold Chase (2.30) is the most valuable race with £120,000 in guaranteed prize money. Ante post favourite for the Cotswold Chase is Chantry House who’s on a retrieval mission after pulling up, when returned the 3/1 favourite, in the Grade 1 King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
There are also two other Grade 2 races on the card, including the Cleeve Hurdle (3.05). There are just five runners but they include Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle Winner Champ, who bids to enhance his Stayers Hurdle claims, and former Stayers Hurdle winner Paisley Park.
Good ground at Doncaster means small fields are the order of the day for the three graded races on the card. Although the feature race the £100,000 Sky Bet Handicap Chase (3.20) has attracted an excellent field of seventeen runners.
Some rain is being forecast for both tracks but I doubt it will make much difference to the going at either Cheltenham or Doncaster.
ITV are broadcasting four races live from Cheltenham and three from Doncaster as part of a seven-race programme this afternoon.
As ever I’m concentrating today’s preview on those races which have selections. Beginning with Trials Day at Cheltenham.
Cheltenham
12:15 – SSS Super Alloys Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) – 2m
Lively Citizen won over C&D in December taking his course form figures to 212. He’s up 5lb for his latest win which makes life tougher but his course record means the 7-year-old needs respecting.
Byzantine Empire made it 3 wins from his last 4 starts over hurdles when beating 13 rivals at Doncaster (good to soft) last month. Up 7lb for that success but the 5-year-old could be capable of better and is big contender on ground that suits.
Cormier had looked capable of going well in handicap hurdles like this when a 6 ½ length 4th of 12 in Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las in October. He was stilling going well enough when making a bad mistake at the 5th when 15th of 19 in the valuable Greatwood Handicap Hurdle here in November.
Kihavah got off the mark at the 5th attempt over hurdles with a comfortable success at Newcastle (good to soft) 11-days ago. He’s been raised 12lb for his latest win but like Byzantine Empire is another who looks capable of better.
1:55 – Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase (Grade 3) – 2m 4 ½ f
Eleven are set to go to post for this handicap chase.
You must go back to October 2018 for Spiritofthegames last win. However, the 10-year-old has run plenty of good races in the meantime and five best RPR’s have come at Cheltenham, including a when a 3 ¼ length 2nd of 16 to one of today’s rivals Coole Cody in last season’s Paddy Power Handicap Chase over C&D in November 2020. He’s now 11lb lower and Jack Andrews takes off a handy 5lb.
Farinet looks capable of further progress over fences and was a good winner at Sandown three weeks ago. It was soft ground last time though and he may be better on softer ground than likely today.
Galahad Quest looked set for a good season when 3rd of 10 to Good Boy Bobby at Wetherby on his seasonal return and when a 5 ½ length 5th of 19 to Midnight Shadow in this season’s Paddy power Handicap Chase over C&D in November. However, he’s subsequently fallen at Aintree and his jumping could have been better when only a 14 ¾ lengths 6th of 16 here On New Year’s Day. Has been stopped 2lb for his latest effort and better run can be expected from the 6-year-old.
Magic Saint was 3 lengths and two places in front of Galahad Quest here last time. He’s dropped down to a winnable handicap mark and although this is probably as far as he wasn’t to go distance wise the better ground is a definite plus for the 8-year-old.
Jacamar got off the mark at the 4th attempt over fences when winning at Kempton over Christmas. The first time cheekpieces he wore last time are retained. Only up 3lb for his Kempton win and a mark of 133 looks workable. His jumping will be tested here though and he does need to jump with more fluency than last time.
2:30 – Paddy Power Cotswold Chase (Grade 2) – 3m 1 ½ f
Chantry House is on a retrieval mission after pulling up, when returned the 3/1 favourite, in the Grade 1 King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day. A Grade 1 winning novice chase winner at both the Cheltenham & Aintree Festivals. The first time cheekpieces are applied today. He surely wins this if he stays 3m 1 ½ f and if back to his best novice form of last season.
The favourite just five rivals and the best of them loo to be Santini and Aye Right.
Santini won this in 2020 when trained by Nicky Henderson and was then a neck 2nd of 12 to Al Boum Photo in that season’s Gold Cup. Ran well for a long way on his first start for Polly Gundry when 4th of 9, under top-weight off 11-12 here In December.
Aye Right has got course form around here when a 7 ¾ length 3rd of 16 in the Ultima Handicap Chase here in March. The 9-year-old posted a career best when winning the Rehearsal Chase (Handicap) at Newcastle 63-days ago. Runner-up Good Boy Bobby has since boosted that form when winning the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby over Christmas. Aye Right is just 1lb behind Chantry House on official ratings and fully deserves his place in the line-up.
Doncaster
3:20 – Sky Bet Handicap Chase (Listed Race) – 3m
Given the drying ground the sponsors will be pleased that 17 are set to meet the starter. Plenty in with a chance as you would expect.
Nicky Henderson saddled the winner of the race in 2020 and he has a couple of big contenders in the same ownership inFusil Raffles & Janika.
Fusil Raffles was a lucky winner of the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby two starts back but followed up with an excellent effort when a 4 ¾ length 4th of 13 to Coole Cody in the Racing Post Gold Cup at Cheltenham on handicap debut last month. Look to have a favourites chance here.
Janika wasn’t subjected to a hard race when 7th of 16 at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. The handicapper has dropped him 5lb since that effort and the 9-year-old is down to what looks a good mark. Stamina for 3m taken on trust but he shapes like it could suit.
Demachine didn’t get further than the first at Ludlow last time. However, he was a progressive novice handicap chaser last season and must be respected on his 5th of 21 in the Ladbroke Trophy at Newbury on his seasonal return.
Cap Du Nord was a 3 ¾ length 3rd of 11 in this race last season and can race off 10lb lower this time around. Poor run at Kempton last month to overcome. However, the better ground should suit the 9-year-old more and he’s very much a contender if bouncing back to his best.
Canelo was one place and ten lengths behind Cap Du Nord in this race 12 months ago. He hasn’t been at his best on three starts this season but is respected in the reapplied cheekpieces.
Hurricane Harvey finished 1 length and one place in front of Cap Du Nord in the Badger Beer Trophy at Wincanton in November. Nowhere near that form when a well beaten 5th of 9 at Cheltenham the following month. A winner over C&D last season. He’s only had the 8 starts over fences and could be capable of better if he jumps better than last time.
Top-weight Nuts Well isn’t out of this although the 11-year-old does have stamina to prove on his first start at three miles.
Hill Sixteen failed by a nose top overhaul Snow Leopardess in the Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree two starts back. He never got competitive in the Welsh Grand National last time. If you forgive the 9-year-old his last time out performance, he’s very much in the mix on his Becher run.
Betting Advice:
Cheltenham
12:15 – 1pt win – Cormier – 5/1 @ Bet365
1:55 – 1pt win – Spiritofthegames – 12/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes and 1pt win – Jacamar – 8/1 @ Coral & Ladbrokes
2:30 – 1pt win – Aye Right – 11/2 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook and 0.5pts win Santini – 14/1 @ Paddy Power & Betfair Sportsbook
Doncaster
3:20 – 1pt win – Cap Du Nord – 13/2 @ Bet365 and 0.5pts each way – Hill Sixteen – 22/1 (paying 5 places 1/5 odds) or 20/1 @ Sky Bet (paying six places)
Cheers
John