AUTHOR: Star Sports Content
STAR RACING PREVIEW: Cheltenham Festival Friday
Firstly, thanks to everyone who has read the previews this week, writes WILLIAM KEDJANYI.
Hopefully they have been informative even if we have been on the end of a couple of bad beats, and fingers crossed we can finish with a winner on Gold Cup day!
⭐ CLICK HERE FOR DAVY RUSSELL’S FEATURE RACE PREVIEWS ⭐
⭐ CLICK HERE FOR PDF STATS GUIDE WITH HARRY SKELTON AND DAVY RUSSELL ⭐
⭐ CLICK HERE FOR HARRY SKELTON’S STABLE TOUR ⭐
⭐ CLICK HERE FOR HARRY SKELTON: SIX HORSES THAT MADE ME ⭐
1:20 – JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo) 2m1f (2m179y)
18 runners, 11 of them trained by Willie Mullins, although they will all do well to beat the top two in the market here.
East India Dock’s wide margin Grade 2 success on Trials Day – following on from his romp here in November – makes him the outstanding form candidate and he will take all the beating but the vote here is for the potential of Lulamba, who had tons more in hand when beating Mondo Man at Ascot on his British debut, conceding 10lbs to Gary Moore’s charge.
Mondo Man has let that form down since when beaten at odds on in the Adonis but even the most uncharitable reading of that form marks Lulamba, who had been ante-post favourite before his Ascot debut, as a serious talent here and there’s no doubt there’s more to come here and he gets the marginal vote between the top two in what will hopefully be a belting contest.
Leading Irish raider Hello Neighbour had more in hand than the winning margin suggested over Lady Vega Allen (third), Willy De Houelle (fourth) and Sainte Lucie (eighth) but that form has taken a couple of knocks this week with Galileo Dame disappointing in the Dawn Run yesterday and Sony Bill unable to make an impression in the Fred Winter and he will need to step up here to match the front two.
Mullins runs 11 here, with Blue Lemons (gave a comfortable beating to the useful Kool One, who was running big race when unseating in the Fred Winter on Tuesday) the most interesting of them. Both he and Charlus (had Kool One 2&3/4 lengths behind when making winning debut will step forward from their debuts but have a lot to find on the bare figures.
It’s a big sign of faith in Too Bossy For Us (Harry Cobden), Pappano (Sean Flanagan), and Poniros (Jonjo O’Neill Jr) that they make their debuts here but they can only be watched and it’s the same with Larzac (Mark Walsh), who has reportedly impressed.
Gibbs Island is deserving of respect – he was a smooth winner at Haydock when he had a subsequent winner behind and could step forward yet again, although like so many in this field, he will need to.
2:00 – William Hill County Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+)2m1f (2m179y)
‘Just’ 16 runners here but it looks a high-class renewal and last year’s winner Absurde makes the most appeal to repeat his extremely cosy victory in this last year. He’s 8lbs higher now but had much more than the winning margin of a length suggested (albeit winning off a slow pace, which suited his turn of foot as a top-class flat handicapper). A creditable fifth in the Melbourne Cup when he was unlucky not to be closer, this looks to have been the target since, and no contender here will be suited more by the decent surface.
All of Kargese, Lark In The Mornin, McLaurey, Valgrand, Hansard, Daddy Long Legs, Nadawwi and Pinot Gris had very plausible claims on paper with Kargese perhaps the best treated of them although the market has responded by making her favourite.
2:40 – Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (Registered As The Liberthine Mares’ Chase) (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+)2m4½f (2m4f127y)
Not a race that made huge betting appeal, with little between Dinoblue and Allegorie De Vassy based on their duel in the Opera Hat at Naas whilst a return to form for Brides Hill or last year’s winner Limerick Lace would give them every chance. This ground may tip things in favour of Dinoblue and Brides Hill (if back to form) but none made appeal at their prices.
3:20 – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered As The Spa Novices’ Hurdle) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) 3m (2m7f213y)
A renewal that is filled with promising horses and the two against the field who make seriously strong appeal are Wendigo and Wingmen, from both sides of the Irish sea.
Wendigo couldn’t get The New Lion off the bridle at Newbury in the Challow but he was best of the rest, taking second on the line, and has shaped as if he will relish a step up in trip here. He handles a sound surface and has seen the form of the Challow boosted since, and has a good body of experience thanks to his pointing and bumper career, and he is one of the form standouts.
Wingmen has finished 11 lengths behind The Yellow Clay and 12 behind Final Demand on his last two starts, on both occasions shaping as if this test would suit him down to the ground. The performances of those horses gives credit to Wingmen and it’s maybe also a vote of confidence that he is sent here for Bective Stud, who nearly won the Turners’ Novices’ Hurdle with The Yellow Clay. All being well, he will be in the shakeup.
Of the others, Derryhassen Paddy promises to improve a lot for this test of stamina after getting up at Windsor. The Big Westerner has impressed in her three starts, beating Argento Boy (also runs here, has since won impressively at Punchestown) on her hurdling debut before winning a Grade 2 novice hurdle at Limerick in great style. She’s a rightful favourite although the history of this race suggests that she may be slghtly short on experience.
Jet Blue looks to be a big player here – he was a high class bumper horse in France who relished the step upto 3 when taking the Grade 2 Bristol Novices’ Hurdle over course and distance on his British debut. He’s got plenty going for him and is hugely unexposed at the trip.
Jasmin De Vaux, last year’s bumper winner, has disappointed twice since his successful hurdling debut but he appears to stay all day, has only two flights to jump in the last seven furlongs, and could be dangerous here if those factors improve him. Sounds Victorious disappointed at the Dublin Racing Festival but this should suit even if others appeal more. Ballybow (Grade 3 winner in a match last time, but relished the distance), and Flicker of Hope (third in very competitive handicap hurdle at Dublin Racing Festival, maybe went too early) are of interest.
4:00 – Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) 3m2½f (3m2f70y)
All about Galopin Des Champs, who is one clear round from a historic achievement of three Gold Cups. On his form this season – back to back wins in the Savills Chase and Irish Gold Cup for the second season running – he sets an imposing standard here, with Fact To File’s Ryanair win boosting his form (as if he needed it).
Bar Banbridge, he’s beaten all but two of his rivals here beforehand and whilst this ground will be quicker than last year, he handled decent surface the last twice at Leopardstown and is capable of outstaying or outsprinting rivals.
8/15 looks fair enough, although it’s not appealing as a price for a selection here.
Inothewayurthinkin, an impressive winner of the Kim Muir and the Mildmay Novices Chase last season, has taken time to show his best this season but he closed well in the Irish Gold Cup for fourth and promises to be suited by returning to this course and distance. He’s got a big each/way chance on that form although a better round of jumping would help his chances.
The biggest threat to the favourite could be Banbridge, the extraordinarily versatile chaser who relished every yard of 3 miles at Kempton to snatch the King George from Il Est Francais at the line, with The Real Whacker (fourth) and Corbetts Cross (sixth) well behind. At his best on a decent surface, he gets that today and the way he finished the King George suggested he has every chance of thriving for this stamina test here.
Monty’s Star was second to Fact To File in the Brown Advisory here last year and looked to still need the run when fifth behind Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup. Another step forward would be no surprise although there might be a slight question mark over the extra two furlongs here.
Corbetts Cross is an intriguing contender here who will stay all day, although he didn’t jump well when sixth in the King Goerge behind Banbridge and he also didn’t jump well when third in the Betfred Bowl at the backend of last season. He’s got an each/way chance with a good round of jumping and will be at a peak today but could find one too good.
Gentlemansgame hasn’t beaten Galopin Des Champs on his last three clashes, Royale Pagaille wants it softer than this, and Ahoy Senor has disappointed twice this season and has had a wind surgery, which makes him interesting, but of more interest later on in spring.
4:40 – St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase (Class 2) (5yo+)3m2½f (3m2f70y)
Any amount of chances here in a race often more competitive than the betting suggests, although they will all have to go some to beat Angels Dawn, who was running a belter in defence of her Kim Muir title when falling last season (rated 142 at time). She was performing with credit against a future Grade 1 performer there and has since won two points, beating Ryehill by six lengths at Dromhane last time out. Some may worry about the ground but she was running a belter in the Grand National Trial (October 2023) when falling three out on yielding ground and she makes tons of appeal.
It’s On The Line is very talented and was just beaten in this last year, but he was disappointing at Naas behind Rhyehill and is not the easiest ride. With plenty of talent in this race, he’s taken on.
Two horses that stand out from the home side are Shearer and Fairly Famous. Paul Nicholls’ Shearer is unbeaten over regulation fences and has qualified with a quick double in Hunters chases as Ffos Las (2m5f, heavy) and Taunton (2m7f, good to soft). He will be tuned up to perfection to give Olive Nicholls every chance and looks to have a right each/way chance.
So too does Fairly Famous, who got the better of 2023 winner Premier Magic at the Hunter Chase evening last May. Stratford didn’t appear to suit him when beaten there next time and he’s bagged a couple of wins at Horseheath to set him up for a big tilt here, under the top pilot Gina Andrews. A big run would be no surprise at all and he should be on the shortlist.
5:20 – Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-145)2m4½f (2m4f56y)
The last race of the week and one of the best contests going forward, so make sure to watch the replays again and again. Kopeck De Mee has been the week’s talking horse and there’s no doubt he’s well handicapped on his French form, where he easily beat Karam Le Rouge (who had previously beaten the 153-rated Willie Mullins runner Kitzbuhel and, before that, the smart Kawaboomga).
He should go close, but he will be very short and there are others with strong form claims including Wodhooh, who saw out her first try at this trip in style when beating Joyeuse and Take No Chances back in December to make it six out of six over hurdles.
She was given a good ride off an ordinary pace that day but her form cannot be questioned; She beat the eight length Newbury Premier Handicap winner Joyeuse (now rated 138) when she was rated 119 whilst Take No Chances, who has since beaten County Hurdle favourite Kargese and run third in the Mares’ Hurdle, was third. She’s up 11lbs but has earned that and should be seriously involved.
Taponthego, East India Express, and Nurse Susan all have fair claims in a field full of riding and equine talent that should throw up plenty of future winners!
RECOMMENDED BETS
BACK Lulamba to win the 1.20 at Cheltenham 1pt at 11/4 (⭐
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BACK Absurde to win the 2.00 at Cheltenham 2pt win at 9/2 (⭐
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BACK Wendigo to win the 3.20 at Cheltenham 1pt each/way at 9/1 (⭐
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BACK Wingmen to win the 3.20 at Cheltenham 1pt each/way at 10/1 (⭐
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BACK Angels Dawn to win the 4.40 at Cheltenham 2 pt at 11/4 (⭐
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BACK Shearer to win the 4.40 at Cheltenham 1 pt each/way at 15/2 (⭐
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BACK Woodhooh to win the 5.20 at Cheltenham 2 pt at 11/2 (⭐
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PROFIT/LOSS (MAR 2024): -16.56 POINTS
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