Cheltenham
1:45
We kick off the day at the home of jump racing, Cheltenham. The first race is for conditional jockeys and the excellent Lorcan Williams is on the favourite for his boss Paul Nicholls. He will ride Samarrive who is unbeaten, and this will be his second run for the champion trainer.
Fergal O’Brien has had an excellent start to the season and he runs three horses in the race. The one I like is Byzantine Empire, who will be ridden by the excellent Lily Pinchin. He won two novice hurdles in June and since then he has had a wind operation. I expect him to go very close and put it up to the Nicholls horse on the run in, who might just lack a bit of race experience.
Selection – Byzantine Empire– 9/1
2:20
The favourite for the Grand National last year, Cloth Cap will make his seasonal reappearance in this race. He was very disappointing at Aintree back in April, but I think Jonjo O’Neill has found a great opportunity for him here today. He is giving a lot of weight away here to the field, but from what I saw last year, I think he will have no problem in doing that today.
The one to watch out for is Definite Plan for Gordan Elliott, who has finished second on his last three runs and he makes his handicap chase debut today. We all know how well-handicapped these Irish horses can be!
Selection – Cloth Cap – 6/1
2:55
Tritonic was quite well-fancied at Cheltenham in March, but he failed to deliver and was well beaten by the excellent Quilixos in the Triumph hurdle. I would be shocked if he didn’t win this race today, and if he is to be a Champion Hurdle contender next March, he should be winning this hard-held.
Stepney Causeway steps up in class today and will need to produce a personal best to beat Tritonic on all known form, which is not out of the question, but I’m sticking with Tritonic.
Selection – Tritonic – Evens
3:30
We have a retuning Cheltenham winner with Sky Pirate in this race. Back in March at the festival, Nick Scholfield gave him an absolute peach of a ride in the Grand Annual. If he is any near his best today, he will win this and then they might think of stepping him up in class.
I do know the Potter Group like the chances of Before Midnight, who will be ridden by Sam Twiston-Davies. I can’t see him getting anywhere near Sky Pirate, if he is at full fitness for today’s race.
Selection – Sky Pirate – 11/4
4:05
Gordan Elliott has sent quite a few runners over to Cheltenham for this two-day meeting and he has Tullybeg who heads the market. He was a good winner at Gowran Park three weeks ago and he will be well-fancied to win this today.
I ike the chances of Panic Attack for David Pipe. He ran a great race at Aintree when last seen in May and was staying on very well at finish. The step up in trip today is sure to suit and at a decent price, I think he could be the one to beat the Irish hot-pot.
Selection – Panic Attack– 15/2
Newbury
2:00
Charlie Appleby continues to be in cracking form and he has the favourite of the Horris Hill Stakes here at Newbury. Noble Truth ran a great race on Arc Day only losing by a length to a well backed French horse. A repeat of that form should see him take this race today with ease.
The unbeaten Light Infantry is currently the second favourite and he has been well-backed all week. The ground at Newbury will be on the heavy side and I’m not sure that will suit him as when he won at Yarmouth it was on the quick-side of good.
Selection – Noble Truth – 11/8
2:35
Again, we have a Charlie Appleby horse at the head of the market. Siskany won a big handicap at Newmarket two weeks ago in fantastic style and he now steps up to Group class.
Ilaraab has been running in some top-class races recently and coming quite close. I would rather stick with him to beat Siskany, who could well turn out to be a top-class Group horse.
Doncaster
3:15
Luxembourg will be looking to carry on with his impressive performances here today in the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes. He is currently next year’s Epsom Derby favourite and if he wins here today, he will only strengthen his claims.
Royal Patronage will go hard from the front and really test Luxembourg stamina, but I think he will be too strong and will win quite easily here this afternoon.
Selection – Luxembourg – 5/6
3:50
It could be worth taking a chance on Gold Medal in this race for Richard Hughes. I know the horse is really well liked in the yard, and he was very impressive on debut in a weak race at Wolverhampton last time out. It’s a big step up here today, but he could well improve again and keep that unbeaten record.
Flaming Rib rightly heads the market after his win last time out at Chester. He won with a lot in hand, but this is tougher and I think he could struggle here today.
Selection – Gold Medal – 5/1
4:20
The last race of the day is a handicap over the flying five-furlongs on Town Moor. Dakota Gold heads the market for Michael Dods. Dakota Gold should have won at Chester at the start of August over six-furlongs, but found nothing inside final furlong. He has since run a cracker at Ascot in a listed race finishing third. He will be there or thereabouts today, but I think it’s worth taking a chance on Tim Easterby’s horse. Sunday Sovereign ran no race in the Ayr Gold Cup finishing last, but he showed what he could do last time out, finishing second in the Catterick Dash. If he can run to the same level here today, I think he could be a great each-way bet.
Selection – Sunday Sovereign – 8/1
