Saturday Racing at Cheltenham
1:55 – Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase (Grade 3)
We start off with a handicap chase and the interesting horse in this field is Whatmore. He’s not been seen on a racetrack since November 2020, so he has obviously had a few problems. His form was good before his absence and if he can get back to that level, he could quite easily take this race. Farinet heads the market for the in-form Venetia Williams, and you can see why after his last performance at Sandown where he bolted up.
Selection – Whatmore – 13/2*
2:30 – Paddy Power Cotswold Chase (Grade 2)
If Chantry House has aspirations of winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup, you would think he would have to win this and win it well. He was disappointing in the King George VI Chase at Kempton and on that day, he was never travelling. This race is a lot easier and if he can bounce back to form, he should win this with ease. It would be great to see Santini back to his best and winning this race again. Nick Scholfield is a noticeable jockey booking and I’m going to take a chance on Santini rolling back the years.
Selection – Santini – 10/1
3:05 – Welsh Marches Stallions at Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle (Grade 2)
This could be a great chance for Champ to put a marker down on Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. He is already the ante-post favourite for the race and he won the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle in good style back in December. Paisley Park has not been anywhere near his best this season and it’s hard to see how he will reverse the form here. Paul Nicholls has been talking McFabulous up all week, and you can see why after his run here at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, when he was a decent second in the Relkeel Hurdle.
Selection – Champ – 1/2
3:40 – Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)
We finish the day at Cheltenham with the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle trial and it looks a straight battle between Hillcrest and Balco Coastal. Hillcrest is unbeaten this season and has won all 3 of his races in good style. I think he will make it a fourth win in a row here, as he has already proven he can handle the track at Cheltenham and his form looks stronger than his rival Balco Coastal.
Selection – Hillcrest – 6/4
ITV Racing Live from Doncaster
1:25 – Sky Bet Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle
A field of 5 will go to post for the Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle and it looks a great opportunity for the Paul Nicholls mare, Miranda. She won this race last year and she comes here in good form after winning her last race at Ludlow. I think the main danger could be Western Victory, she had her first run for Emma Lavelle last week, but that was a very poor effort. The form of her runs in Ireland is not bad and she’s surely a better horse than we saw at Ascot last weekend.
Selection – Miranda – 4/5
2:45 – Albert Bartlett River Don Novices’ Hurdle
It’s great to see Joshua Moore back riding after he suffered a terrible back injury last year and he has the ride on the market leader, Unanswered Prayers. He beat a well-fancied horse of Paul Nicholls last time out at Wincanton, kicking clear after the final hurdle and he could be open to more improvement here. There has been quite a bit of money around this week for the Ben Pauling trained horse, Not At Present. He has won 4 out of his last 5 starts, but this is a big step up in grade and it looks a tough ask to keep that winning run going. I’m going to take a chance on Coolbane Boy, he won last time out at Musselburgh keeping on well all the way to line and that would have put him spot on for this race.
Selection – Coolbane Boy – 5/1
3:20 – Sky Bet Handicap Chase
Fusil Raffles was a lucky winner of the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby at the start of the season and since then he has only run once which was at Cheltenham’s November meeting. He finished a pretty decent fourth in the Gold Cup that day, but I just think in this race there are some better handicapped horses. The one I’m going to side with is, Cap Du Nord, who sneaks in off a light-weight. He was travelling very well in the Badger Beer Chase at Wincanton before being hampered 2 out, and if he can get a clear round, I can see him going close.
Selection – Cap Du Nord – 4/1
*All odds correct at time of writing – click the banner below for the latest odds:
