TODAY there is jumps action at Fontwell and Catterick, with the all-weather at Lingfield, Kempton and Dundalk.
The Cheltenham Preview season is in full swing and I’m certainly in racing replay mode ahead of presenting at Cheltenham and my daily selections for my Unibet blog during The Festival.
The Unibet Champion Hurdle is a fascinating renewal and there are currently 23 standing their ground defection of Samcro.
I can’t wait to see Apple’s Jade take on Nicky Henderson’s Buveur D’Air, whilst there are numerous each way possibilities. It is going to be some first day!
From a hospitality perspective I’ll be course from Sunday for final preparations and training
The hospitality piece is a mammoth operation and big shout out to the Jockey Club Catering team at Cheltenham headed up by Phil Roberts, with award-winning Head Chef Tom Parry, who has once again created some fabulous menus.
For example, new for 2019, is Cheltenham’s pub The Horse & Groom. Overlooking the final two fences of the racecourse, it offers real ales, fine wines and great food. Dishes on the menu include ‘The Bookies Favourite’ Manchester egg, beer battered cod and mushy peas or 30-day dry aged rib-eye Hereford beef followed by traditional desserts like treacle tart. Enjoy them alongside a range of local real ales, including Battledown Original from Cheltenham’s Battledown Brewery and Cotswold IPA from the Cotswold Brew Co, also based in Cheltenham. A comprehensive wine list, features a range of wines from around the world and I can highly recommend the Nyetimber Classic Cuvée from Sussex and a wonderfully, intense memorable and complex red from Ribera del Duero in Spain Tabula 2015.
Cheers and see you there!
2.10 Fontwell 2m 2f Chase
BREDON HILL LAD has a good record at Fontwell when the mud is flying. He can make all here for a fourth course success and beat the market leader Edgar, who looks the form pick, but soft/heavy ground has never brought out the best in him.
Unibet 9/2 win
3.50 Catterick 1m 7½f Chase
LAS TUNAS has been in good form and his second to Budarri, beaten a length last time out, reads well, as the winner has once since.
He ran well at Ayr on his penultimate start, winning comfortably, having fallen in front when looking like the winner on his previous start at the course.
Unibet 13/2 each way
5.30 Kempton 1m
WOGGLE hasn’t really had the rub of the green on her last two starts but there’s little in the way of early pace here and to that extent, she might try and make all the running. Has twice run well over C&D in the winter and although not the form pick, may well get the run of the race, and that could count for a lot. Good each way shout.
Unibet 8/1 each way
7.00 Kempton 1m
JAHBATH impressed when thrashing previous winner Whenapoet at Southwell last time and this rapidly improving 3yo looks destined for good things having won twice here over this trip. Holds a class advantage over most of these and with main rival on paper Getchagetchagetcha likely to need the run, he can go in again.
Unibet 6/5 win
8.30 Kempton 6f
AFRICAN BLESSING (nap) at this 6f trip will need a good pace to aim at, and with the tearaway Monarch Maid in the field, he’ll get just that. Ran right to form when fourth at Lingfield last time and the booking of Jamie Spencer, who has a 26% strike rate for the yard, is the cherry on the cake. Watch for the late charge.
Unibet 3/1 win
