The excitement is building for The Cheltenham Festival on March 12th – 15th , with 28 races over the four days of The Festival. Here are my five ante-post selections for the Cheltenham Festival, with two other Festival pieces to follow in the build up to four days of brilliant racing at the home of jump racing.
I’ve been on course today and can’t wait!
The Wine Tipster.
Tuesday March 12th
2.10 Cheltenham – My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices’ Chase (2m)
JPR One will surely go for the Arkle, rather than the Turner Novices Chase over 2m 4f, as he’s looked a two-miler to date, all speed and in the main, an excellent jumper. It was a real shame to see him unseat at the last at Cheltenham in November (marked up in my Unibet blog) as he’d been foot-perfect to that point, but like one or two horses that weekend, the last proved tricky for him. The Henry VII at Sandown, despite not being a bad run by any means, might have come a bit too soon and the heavy ground just didn’t suit him. JPR bounced back to form though when putting in another superb round of jumping in the Grade 2 Lightning Chase at Lingfield last time and he looks tailormade for the Arkle.
Unibet 10/1 each way
Wednesday March 13th
1.30 Cheltenham – Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle Grade 1 (2m 5f)
Lisnagar Fortune has taken his time to find his feet, but his form this season has taken off, firstly, when second to future Grade 1 winner Readin Tommy Wrong at Cork, just getting the wrong side of a short-head verdict, and third home Staffordshire Knot boosted the form again when a 21-length winner at Down Royal last time too. Secondly, last time out he ran away from Jasko De Dames at Punchestown, and although all his form so far has been over two miles (entered in the Supreme Hurdle Unibet 33/1 each way), he looks very much like a step up in trip will suit. 33-1 looks a big price, considering he comes from the Willie Mullins yard.
Unibet 33/1 each way
2.11 Cheltenham – Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase Grade 1 (3m ½f)
Grey Dawning should be favourite for the Brown Advisory as Dan Skelton’s seven-year-old has impressed this season, despite not yet looking the finished article either. After looking like he needed his first run of the season at Exeter, he’s done nothing but improve, panning last year’s National Hunt Chase winner Galliard du Mesnil at Haydock and would surely have won but for a stopping mistake two out at Cheltenham in December. The fact he was able to rally so strongly up the hill to be beaten just ¾l by Ginny’s Destiny (to whom he was conceding 3lb) was testament to his courage. It all fell in his lap at Warwick when beating Apples Away by 14l in the Hampton Novices’ Chase but he couldn’t have impressed any more and was strong at the finish. Late errors two out and at the last suggest a slight lack of concentration but he’s learning all the time The handicapper took him from a mark of 144 to 153 after that success, he is proven at three miles and is right in the Brown Advisory picture.
Unibet 9/2 win
Thursday March 14th
4.10 Cheltenham – The TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (2m 4½f)
Heart Wood won the Leopardstown Handicap Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival by 14 lengths over 2m 5f (when marked up in my Unibet blog), with this six-year-old always travelling smoothly throughout and looking highly progressive for the Henry De Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore team. Heart Wood had finished second on his three previous jump appearances, with a runner-up position behind Blood Destiny on his penultimate start and before that Grangeclare West. This six-year-old was a winning hurdler in France and he showed at Leopardstown he can handle a big field with Cheltenham looking like it will suit this excellent jumper and traveller.
Unibet 8/1 each way
Friday March 15th
3.30 Cheltenham – Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase Grade 1 (3m 2½f)
L’ Homme Presse returned to action after 391 days off the course to beat Protektorat in the Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield in January. Apart from one fence, L’Homme Presse jumped and travelled well, with Charlie Deutsch pushing him out on the run in.
This was an excellent reappearance when he was clearly not fully tuned up and it was good to see him back on course after he was last seen unseating at the final fence
when second 3l down to Bravemansgame when favourite in the King George VI Chase.
It is worth rewatching his victory in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival when taking over the lead at the seventh to deliver a memorable performance, as he showed on his second success at the home of jump racing that he thrives at this course and he was keeping on really well until the line. He is currently fifth in the betting, with seven wins from nine chase appearances and he will show on Saturday in the Ascot Chase that he will come on again with a big run in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup a definite.
Unibet 8/1 each way
