Cheltenham
12.10pm
Group Stage
He was a fair sort over middle distances on the Flat, well suited by soft ground, and he could well make up into a better hurdler on the evidence of his Ludlow win for me. I was always happy with the way he was travelling for me there, winning a shade cosily, and the runner-up came out and ran well at Aintree and the third has won at Fontwell since, too. So while he obviously has considerably more on his plate in this company, under a 4lb penalty, the form looks decent and I think he could go well
12.45pm
Nestor Park
He was a smart novice hurdler on his day, winning at Warwick and Newcastle, and it sounds like he is a horse that they have plenty of time for at Ben’s. He will need to be good to be winning here first time up over fences but hopefully he will show plenty of promise for the future at the very least.
1.55pm
Keeper Hill
He had worked and schooled really well before his reappearance at Haydock last month, and I said as much here beforehand, but I have to admit that he surprised me by winning there. He was giving weight to some talented horses there, so you have to be thrilled by the manner of his gutsy win. The handicapper has raised him 7lb for that victory, but he probably deserved that, and hopefully he can prove competitive in a handicap as deep and full of quality as this. He is still unexposed as a chaser and that Haydock run was his first after a wind op too, so he could well improve a lot for it. I schooled him on Friday morning and he is fit and well for the challenge
2.30pm
Kiltealy Briggs
Jamie’s horses continue in brilliant form and Kiltealy Briggs wasn’t too bad himself when running out a wide-margin winner over 2m4f in heavy ground at Hexham last time. He doesn’t need it bottomless though, and I can see this longer trip suiting him as well. This is obviously a fair step up in class after Hexham and he has a lot to find with the form horses, but hopefully he has plenty more improvement left in the tank. He is still very green though, and is a horse for the future.
