1.30pm Cheltenham
Jingko Blue
It could well be that Ballyburn is a class apart in here but I’d like to think Jingko Blue has an each-way shot in this. He showed solid form in novices’ hurdles at Warwick and Newbury but he stepped it up to a new level when winning a Sandown handicap last time, despite not being foot-perfect at a couple of his hurdles. I appreciate that came off a mark of just 124, while Ballyburn has won a Grade 1, but it was a decent 0-125 and he won it very well. The handicapper was very impressed as he put him up 16lb for it, and let’s hope he can carry on that progression here.
Unibet are PRICE BOOSTING the favourite in this race!
2.50pm Cheltenham
Doddiethegreat
We have three good chances in here, and we are very glad that Doddiethegreat got in, as the strep back up in trip looks set to really suit him. He certainly shaped as though it would when he was a staying-on fourth in the Betfair Hurdle last time, and a mark of 132 is hopefully not the extent of his abilities, given this greater stamina test. But, as I said, our two other runners have good claims, too. First Street hasn’t run over this sort of trip for a while, but he has won over the distance and finished third in a Relkeel under a penalty here last season. He has clearly faced stiff two tasks since we shelved a chasing campaign after just the one start over fences, and I can see him going well off a mark of 143 here. That is only 1lb higher than he was second to a certain State Man running off 141 in the County Hurdle in 2022 – we were giving him weight! – and hopefully he can be as effective over 2m5f here. Lucky Place ran his best race yet when second to Gidleigh Park here last time and maybe he is on a decent mark as well on his handicap debut, with the prospect of improvement to come.
Unibet are paying MONEY BACK AS CASH if your pick finishes 2nd or 3rd in this race!
3.30pm Cheltenham
Jonbon
Take away his defeat in the rescheduled Clarence House here last time, a race in which everyone saw why he got beaten – he did well to stay up after the mistake he made 4 out – and there would be far less between him and El Fabiolo in the betting. Of course, El Fabiolo will be hard to beat here, but he has a mistake in him too, and I don’t think there is much between them if they both bring their A-game and I was very happy with his brace of defeats of Edwardstone earlier in the season. We have done a lot of schooling with him in recent weeks, and all has gone well.
Unibet are SUPER BOOSTING the whole field in this race!
5.30pm Cheltenham
Kingston Pride
Winner of his only point, he obviously ran well when second in his Lingfield all-weather back in January, with the rest well beaten off. This is clearly a tough task but we do think a bit of him.
Unibet are paying TWO EXTRA PLACES in this race!
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