THE first day of the Showcase Meeting at Cheltenham, at the home of jump racing, will be dry with unseasonably warm weather and with the going described as good conditions are going to be pretty similar to the 2023 Showcase Meeting.
There are plenty of interesting types for the season ahead and in the Novices’ Hurdle Grade 2 Gale Mahler Unibet 4/6 on is head and shoulders above these on form and she’s going to be hard to beat.
Her defeat of Flying Fortune at Uttoxeter back in June has been well advertised by the runner-up since, winning a valuable hurdle on Summer Plate Day at Maret Rasen and then taking the Unibet Persian War Novices’ Hurdle Grade 2 at Chepstow last time out. Two further wins, including a very easy success at Galway last time out, mark her as very smart, and getting a useful 7lb mares’ allowance here gives her an even bigger edge.
I’m looking forward to the Glenfarclas Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase with a field of 19 runners, including the last three winners Mole Court, Jimmy The Digger and Strictlyadancer. The open nature of this renewal is reflected in the market with Unibet currently at 11/2 the field.
Looking forward to being at The Showcase Meeting on both Friday and Saturday.
Cheers
The Wine Tipster
1.15 Cheltenham – Foundation Development Handicap Hurdle (2m 3f)
In The Air is having his third start since joining Unibet Ambassador Nicky Henderson and is looking to make it a three-timer. He won at Southwell earlier this month when beating Kosasiempre by five and a half lengths and then headed to Exeter when odds on to win by three quarters of a length to hold off Thahablfraj. His success at Exeter was easily than the distance as he jumped the last with ears pricked and travelled away smoothly to the finish under Unibet Ambassador Nico de Boinville. You have to like the way that In The Air travelled at Exeter on good ground and Cheltenham looks sure to suit him.
1.50 Cheltenham – Novices Chase’ (2m)
Path D’Oroux, who now goes second-season chasing, has the best form of these in the book. You can take your pick from his second to Madara at Leopardstown at the Dublin Festival, or indeed his third to Unexpected Party in the Grand Annual at The Festival. A repeat of either of those makes him very hard to beat.
3:35 Cheltenham – Glenfarclas Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase (3m 1f)
Atlanta Brave (nap) ran a rare poor race when last of six finishers back in March on his last start.
He is much better than that as he showed when second to Surrey Quest in a compelling duel at Newbury in the Mandarin when the first two finished seventeen lengths clear over a very similar trip.
Atlanta Brave definitely needs this kind of trip as he ran well at Exeter too over three miles when runner-up and he won his point to point over this distance too.
Jessie Lightfoot is right down at the bottom of the handicap and this ten-year-old mare has been ignored in the market. Back in May she was victorious at Southwell on good ground when coming from last to first to win over near enough this distance and then ran well at Warwick to finish third to Prince De Juilley.
Admittedly her last run a couple of furlongs shorter back in July was disappointing, however she goes well fresh, has never fallen (brought down on one occasion) and with ground in her favour has to be worth a small each way wager.
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