The New Year’s Day meeting at Cheltenham has become increasingly popular over the years with the course this time though on high alert with a yellow weather warning. Let us hope the wind and rain don’t reach the forecast levels as this raceday has a completely different atmosphere to any other meeting at Cheltenham and is very much a family occasion, with the ever-popular family fun zone.
The feature race is the Relkeel Hurdle Grade 2, which includes in the seven-runner field two festival winners from last season with Golden Ace and Langer Dan. This is an open renewal with Salver, Gowel Road and for Unibet Ambassador Nicky Henderson Lucky Place is in the field too.
Let us hope this important raceday can go ahead as this often attracts racegoers to Cheltenham for the first time, whilst for others it is now a firm fixture in the calendar.
Enjoy whether at Cheltenham or watching #athome on ITV Racing and Racing TV.
Happy New Year.
Cheers
The Wine Tipster.
1.30 Cheltenham – Handicap Chase (3m 1½f)
Broadway Boy, who loves to front run can remain at the head of affairs from the off.
He’ll find beating these four rivals a lot easier than trying to dominate the field in the big handicap at Newbury last time out, but he ran a very game race after a mistake four from the finish to rally for second after the last beaten 1¾ lengths by Kandoo Kid . He loves Cheltenham as his record of 12113 shows, acts well on soft ground (which it is likely to be come before racetime with around 10mm forecast ) and he can secure his fourth win over fences.
2.05 Cheltenham – New Year’s Day Handicap Chase (2m 4½f)
Germirande was tipped up in my Unibet blog last month when taking the Nyetimber December Gold Cup Handicap Chase, beating Madara by 1 length with some ease after being prominent throughout. The handicapper has raised him to a mark of 144 from 136 for this 1 length victory, however he had a limited season in 2023/24, whilst if you look back at his full campaign in the 2022/23 season he showed all the ability was there as was evident from these form figures of 212123 so it has been no surprise to see him make it two from two for this season. Germirande has a great chance of making it a three-timer with the only reservation if the ground is much softer than the current forecast suggests it will be.
Lounge Lizard split Ga Law and Il Ridoto over course and distance last January on Festival Trials Day, which is form that reads well, given these Cheltenham regulars finished in the first two in the big November Handicap Chase, with Il Ridoto the victor on that occasion. Lounge Lizard, apart from finding the Becher Chase a massive test in heavy conditions, had a good season with a success at Huntingdon on his final start of the campaign in March. There was little wrong with his comeback effort at Carlisle in December, when third only fading after the last and he should strip much fitter here. He can reward each way players.
2.40 Cheltenham – Handicap Hurdle (3m)
Strachan (nap) is very much on the up this campaign with form figures of 211 and following his victory at Uttoxeter he ran well at Bangor to draw clear beating a revitalised Schalke by 4½ lengths. His runs this season have all been on the soft and the forecast rain is a big plus for him, which will give him a good chance of achieving a three-timer.
Twig is a good performer over fences with his fourth in the Ultima to Chianti Classico last season and of his eight hurdle starts to date he has won three times, with three seconds to his name including twice at Cheltenham.
Last time over hurdles at Haydock he was pulled up in very testing conditions after trying to set the pace, with One Big Bang who reopposes second.
Twig has definite each way claims on the predicted soft going.
2.55 Musselburgh – Handicap Hurdle (Go North Brindisi Breeze Series Qualifier) (3m)
Rickety Gate was an eyecatcher last time when fourth beaten 9 lengths by Idefix De Cierques at Doncaster, when making good progress late on after being given plenty to do over a trip of half a furlong further than this race. Rickety Gate won on seasonal reappearance at Kelso in October and another good performance is on the cards.
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