Cheltenham Day 4 Selections
The 2022 Cheltenham Festival reaches its crescendo on Friday with seven fantastic races for punters to enjoy before the Festival goes into hibernation for another year. Our racing editor has identified selections for all seven races on the Day 4 card, including a banker selection in the day’s opening race.
Vauban (13:30 Cheltenham, JCB Triumph Hurdle)
The best bet on the Friday card appears to come in the opening Triumph Hurdle, where VAUBAN rates a strong player for Willie Mullins, Paul Townend, and Rich Ricci.
This son of Galiway was a Listed winner on the Flat in France last summer, and he subsequently joined the all-conquering Willie Mullins yard. Seemingly highly regarded by connections ever since he stepped foot in Closutton, this gelding was sent off the 4/9F at Punchestown on stable/hurdles debut back in December and he looked slightly unlucky not to justify those odds, finishing just a half-length behind Pied Piper (reopposes) after suffering interference down the straight.
Vauban was stepped up to Grade 1 level at the Dublin Racing Festival subsequently, where he ran out the 3l winner of the Spring Juvenile Hurdle, traditionally seen as a good trial for this race.
Vauban accounted for the well-touted Fil Dor that day, and Davy Russell maintains the partnership on that gelding, suggesting that he is the stable’s first string. There seems no obvious reason why Fil Dor will reverse the form, with Vauban a soft ground Flat winner and open to considerably more improvement over hurdles, so at the prices, he rates good value to get the final day of the Festival off to a flying start.
Tax For Max (14:10 Cheltenham, McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle)
State Man looks undoubtedly well-treated off a mark of 141 but Gaelic Warrior proved earlier in the week that inexperience of big field handicaps can cost you victory at the Festival and with two of the last four winners of this event coming home at odds of 33/1, this has proven a good race for the bookies.
At a price, TAX FOR MAX looks worth chancing for the powerful Munir & Souede partnership.
This son of Maxios had genuine top-class Flat form to his name in Germany for Henk Grewe which included a fifth in the prestigious Allianz – Grosser Preis Von Bayern, where Tax For Max finished just five and a half lengths off subsequent Arc de Triomphe winner Torquator Tasso. Tax For Max is 0-4 since sent hurdling for current connections but has bumped into the likes of Teahupoo and Slip Of The Tongue and was deemed good enough to contest the Triumph Hurdle on just second hurdles start last season, when down the field as a 33/1 outsider.
Tax For Max holds a rating of 110 on the level, and that makes him potentially very well-treated from an opening handicap mark of 135, which last year’s Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ winning rider Sean O’Keefe booked to do the steering. Just the sort to enjoy getting smuggled into a big-field handicap, if a gelding operation has helped to knock some of the quirks out of Tax For Max then it would be no shock to see him put up a bold showing.
Hillcrest (14:50 Cheltenham, Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle)
The Irish have dominated in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle in recent seasons, landing the last three renewals, but in HILLCREST, the Brits appear to hold the upper hand in 2022.
The apple of trainer Henry Daly’s eye, this strapping son of Stowaway was undoubtedly bought with fences in mind yet has proven well adept at the smaller obstacles this season, winning all four completed starts, with an uncharacteristic unseat at Cheltenham the only blot on his copybook.
Hillcrest put that spill right in impressive fashion at Haydock last time, however, when justifying favouritism to run out an 8l winner of the Grade 2 Prestige Novices’ Hurdle, and this race was immediately nominated as a potential target afterwards. Hillcrest looked a Grade 1 winner in waiting that day and the performance put him right at the top rank in regards the British staying hurdlers.
This will obviously require a further step up, but it’s difficult to gauge where Hillcrest’s limitations currently lie and it’s worth noting that he was a Listed winner at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, so holds crucial course form over his Irish counterparts. He looks one of the strongest plays on the final day with trip/ground/track all of no concern.
Galvin (15:30 Cheltenham, Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase)
On to the big one. This year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup looks a little more open that previous renewals.
Last year’s winner Minella Indo hasn’t replicated that form in three starts this season but he usually comes alive at this time of year and therefore can’t easily be dismissed. Stablemate A Plus Tard is arguably the class angle into this but will he see out the Cheltenham Hill as well as others?
Whilst the De Bromhead duo must be respected, the vote goes to GALVIN, who continues to go from strength to strength over fences.
Starting the season as a Grand National contender, Ronnie Bartlett’s 8yo has quickly made up into a Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite, his narrow Down Royal defeat sandwiching victories at Punchestown and Leopardstown, the latter Galvin’s first at the top level.
Galvin gained two victories here at Cheltenham last season, the latter in the National Hunt Chase. That came over the old course, yet Galvin promises to be far better suited to the demands of the new course – where stamina will be at a premium. Davy Russell has an incredible record of six wins from twelve starts aboard this gelding and connections will be hoping to see that enhanced on Friday afternoon.
Lord Schnitzel (16:10 Cheltenham, St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase)
Winged Leader got the better of Billaway at Thurles in January but back in the cauldron of Cheltenham it would be no shock to see that form reversed. Bob And Co can’t completely be dismissed under David Maxwell but preference instead goes to LORD SCHNITZEL.
This lad was formerly a fairly smart chaser under rules in Ireland, finishing placed in beginners chases behind the likes of Faugheen and Carefully Selected. His form dropped off subsequently but he has been revitalised for the switch to points and hunter chases this campaign, running out a wide margin winner at Limerick over Christmas.
Although Aintree was reported to be the aim after that victory, connections have favoured a tilt at the Festival, and that decision can be prove to be a good one with victory here.
Concertista (16:50 Cheltenham, Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase)
Mount Ida can be opposed going back this way round having jumped out to her right throughout when producing miracles to land the Kim Muir last season.
Willie Mullins took the inaugural renewal of this race with Colreevy 12 months ago and he appears to hold the aces once again. The market favours Elimay, who chased home Colreevy last year, yet that runner may have to settle for second place once again here behind another stablemate in CONCERTISTA.
This Isaac Souede and Simon Munir owned 8yo has Cheltenham Festival form figures of 212, only narrowly failing to see off Black Tears in the Mares’ Hurdle at the Festival last year. She has embarked on a chasing career this term and has won both starts to date, both victories coming at Grade 2 level the most recent on desperate ground at Limerick in December.
This has reportedly been her target ever since, so the absence is of no concern, and whilst she has a little to find on the figures she has a far greater scope for improvement in this discipline than the two directly ahead of her in the betting.
Hollow Games (15:30 Cheltenham, Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle)
The final race at what has been an incredible Cheltenham Festival and the vote goes to HOLLOW GAMES, who represents the Gordon Elliott yard which has landed two of the last five renewals of this contest.
A smart bumper performer last season, Hollow Games won his first two hurdles starts and hasn’t been disgraced at Grade 1 level the last twice.
This represents a slight drop in class from those assignments and the application of a tongue tie has the capability to help Hollow Games. Horses that prepped in a Grade 1 have a good recent record in this contest, and there’s a strong possibility that Hollow Games could be well handicapped here off a mark of 143.
Five O Clock represents powerful connections and hasn’t been seen since finishing a somewhat unlucky seventh in this race two years ago. He’s 4lb lower here and his trainer is a master at readying one first time out after an absence, so he shouldn’t be dismissed at double-figure odds.
