The jumps season is well and truly underway, as Cheltenham plays host to the second day of it’s showcase meeting. Expect to see plenty of stars on show, with a good chance you’ll be seeing some of them again at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival!
Tote are guaranteeing a bumper £150,000 in the Placepot for it, so our editor has given his selections in an attempt to land the big prize pot.
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Leg 1: 1.15pm
Leg 1 Selections: (3) Haddex Des Obeaux (1) Notlongtillmay
I want to play it safe with the first leg, so I’m putting two up and if one them doesn’t finish in the places I’ll be shocked. HADDEX DES OBEAUX looks set for a good season over fences after winning his last two last season, the last of those being an emphatic 19 length victory in a four-runner race at Warwick, with the other three all winning next time out to boost that form.
The other I’m siding with is NOTLONGTILLMAY, who was last seen chasing home Stage Star in the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. That was his first defeat but it was still a career best performance, and he seems to be getting better with each race over fences.
Leg 2: 1.50pm
Leg 2 Selections: (2) Blueking D’Oroux
This looks a two horse race between BLUEKING D’OROUX and Spirit D’Aunou, and it’s the former who gets my vote. Paul Nicholls has his yard in excellent form and the selection seemed a different horse after wind surgery earlier this year. Prior to the surgery he had finished pulled up on UK hurdles debut, before finishing well beaten in 9th at Taunton, but following the surgery he won a good handicap at Ascot and did well to finish runner-up last time out Aintree. He looks set for bigger things so I’d expect him to win this and have a strong season.
Leg 3: 2.25pm
Leg 3 Selections: (9) Lord Accord (10) Hidden Heroics
Last year’s winner LORD ACCORD looks a good option to follow up off just a 1lb higher mark. He’s followed a similar build up to last season again this year, with a warm up run over hurdles before reverting to chasing here, and the return to fences should see him in a better light. Ground conditions look set to suit, and he’s sure to be thereabouts at the finish.
The other one I like is HIDDEN HEROICS, who looks to have plenty in his favour here. A recent wind op should boost his chances (won his next race after his previous wind op) and the fact Harry Skelton is back on board should be a further positive, having been on board for both of his wins over fences so far. He’s a big price but is capable of outrunning his odds.
10 To Follow – Tom Aldridge’s Horses To Follow For The 23/24 Jumps Season
The 2023/24 Jumps Season is underway and we’ve got all our team to give their ’10 to follow’ for the NH season. Next up it’s the turn of GG’s chief editor Tom Aldridge to give his selections, which include one he thinks could take on Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup, plus one he…
Wed 25 Oct 2023Leg 4: 3.00pm
Leg 4 Selections: (3) Jet Of Magic (8) Hugos New Horse
I struggle to get excited for these Pertemps Qualifiers, as the majority are aiming not to win, so their handicap mark doesn’t go up too much! However, that makes a placepot perfect, as you only need them to place, which is what the majority will be aiming to do. The one I like the look of is JET OF MAGIC for the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard, who has only had the two runs over hurdles this year, but looks a good option for a race of this nature. He unseated his jockey on his last outing over hurdles but was going well at the time, and he can count himself unlucky not to be 2/2 over hurdles this year. His sole previous run at Cheltenham saw him finish runner-up in a good handicap hurdle on New Years Day earlier this year, and I’m confident he’ll be able to finish amongst the places again here.
With it being a tough race to call, I’ll also add in HUGOS NEW HORSE for the in-form Paul Nicholls yard. In a superb first season over hurdles last year, he won five of his seven races and placed in the other two, which is fantastic form. This is a step up in trip but I’d be confident the champion trainer wouldn’t enter him in this if he didn’t think he had the stamina.
Leg 5: 3.35pm
Leg 5 Selections: (4) Reverend Hubert
Charles Byrnes’ REVEREND HUBERT has done little wrong of late, winning a maiden hurdle in August with ease before a solid third in a novice hurdle last month. The winner that day (High Class Hero) has since run out a comfortable winner in Listed company, so the form looks good. This is the Irish trainers only runner on the card and he has a healthy 21% strike at Cheltenham in the last five years, so he looks good value in this.
Leg 6: 4.10PM
Leg 6 Selections: (3) Flooring Porter
This one should be fairly straightforward for staying star FLOORING PORTER, who is miles clear of his rivals in the ratings. He’s a short odds favourite to make a winning chase debut and there’s little to suggest otherwise, with his hurdles form far superior to the other three runners. Some of the others do have more experience over fences, but I’d be confident that the dual Stayers’ Hurdle winner will be ready to fire on chase debut.
Suggested Placepot
Leg 1 Selections: (3) Haddex Des Obeaux (1) Notlongtillmay
Leg 2 Selections: (2) Blueking D’Oroux
Leg 3 Selections: (9) Lord Accord (10) Hidden Heroics
Leg 4 Selections: (3) Jet Of Magic (8) Hugos New Horse
Leg 5 Selections: (4) Reverend Hubert
Leg 6 Selections: (3) Flooring Porter
8 Lines x £1 = £8
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