Cheltenham’s Saturday card is the second of their two-day December meeting. Across the seven races, GG’s Joe Napier has four best bets.
12.10 Cheltenham – JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle
James Owen had been very bullish about Lavender Hill Mob prior to his turnover at 2/7 on his hurdling debut at Newcastle two weeks ago. Cheekpieces are enlisted to try and fulfil his potential, but the majority of this field have achieved more to this point.
The selection is QUANTOCK HILLS, who concedes weight to all bar Teriferma here, but ran on all the way to the line to win a race at Fontwell last month, from which most of the form looks pretty good. He was conceding a stone to subsequent Listed winner Opec when second on his debut for Warren Greatrex, but looks to have a fair amount of ability for a juvenile hurdler.
If Lavender Hill Mob proves to be the horse he is billed to be, conceding 7lb will be a forlorn hope for Quantock Hills, but on-course evidence suggests this race is plenty open enough. As a result, the value looks to be with one at a price, so Greatrex’s charge gets the verdict.
1.13 Cheltenham – Quintessentially Mares’ Handicap Chase
Gavin Cromwell’s Theonewedreamof is the eyecatcher, but after seemingly winning with every runner of theirs in Britain last season, Cromwell is only 1/19 with his raiders so far this term. Like Lavender Hill Mob in the opener, she could make a mockery of this, but is opposed with Lucy Wadham’s GAME ON FOR GLORY, whose form looks to be vastly underestimated.
The eight-year-old was second to the reopposiing Malaita here in April, but they meet on 7lb better terms here for only a four-length margin between them. Last season also saw her finish a close second to Marsh Wren, a mare who is now rated 25lb higher than when only conceding the selection 3lb at Warwick, while Game On For Glory’s win at Ludlow saw her defeat a runner-up who is 6lb higher now herself.
Her strike rate is lower than it should be given her consistency, but she has run only one bad race over fences, as her return at Market Rasen in October is easily excused for fitness reasons. She is only 2lb higher than her Ludlow winning mark, will go on any forthcoming surface, and looks a ripe each-way bet.
2.25 Cheltenham – BetMGM Handicap Chase
Master Chewy did not get far in last weekend’s Tingle Creek, but for all he looked a decent each-way candidate for that Grade 1, reappearing so quickly after a fall does give him more questions to answer off 12st. Grand annual runner-up Libberty Hunter was placed in a Grade 1 novice chase at Aintree to conclude last season too, so this is a hot race for a six-runner affair.
However, THIRD TIME LUCKI’s return on the Old Course last month strongly suggested his day may come again soon for Fergal O’Brien. He had been off for 584 days when travelling well through the race, only blowing out once he had turned into the straight. He was facing some well-treated rivals that day too, finishing ahead of Calico, who had won at the track the previous month.
The handicapper has eased him another 3lb so that he is 1lb below his last winning mark. He may now be pushing ten, but he looked capable of big things as a novice chaser back in the day, and enough ability looks like it remains to potentially take down his less experienced rivals.
3.00 Cheltenham – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)
The fairytale could keep on unfolding for Skyjack Hijack, who has been a winning machine for Jennie Candlish. He is chasing a seven-timer here, and his slick-jumping, front-running performances are very hard to knock. Should he repeat what he has done on his previous two starts, there will have to be some promising types in here to stop him.
However, this being a Grade 2, there do look to be some intriguing runners with potential here. Jet Blue is the unknown quantity from France, but of the novice hurdle winners in the UK so far, ABOUTDAMNTIME’s could well be the strongest, yet he is a much bigger price than either Clondaw General or Western Knight, the latter set to concede 3lb.
The five-year-old was second to Clondaw General in a point-to-point, but while the form of that rival’s four-runner Worcester win is yet to be tested, the selection knuckled down to beat a comfortable bumper raider from Ireland on his debut at Carlisle, and the nine-length third has won readily since. Aboutdamntime saw it out really strongly over 2m4f that day, so should be perfectly at home over this extra half-mile, which could be crucial in overhauling the leader.
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