The Trials Day card brings together some significant Cheltenham Festival hopefuls on Saturday. GG tipster Joe Napier has picked out four best bets across the day.
12.40 Cheltenham – Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase
The likes of Masaccio and Resplendent Grey drop down from Graded contests, while Jagwar could easily prove far better than his mark, though that is far from certain based on his last performance even with a blunder at the last costing him second.
Maybe he will prove a handicap blot, but at a much bigger price, GUARD YOUR DREAMS has been running with plenty of credit at this venue. He won on his chasing debut at Warwick in a race from which the second and third have won since, before posting figures of 434 here, the latest in the December Gold Cup
He was conceding weight all round when third to Peaky Boy in November before racing too keenly behind Gemirande in December. That was undoubtedly a stronger race than this though, against horses with vastly more experience, and that speaks positively to his each-way chances in this race at the very least.
1.50 Cheltenham – Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase
Class acts Ginny’s Destiny and Iroko both have questions to answer, the former in terms of form and the latter over whether this trip is too short. As a result, form horse IMPERIAL SAINT may be able to add another victory among an impressive list of wins since October.
In four chase starts, all three of his wins have come at Aintree, with his one disappointment coming elsewhere. As such, he will have to prove he can adapt, but he won going both left and right-handed over hurdles, so his Newbury aberration in November was hopefully just a blip.
His defeat of Richmond Lake on Boxing Day is form with substance and he is clearly going the right way over fences. Cheltenham’s cambers always pose a question, but he also looks to be one of few horses who will take this race on from the front and he could therefore be difficult to pass too.
3.35 Cheltenham – Betfair Cleeve Hurdle (Grade 2)
You have been able to set your watch by GOWEL ROAD and his runner-up finishes this season, but there is a chance he could finally strike in this Grade 2. The higher calibre candidates have to be doubted in the context of this race.
Crambo was comfortably below his best on his only visit to Cheltenham in last season’s Stayers’ Hurdle, while Strong Leader’s lifeless display in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot could be seen as too bad to be true, but would nevertheless take some faith to ignore. Gowel Road, on the other hand, has run two big races under 12st in handicaps this campaign before being beaten less than a length in the Relkeel Hurdle on New Year’s Day behind the progressive Lucky Place.
He is a three-miler nowadays though, so the step back up to this distance has to be viewed positively. Sam Twiston-Davies will likely set his stall out from the front and hope his mount can find enough to end his run of seconds, with the 6lb he receives from the protagonists potentially enough to help that happen.
4.10 Cheltenham – Ais Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)
There is no temptation to see past POTTERS CHARM, who looks like one of the brightest novice hurdle prospects in Great Britain for a few seasons.
The six-year-old had been reported to be heading straight to the Festival after winning the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing Day but there is little concern that connections have chosen to run him here as well. Before that, he was especially impressive when an 11-length winner of the Grade 2 Hyde Novices’ Hurdle on the Old Course in November.
There is little reason he should not emulate that on the New Course and maintain his 100% record. Bill Joyce should prove his toughest opponent yet, but he was held comfortably enough at Newbury, so it would be disappointing if the selection could not hold him at arm’s length.
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