Cheltenham is back on our TV screens on Friday. With four races going live on ITV, here are GG tipster Joe Napier’s best bets across the quartet of contests.
1.50 Cheltenham – Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Coming Soon Handicap Chase
Chianti Classico comes into this aiming to prove his Gold Cup credentials off a big weight, and there is every chance he can defy his lofty mark of 157. However, with his recent Ascot form taking a few knocks, his in-form rival KING TURGEON may be able to get the better of him in receipt of a whopping 24lb.
David Pipe’s six-year-old is up in class again here, but has looked completely revitalised after a break and wind surgery over the summer. He returned with a ten-length win over this 3m2f trip at Chepstow, then followed up in the Grand Sefton over the Grand National fences at Aintree when back in trip.
A genuine test clearly suits him, and though he is up another 8lb, Pipe has found him another race in which he can carry a light weight of 10st 4lb. We know he stays and is on the up, so while this is nominally a higher class of race than the Grand Sefton, it actually looks easier on paper, with the exception of the favourite.
2.25 Cheltenham – Unibet Middle Distance Chase Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase
Shakem Up’arry’s Festival winning form stands out in the context of this veterans’ race, but on his return, he is likely to be vulnerable to a fitter opponent. Preference is for TORN AND FRAYED, who rounded back into form last time out at Warwick, and has won on the New Course over this distance before.
He was not beaten too far in last season’s December Gold Cup off a 5lb higher mark, and this is substantially easier facing only horses of his age or older. He ended the season with a promising run over track and trip too when fourth to In Excelsis Deo.
Though beaten comfortably by Shakem Up’arry twice last year, he is now getting 18lb from that rival, having never got more than a stone off him before. The fact that Nigel Twiston-Davies’ charge regained the winning thread with a cosy success at Warwick last time is also a positive, and a 6lb rise in this company looks manageable.
3.00 Cheltenham – Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Country Handicap Chase
This is a remarkably deep cross country chase for December, and French raider Iceo Madrik is probably priced up more on the fact that compatriot Sweet David won the equivalent race at last month’s Cheltenham meeting than on his form alone. As a result, he is opposable, especially as he showed precious little when trained on these shores by David Pipe.
Former winner Latenightpass is respected, but if able to transfer her Punchestown banks form across to Cheltenham, THREE BY TWO looks a fantastic price. She is one of those cross country specialists who would receive around four or five stone in a traditional handicap, but she excels in these contests, finishing a close runner-up in the la Touche Cup over 4m1f in May, beating Coko Beach, as she did again at Punchestown last month.
The eight-year-old only received 12lb from the Gigginstown grey that day, but gets 22lb here, yet is nearly twice his price in places to confirm that form. Equally, though she was beaten three lengths by Stumptown that day, she gets a 4lb swing with him too, and that rival is also making his Cheltenham cross country debut. Three By Two is just as likely to take to this test, will be fine on the ground, and has a fine each-way chance.
3.35 Cheltenham – Citipost Handicap Hurdle
This revolves around recent winner Doyen Quest, who had a lot in hand when winning off 10lb lower last month. Favourite backers are not put off siding with him to win again, but the interesting one in here is BHALOO for Nicky Henderson, who is a surprise declaration for this contest.
For one, he has never raced over 3m before, but he also made a promising novice chase debut when winning at Ascot last month. He generally jumped well that day, so connections must have their reasons for returning to hurdles here off this 5lb higher mark, especially going up in trip.
Predicting Henderson’s runners has not been the easiest task so far this season, but it would be unusual were this to have been a last-minute throwaway plan as opposed to a genuine aim. As a result, he looks a decent outside bet to at least make the frame.
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