Our value tipster Matthew Sutcliffe looks to start 2025 with a bang and has FOUR tips for Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. Check out his best bets for Wednesday here, which includes an eye-catching 3pt win…
12:55 Cheltenham – Richmond Villages And Bupa Care Homes Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) – Mount Gay Run 14/1 1pt WIN
The market will likely be in favour of both Ken Roy and Diva Luna, with the former just touched off at 13/8 last time out for Paul Nicholls and Cobden now takes over, and the latter made a promising hurdling debut at Lingfield after a successful bumper campaign for Ben Pauling, culminating with a win in the Aintree G2 bumper which was typically worked out well.
The one who could be slightly overlooked is Mount Gay Run, who ran an excellent race against race fit rivals in a listed contest at Sandown, beaten four lengths at 50/1 by Honky Tonk Highway. That was his debut for Keiran Burke since leaving Paul Nicholls, where he was initially sought for £100,000, and given he hung left throughout around Sandown he should fare more comfortable here at Cheltenham with that run under his belt.
He’d have to settle better than he has in his three runs thus far to get home over this further trip, but he’s shaped as if this trip will suit and the pedigree backs that up, given his dam stayed 2m4f and she’s a half sister to both Muirhead, who won the Munster National over three miles, and Thomas Darby who won the G2 Long Distance Hurdle over three miles.
Keiran Burke is an excellent operator with a limited string, and is one from four with his hurdles here in the last five seasons.
1:30 Cheltenham – Betfair Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (5yo+ 0-150) – Chantry House 9/1 1pt WIN
I’m happy to give Chantry House one last chance here, as I don’t think the team at Seven Barrows would send him back over fences had he not shown some spark at home. He was entitled to come on for the run one seasonal debut at Newbury as he travelled strongly into the race from rear before weakening late on in perhaps the wrong part of the track, and given he was running in a Gold Cup only three starts ago over fences, this mark of 149 has to be chanced in just his second handicap chase. He’s two from three over fences on the new course here, and the blinkers are given a fourth go.
2:05 Cheltenham – Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) – Marble Sands 11/1 1pt WIN
With Gemirande, Springwell Bay, Lisnamault Lad and Hitman all almost guaranteed to force the pace, this could fall perfectly into the hands of Marble Sands, who was impressive in the Colin Parker to comfortably dispatch of the re-opposing Colonel Harry having come from off the pace.
The son of Martaline was entirely disgraced in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle when beaten seventeen lengths off top weight, with the race favouring two prominent racers, and the forms worked out well with the second just touched off in the Howden Silver Cup and the 4th/5th finished 1st/2nd in the Rowland Meyrick last time out.
His form over this trip reads 25411, with the 5th and the 4th coming in both the Challow and the John Francombe at Newbury. He was a smart novice in the 2022/23 season, notching up listed honours in the Sidney Banks before faring best of the British trained runners in the G1 Ballymore and he wasn’t disgraced in 6th in the G1 Sefton at Aintree. While the majority of his best form has admittedly come right handed, he posted a career best RPR at the time when winning at Ayr on chase debut under Nick Slatter in rear and despite hanging right in the run when landing a novice chase handicap around Musselburgh, he showed a tendency to jump left throughout which wouldn’t be as concerning around here.
He’s remains a progressive type who could still be well handicapped off a mark of 144 and while he doesn’t seem to quite stay three miles, this strongly run test over 2m4f will surely play in to his hands particularly now he’s learnt to settle, with the yard in good form.
2:40 Cheltenham – Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) -Strackan 9/2 3pt WIN
Prominent racers have fared well in this contest in recent seasons and a lack of early pace could suit Strackan, who’s been impressive from the front the last twice and looks to be going the right way. The son of Blue Bresil has taken a while to come to hand having troubling to come closer than twenty three lengths in four hurdle efforts last season, and while was no match for Double Powerful at Worcester in October, that one has since climbed 34lbs.
Strackan ran way with 0-130 at Bangor last time, travelling strongly in front and nicking a couple lengths with a pair of aggressive jumps four and three out, which immediately put the field to the sword. He measured the last well and was eased down coming toward the line, with the four lengths gap to the second certainly not doing the performance justice. The Mel Rowley horse who tried to go with him three out was beaten some forty eight length and the other prominent runner (100/30 SP) was comfortably beaten eight lengths in fourth, with the next two home having come from off the pace so we can somewhat upgrade the performance on that basis.
The level of competition there is not too dissimilar to this contest, as the 11/4F in third was only beaten a length by the progressive Double Powerful at Cheltenham the time before, stunting his six timer, and the JP horse in fourth was an eye-catcher in a C2 at Cheltenham in November when beaten seven lengths behind Doyen Quest, finishing two lengths behind Gowel Road who lines up in the Relkeel Hurdle.
Henry Daly remains in excellent form with four of his last eleven runners winning at the time of writing, he’s one from three in handicap hurdles here this season and his record when teaming up with Sam Twiston-davies this season reads 60-13-18 (£35.70+).
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