Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
Cheltenham takes centre stage again this week with four televised races and these are backed up by two Listed races on the all-weather from Lingfield. But I must admit that I and several leading personalities within jump racing are getting a little fed up with ITV’s obsession with the Gloucestershire course, it is after all just another meeting.
They devoted a whole afternoon last month to a card there and this week they are covering the Friday and Saturday meetings to the detriment of any other jumps card they could have shown. Strange that on Sunday they are adding Fontwell and Punchestown to their schedule whereas they could have added Uttoxeter or Wetherby to Saturday’s programme.
So we have to deal with what we are given and look at the racing from Prestbury Park where the Paddy Power Gold Cup is the highlight and here are my thoughts for the meeting.
Saturday Cheltenham Lucky Fifteen
1.05 Head To The Stars
2.15 Caribean Boy
2.50 Onagatheringstorm
3.25 Capilano Bridge
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
I will begin with the 1.05 at Cheltenham with the Jewson Tool Hire Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase which although it is not televised, ITV are surely bound to show the replay during the programme.
There are four Irish raiders involved here and three of them are at the top of the handicap one of which is Henry de Bromhead’s Plan Of Attack who fell three out in the Kim Muir at the Festival when disputing second. Since then, he has been well beaten at Sandown and Galway.
Another Irish horse is Opposites Attract trained by Dermot McLoughlin who ran consistently well last season finishing second on three occasions then tenth in the Irish National on his final run in April, he will go close.
Of the UK entries, Dr Richard Newland’s Minella Encore won last time at Fakenham last month in a four runner contest.
Polly Gundry’s Dawson City was also a winner last time out at Cartmel in May but he is a 12-year-old now.
I like the look of Henry Daly’s Head To The Stars who won at Ludlow last March. He was pulled up on soft/heavy ground in his other contests but given good ground, he can go well for a stable than starting to fire.
The big race of the day- the Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase at 2.15 and one of the top weights is Dan Skelton’s Protektorat who ran consistently well last season topping it off with a Grade 1 win at Aintree, but the weight may be a problem.
Lalor is having his first run for new trainer Paul Nicholls. He was pulled up in his only contest last year and is probably best watched.
Sue Smith’s Midnight Shadow ran a good third at Aintree last month. He has won twice here at Cheltenham and may well make the frame.
Spiritofthegames has not won for three years and I can’t really see Dan Skelton’s charge having a change in fortunes here.
Evan Williams’s Coole Cody won this in 2020 and he had a good prep run here at Cheltenham last month but he has 6lbs more than last year.
Down at the bottom of the handicap is Venetia Williams’s Farinet who finished off last season with a win at Sandown, this young horse may run into a place at a nice price.
My preference is for Nicky Henderson’s Caribean Boy who won at Newbury a year ago. He was highly tried after that and was unsuited by the National fences in the Topham at the end of last season. This 7-year-old will come on this season under the beady eye of his trainer.
At 2.50, it is the Paddy Power Games Handicap Hurdle run over 3 miles. The favourite here is Dan Skelton’s Proschema who comes here after a good run at Wetherby at the end of last month, but he rises 3lbs in the weights for that.
Ballymillsy trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies had a great start to the season when winning comfortably at Newton Abbot last month but steps up in class here.
Ian Williams’s Dragon Bones was second here last month where he kept on well. However, Fergal O’Brien’s Onagatheringstorm was third that day and he is 9lbs better off giving him every chance here.
Kansas City Chief came over from Jersey to win here last month in a race I regarded as something of a fluke. He returns here and moves up to Listed company and even off the bottom weight I just cannot see lightning striking twice. It’s Onagatheringstorm for me.
Finally, it is the Paddy Power Feel Like A Favourite Intermediate Handicap Hurdle at 3.25. Dr Richard Newland’s Benson is one of the top weights after three victories last season but he has not been seen for 11 months when he finished fourth at Sandown. He is probably best watched.
Unexpected Party won at Wetherby last month for Dan Skelton but he is up 11lbs for that victory and is rising in class.
Paul Henderson’s Small Bad Bob has won twice already this year and certainly has a chance to make the frame off his current mark.
Mackelduff won well at Aintree last month and Olly Murphy’s charge is another who enters calculations. He is another who can be placed.
But there are a couple of Irish raiders in the lineup one of which is Conor O’Dwyer’s Capilano Bridge who won twice last season. His last run was at Punchestown in April where he was a well-beaten second in a 25 runner field, a reproduction of that form could well be enough to take this.
Saturday Cheltenham Lucky Fifteen
1.05 Head To The Stars
2.15 Caribean Boy
2.50 Onagatheringstorm
3.25 Capilano Bridge
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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