Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
We are really being spoilt this Saturday on ITV, with no fewer than ten races being televised. Cheltenham kicks off the jumps season on terrestrial television, and they are covering five races from Prestbury Park, three hurdles and two chases.
These are backed up by two Group contests from Newbury and three races from Doncaster, including the Group 1 Futurity Trophy. This race for 2-year-olds invariably shows up as the favourite for next year’s Derby, and Aidan O’Brien will have some of his stable stars in attendance, including unbeaten Luxembourg, who will be taking on the best UK stables have to offer. But for this week’s Lucky Fifteen, I will concentrate on Cheltenham and here are this week’s thoughts for the jumps opener.
Cheltenham Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.45 Small Bad Bob
2.20 Domaine de L’Isle
3.30 Sky Pirate
4.05 Panic Attack
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
The first race on Saturday’s Cheltenham card is at 1.45, the NHS Vaccinating Heroes Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle at just over 2 miles on the Old Course. There is a warm favourite in the shape of Paul Nicholls’s Samarrive, who was unbeaten in two outings last season, latterly at Kempton where he won easily with Lorcan Williams aboard.
The jockey continues his partnership with this classy hurdler, and it is very hard to oppose the pair. But they may not get things all their own way, having to give weight away to some smart performers, two of which are trained by Fergal O’Brien. They are Samba Dancer and Byzantine Empire, and I just give the nod to the former as the better of the two after his two wins this season at Stratford and Uttoxeter.
Paul Henderson has Small Bad Bob in the field who has also won twice this season, the latest of which was at Fontwell at the beginning of this month where he beat a small but classy field, and he looks the value bet in the race, so I hope he can take the honours in a very tight opener.
At 2.20, it is the 888Sport What’s Your Thinking Handicap Chase run over 3m 1f. The current favourite is Kerry Lee’s Storm Control who was a dual winner here at Cheltenham last year. He was highly tried after that, and his best performance was in a handicap at the Festival, finishing fifth.
Gordon Elliott’s Definite Plan comes over from Ireland with a string of seconds to his name. His trainer is hoping he can go one better, but he may have to settle for a place once again.
Another Irish raider is John McConnell’s Go Another One who has a string of victories to his name the latest of which was at Perth in September, he can go close.
Oliver Sherwood’s Jersey Bean is having his first run of the season after winning here last April but he steps up in class here.
Top weight Cloth Cap trained by Jonjo O’Neill begins his campaign on the way to the Grand National at Aintree after being pulled up in last year’s race when he was favourite. This is a tough opener and he has loads of weight plus he has never been suited by Cheltenham.
Sean Curran’s Domaine De L’Isle was a course and distance winner last April when he saw off a top-class field, that was after winning at Kempton the previous month. I am sure Curran will have him spot-on for his first run of the season and he could go on to bigger and better things.
The 888Sport Handicap Chase is at 3.30 and this trappy 2-mile contest has attracted a strong field. Jonjo O’Neill has the top weight here with last year’s Grand Annual Chase winner Sky Pirate. That race topped off a fine season for the gelding and I feel he can carry top weight home at a course he loves.
Sam Thomas’s Before Midnight is fancied after finishing last season off with a win at Chepstow in April but he has never jumped the Cheltenham fences.
Belargus finished last season with a victory for trainer Nick Gifford but he seems to save his best runs for Sandown.
Phillip Hobbs’s Leapaway has had a fair summer for his trainer managing a couple of victories at Worcester the latest of which was in September. He may take a place at a decent price. But I see this race as the ideal opportunity for Sky Pirate to get his season off to a flyer.
At 4.05, the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle has an Irish raider at the top of the handicap, that is, Gordon Elliott’s Tullybeg. This gelding comes here after two victories at Navan and Gowan Park but he may have too much weight and that may hold him back.
The other top weight is Dan Skelton’s Shannon Bridge who also finished his last campaign with two victories but he has never tackled this distance plus he will want plenty of give in the ground.
Robert Stephens’ Push The Tempo won at Worcester on his seasonal reappearance last month but steps up in class here.
Another who steps up in class is Rebecca Curtis’s Geordie Des Champs after a couple of wins at Ffos Las in the summer but he may be in the frame at a nice price.
Nicky Henderson’s Haul Away has had a fine summer hoovering up victories at Warwick and Worcester but this is a different proposition and a step up in class.
I am looking down at the bottom of the handicap to David Pipe’s Panic Attack who was an unlucky second at Aintree last May. He is a previous winner of a Listed NHF so should have the class to take this.
Cheltenham Saturday Lucky Fifteen
1.45 Small Bad Bob
2.20 Domaine de L’Isle
3.30 Sky Pirate
4.05 Panic Attack
Bet this lucky 15 now on Bet365
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