Cheltenham is the focus of our attention this weekend and there are some cracking races to look forward to.
Confidence
The Emma Lavelle-trained
Easter Meteor is now 3lbs better off with the winner for a 1¾ length beating last time out and after his fall at Cheltenham it was good to see him getting a confidence boosting clear round there.
It's always a bit harsh when horses are raised when they fall and he was put up 3lbs for his fall in the Paddy Power, but who knows how he would have fared had that not happened as he was in the lead at the time. He's a consistent performer and is on my shortlist in this.
Salut Flo is an interesting runner as he returns to the track from a significant layoff. He was last seen in action at the 2012 Cheltenham festival where he won the Byrne Group Plate, but injury appears to have blighted him once again and he hasn't been seen since. He is only 7lbs higher in the weights and can go well fresh.
Double Ross has a handy weight for Nigel Twiston-Davies, he ran well off the same mark to be second at Ascot last time out and beat Attaglance at Perth in September. I'd love to see
Silver Roque run well for in form trainer Fergal O'Brien. This is a gorgeous horse that I've been lucky enough to ride a few times and he proved he stayed 2½ miles at Sedgefield last time out.
This is obviously more of a test of his stamina, but that doesn't worry me and he will like the decent ground. He goes well fresh, but his last run shouldn't have taken a great deal out of him so I hope he runs a decent race and it would be great of he ran into a place. So, it's a red hot handicap and you can make a case for several of these. I like Grandioso and Easter Meteor, but I'm going to go with the Malcolm Jefferson trained Attaglance as he looks to be at the right end of the handicap.
In contrast,
The International Hurdle doesn't look quite as open!
The New One will be odds on in a small field as he continues his route to the Champion Hurdle in March. He was beaten by Zarkandar on his first try against the established hurdlers at Aintree in April, but emerged with credit there. That was over 2m 4f and the step back in trip is definitely in The New One's favour as Zarkandar looks like he will be seen to better effect over further this season.
After having the opportunity to pick something out in the ultra-competitive December Gold Cup I'm afraid it's The New One here and it will be a shame if he is turned over, even against a horse as useful as Zarkandar. The New One is currently 7/2 favourite with Sky Bet for the Champion Hurdle at the festival.
More
Away from the two big races I'm hoping for a bold show from one of my horses to follow,
Shutthefrontdoor, in
the 3m 1 ½f Novices' Chase. The Jonjo O'Neill trained six-year-old won on his chase debut at Aintree and lost little in defeat when second to Le Bec at this track last time out. He's currently 16/1 with Sky Bet for the RSA Chase and this race should tell us a bit more.
The Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham has attracted some smart entries although the race can sometimes end up with just a handful of runners.
Ptit Zig was beaten by Diakali in Grade 1 company in France this summer, but the former has since won a Grade 1 back at Auteuil for Paul Nicholls and he is an interesting runner in this 2m 4f Grade 2.
At Doncaster I expect Royal Irish Hussar to run well in the
Summit Juvenile Hurdle. Nicky Henderson's 3 year old is 8/1 joint favourite with Sky Bet at this stage for the Triumph Hurdle and he has done little wrong in three starts over hurdles to date winning all three including a decent Grade 2 at Cheltenham last time out.
There are some nice horses entered at Navan on Sunday, none more so than
Briar Hill, who could take his chance in the
Grade 1 Novice Hurdle. His trainer Willie Mullins has three of the seven entries in the race including another unbeaten horse Moyle Park. Briar Hill is unbeaten under rules - he unseated on his first start in an Irish Point.
He won the Cheltenham Champion Bumper in March and landed the odds in a Maiden Hurdle at Wexford last month. He wouldn't have found Wexford playing to his strength so you'd hope there is more to come.
Moyle Park needs to brush up his jumping if his win on his hurdle debut at this track is anything to go by, but in better company and given a stronger pace he should jump more proficiently.
Briar Hill is the current 12/1 favourite with Sky Bet for the race they sponsor at the festival, the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. He is also 8/1 fav for the
Neptune Novices' Hurdle and 10/1 co-fav of three for the Albert Bartlett.
Cheltenham
A word on Friday's card at Cheltenham where
Oscar Whisky bids to get a first win over fences. He runs in the opening
2m 5f Novices' Chase. He didn't convince me with his jumping behind Taquin de Seuil at this track last month and I'd be happy to take him on with the Paul Nicholls-trained
Wonderful Charm. The feature on Friday is
the 3m 1 1/2f Grade 3 Handicap Chase. Ten horses have been declared and I like the look of Hennessy
3rd Theatre Guide for Colin and Joe Tizzard. He is still lightly raced over fences and if the Newbury race hasn't taken too much out of him he should run a big race.
Friday Selections:
Wonderful Charm in the Novices' Chase
Theatre Guide in the 3m 1 1/2f Grade 3 Handicap Chase
Saturday Selections
Attaglance in the December Gold Cup @ 8/1 with Sky Bet
The New One in the International Hurdle @ 4/9 with Sky Bet
Shutthefrontdoor in the Novices' Chase
Ptit Zig in the Relkeel Hurdle
Royal Irish Hussar in the Summit Juvenile Hurdle (Doncaster)
Sunday Selections
Briar Hill in the Grade 1 Novice Hurdle at Navan
