Cheltenham tips: Timeform’s 3 to watch for the festival after impressing at the weekend

Timeform pick out 3 for your tracker after running a cracker at the weekend.

By / Horse Racing News, Horse Racing Tips / 3 years ago

*Odds quoted on the widget are ante-post prices which means that if your selection does not run for whatever reason, you will lose your stake under traditional ante-post rules

Star Gate (Timeform rating h134p)

Successful on his sole outing in points, STAR GATE looked something out of the ordinary in handing out a comfortable beating to a pair of older rivals who’d already run this season at Chepstow on his debut, creating a big impression, and he took the step up to graded level in his stride on Friday when continuing his perfect start over hurdles.

Star Gate was sent off the 5/4 favourite for the Winter Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown, and he duly proved worthy of the support, travelling well and soon outclassing his rivals once the race finally began in earnest, powering clear in a most taking manner.

The form may lack a little depth, but Star Gate showed his effectiveness on very testing ground, adding another string to his bow.

He remains an exciting prospect and will be well worth his place in stronger pattern events, this performance impressive enough for bookmakers to slash his price for both the Albert Bartlett and the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Star Gate Nico de Boinville Sandown December 4, 2020

Kilcruit (Timeform rating b109p)

Initially trained by Anthony Mullins, KILCRUIT made some appeal on paper ahead of his debut at Clonmel in March, and he shaped encouragingly, travelling well and taking closer order approaching the straight, keeping on for second behind a fine long-term prospect in the shape of the Willie Mullins-trained Captain Kangaroo.

Kilcruit is now a stablemate of Captain Kangaroo, having joined the Willie Mullins yard in November, and it didn’t take him long to get off the mark for his new trainer, impressively going one better to land the spoils at Navan on Saturday.

Patiently ridden, Kilcruit made headway on the bridle from four furlongs out, looming up in ominous style before quickly putting the race to bed in impressive fashion, drawing clear to win with plenty in hand, no mean feat given how testing the conditions were.

Kilcruit will go on improving and looks the type who could easily make the step up to graded company. Connections will be tempted to go down the Champion Bumper route after that performance, a race for which Kilcruit is now second favourite.

Sayce Gold (Timeform rating h130p)

SAYCE GOLD has made impressive progress in a short space of time this season, confirming her debut promise when bagging a Fairyhouse bumper on her return to action last month, before making a successful hurdling debut at Thurles nine days on, travelling well and drawing clear from the home turn, in command between the final two flights and ultimately winning with plenty to spare.

Stepped up to graded company at Cork on Sunday, Sayce Gold produced another striking display as she claimed her third successive win in less than a month. Kept to the inner while the rest edged wider, Sayce Gold jumped fluently and travelled powerfully, pressing the leader throughout before opening up once in line for home, making a promising gelding in second look pedestrian.

She will be an exciting prospect for a mare if sent chasing, but she still has plenty more to give in this sphere before then, with the Mares Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival surely on connections’ radar.

*Odds quoted on the widget are ante-post prices which means that if your selection does not run for whatever reason, you will lose your stake under traditional ante-post rules

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