*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
Rory Delargy’s ITV Racing Tips:
Cheltenham 13:20 – Beauport
Musselburgh 13:35 – Gold Des Bois
Cheltenham 13:55 – Simply The Betts/Jacamar
Cheltenham 14:30 – Dashel Drasher
Musselburgh 14:45 – Socialist Agenda
Cheltenham 15:05 – Abuffalosoldier
Cheltenham 13:20 – Beauport
I find this a tough race. I’m not sure Monmiral is a Cheltenham horse but he has the best form in the book. He seems happier on a flat track.
The horse I like is Beauport. He was a winner on chase debut in the Colin Parker Memorial at Carlisle but he was no match for Ballygrifincottage when trying to give weight at Haydock last time out. The winner’s probably a very good horse, however. Beauport has largely avoided Cheltenham but he should be fine at the track and is perfectly happy going left handed. It isn’t an easy task for him but he just about gets the vote for me.
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Musselburgh 13:35 – Gold Des Bois
Gold Des Bois ran well at Cheltenham last time and was only beaten by 12l in the end. He went right at the second last fence which cost him a fair bit of ground and his previous form has worked out well. He still looks well handicapped but I’d be more confident if the ground was genuinely good. He’s the one to be with.
Cheltenham 13:55 – Simply The Betts/Jacamar
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There aren’t many at the top of the market who make particular appeal despite the quality of this contest. One who does is Simply The Betts, who ran better than the final result on his return in the Paddy Power when neither he nor his owner/rider appeared at the peak of their fitness, and I would expect improvement on that effort. The handicapper has given him a chance by dropping him 3lb for that respectable seventh behind Ga Law.
The last time Simply The Betts was this low in the weights, he won the 2020 Festival Plate over C&D, and he has run at least respectably off higher marks in many of the competitive Grade 3 handicaps at around this trip since. He would have finished closer last time but for a rare mistake at the penultimate fence and then met some interference when plugging on after the last. The slightly stiffer test on the New Course will suit, and he is likely to be there or thereabouts at a working man’s price.
Jacamar did me a good turn around this time last year and he makes a degree of appeal at prices. His jumping is the worry as he tends to get low and can make errors, but he won off marks of 130 and 131 last term, and has dropped to 132 now having failed to see out longer trips on recent starts. The return to 2½m is in his favour, and he’s worth a win-only wager with a first-time visor potentially helping him to concentrate at his fences. That’s a high-risk bet, but the odds are too good to turn it down.
Cheltenham 14:30 – Dashel Drasher
I like Dashel Drasher and I always tend to like Dashel Drasher. He was back to form, despite racing over a trip that was probably stretching him, when second to Noble Yeats in the Many Clouds last time. They had to ride him with different tactics but he jumped well and tried his heart out and got the better of Ahoy Senor for second. He’ll be a lot happier to bowl along in front as there’s no other frontrunner in the race. Because his jumping’s so fluent he can build up a lead and prove a hard horse to pass. He’s a likeable type and overpriced. I see no reason to be against him.
Musselburgh 14:45 – Socialist Agenda
I think Socialist Agenda will run well. He’s a C&D winner who ran well when second to Al Zaraqaan last time. The owner likes getting winners north of the border and particularly likes laying them out for this meeting. My selection can probably build on his effort last time out and Lewis Dobb is on board again claiming 7lb. He’s effectively running off 115 and he was a winner off 118 in February last year over course and distance. He looks sure to give a good account of himself again.
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Cheltenham 15:05 – Abuffalosoldier
A tough one and I’m taking a chance on a horse that’s improving called Abuffalosoldier. Warren Greatrex has his horses in better form this year than last. He doesn’t want the ground too deep and Cheltenham is unlikely to turn heavy. He improved again to win at Newbury last time out and started off on a pretty low mark. He’s going the right way and is well weighted. I’ll stick with him to keep progressing.
Rory Delargy’s ITV Racing Tips:
Cheltenham 13:20 – Beauport
Musselburgh 13:35 – Gold Des Bois
Cheltenham 13:55 – Simply The Betts/Jacamar
Cheltenham 14:30 – Dashel Drasher
Musselburgh 14:45 – Socialist Agenda
Cheltenham 15:05 – Abuffalosoldier
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
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