*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.
Cheltenham Festival 2023 is just six weeks away and with Paddy Power going NON RUNNER MONEY BACK ON ALL RACES, Frank Hickey swung by to give us the lowdown on some names to keep an eye on as the Festival approaches.
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CHAMPION CHASE
The market was blown wide open with Editeur Du Gite causing a surprise winning the re-scheduled Clarence House Stakes. Many will feel now that the runner-up Edwardstone is the one to take out of the race with March in mind, as he was tracking Energumene and as a result gave Editeur Du Gite a little too much rope in front.
I still think that Editeur Du Gite may be underestimated in the market come the big day. He was cut from 25/1 for the Champion Chase and it is very dangerous to dismiss his chances. He’s posted two career-best efforts in his last two runs.
Edwardstone hardened to favourite as former ante-post fav Energumene drifted out to as big as 100/30 before forgiving punters forced his price in again. It was a disappointing effort by the reigning champ and I’d be against him all day long at this sort of price and shorter.
CHELTENHAM GOLD CUP
Ahoy Senor was a gutsy winner of the Cotswold Chase and duly rebounded back into the reckoning for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. We slashed him in from 66/1 and with Ahoy Senor’s best form coming in the Spring, he can be expected to improve a little more again next month.
The runner-up Sounds Russian ran a cracker considering he was ridden forcefully. He has improved with every start over fences and were he to return for a crack at the Gold Cup, he would interest me at an each-way price, provided he was ridden with a little more restraint. The best is yet to come from him.
My initial feeling was that Noble Yeats was a little disappointing but on reflection he was conceding 3lb to Ahoy Senor and 6lb to Sounds Russian and also proved that he can act around Cheltenham. He remains firmly in contention to back up his Aintree Grand National win last season.
Protektorat was very disappointing and trebled in price from a pre-race 8/1 directly after the race. Some punters felt that was too much of an over-reaction on our behalf. I couldn’t have him on my mind for winning a Cheltenham Gold Cup off that run.
CROSS COUNTRY CHASE
Delta Work beat stablemate Tiger Roll last year to win the Cross Country Chase but failed to concede more than a stone (14lb) to Back On The Lash and Deise Aba in the Cross Country Handicap Chase on the same card. They will meet again off level weights at the Festival so we’re happy to leave him as the clear market leader still.
Back On The Lash was clipped in from 33/1 but would need to take a decent step forward to figure at the Festival carrying level weights. However, if the ground came up good, that would make him a definite each-way contender. Deise Aba ran a cracker on his first try at this style of fence and could have each-way supporters at the prices if lining up next March.
TRIUMPH HURDLE
The Joseph O’Brien-trained Comfort Zone enhanced his claims for Triumph Hurdle glory on the final day by winning and was clipped in from 14/1. The runner-up Scriptwriter currently appears to be the top UK juvenile hurdler and as a result this bodes well for the Irish challenge. It also is another pointer to the form of current ante-post favourite Lossiemouth who had Comfort Zone six lengths back in third at Fairyhouse earlier in the season.
TURNERS CHASE / FESTIVAL PLATE
Stage Star was an impressive winner of the novices handicap chase off top weight and we cut him from 33/1 for the Group One Turners Novices’ Chase as Saturday’s contest usually has a strong impact on the Festival. Paul Nicholls’ runner could also stick to handicap company and be aimed at the Festival Plate also depending on the handicappers’ reaction. At this stage he looks one of the few credible UK challengers in the Turners Novices’ Chase.
PADDY POWER STAYERS’ HURDLE
Gold Tweet was the complete unknown horse in the Cleeve Hurdle but was a convincing winner. He surely be supplemented for The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle now? He is only a six-year-old and clearly has huge potential. Gordon Elliott’s Teahupoo heads the market after his dominant win in the Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park last week. The The Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle is now developing into an intriguing contest after looking extremely weak little over a month ago.
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*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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