Well, the road to March really is on, and as such, I have my first official Cheltenham Festival Ante-post Tip to share for the column.
Admittedly, my hand has slightly been forced, but all will be revealed once I start talking about the fancy. I also apologise for the timing of this ante-post tip; I was planning on releasing this earlier this week, 0but time got the better of me.
Furthermore, as is usual with these weekend columns, I have my selections for Cheltenham Trials Day and Doncaster.
For the benefit of clarity, this month has been tough for the column. Nemean Lion was a welcome winner at Windsor last week, but I’ve failed to get back into gear, so we are running at a loss for the month.
Hopefully, this weekend can change that, so let’s dive into my first Cheltenham Festival Ante-post tip.
Cheltenham Festival Ante-post tip
Turners Novices’ Hurdle – Potters Charm @ 7/1 with BoyleSports – 1pt Win
So, as I was saying, Potters Charm running on Saturday in the Grade 2 AIS Novices’ Hurdle has given me the nudge to pull the trigger on him for the Grade 1 Turners Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
I’ve been one of his biggest fans so far this season, and without trying to trumpet too much, I’ve voiced my confidence in him for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle from a long way out.
Why? Well, I just love his attitude. He is a dude of a horse.
On hurdles debut at Worcester, his turn of foot after the last under the encouragement of Sam Twiston-Davies was impressive, especially when Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horses potentially needed their first runs.
Although his success at the Cheltenham October Meeting initially looked like a poor race, the form has worked out. Minella Sixo, the runner-up, nearly won a Grade 3 on his next start before finishing a fine third to The Big Westerner at Limerick in a Grade 2.
Furthermore, the third, First Confession, bolted up in an Ascot maiden hurdle subsequently and the fourth, Cloonainra, finished a close second in the Grade 2 Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle earlier this month.
It was a poor renewal of the Rossington Main, granted, but still, form is form.
Beating Valgrand by 11 lengths at the November Meeting on good ground was a nice performance as he was able to keep tabs on Valgrand’s slick jumping before picking him off easily around the bend.
Finally, his win in the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle was fine, but that’s all it needed to be over 2m1f.
Good And Clever, the third, has Regent’s Stroll form and the fourth, Celtic Dino, looked quite smart when winning at Ascot in November. Miami Magic, the runner-up, is hard to assess as a piece of form, but he is still thoroughly unexposed and George’s Lad, a horse he easily beat at Kempton in November, bolted up in a nice maiden hurdle at Doncaster today.
Yes, The New Lion is a worthy favourite, but he’s priced accordingly and there is a good case to be made for Potters Charm, so he is my first Cheltenham Festival Ante-post tip.
Cheltenham Trials Day & Doncaster Selections
1:30 Doncaster – Petit Tonnerre @ 5/1 with BoyleSports – 1pt Win
Petit Tonnerre is a well-handicapped horse on his best form, it’s just whether he brings that form back to the table.
At the start of this season, he finished a staying-on second off 125 to Imperial Saint, a horse now rated 10lbs higher, at Aintree.
He was given plenty to do that day and he arguably could have won with a ride closer to the pace.
As for some of his other form, he finished a fine seventh in the Scottish Champion Hurdle off 132 and the race has produced L’Eau Du Sud and Rubaud.
He was also a fine fourth to Libberty Hunter and Matata on New Year’s Day 2024 off 138.
Let’s hope the trip to Doncaster is worth it as he can win this race off 125.
1:50 Cheltenham – Soul Icon @ 10/1 with BetVictor (3 places) – 1pt EW
I’ve done plenty of head-scratching looking at the 1:50 because I kept coming back to Soul Icon who isn’t a horse I’d usually back.
He’s running off a career-high mark at a different trip to his last race against some nice rivals.
A horse like Moon d’Orange would be the typical play, but John McConnell’s stable form (0-39 over jumps) is enough of a worry to leave him alone.
Similar stable form worries hang over the head of Paul Nicholls and Venetia Williams in my opinion, so Ginny’s Destiny, Gemirande, and Il Ridoto can be left alone.
Furthermore, Iroko might have a bigger day in mind, Imperial Saint has risen 26lbs in the handicap since April, Some Scope might find the trip a touch too sharp, and I have question marks about the other three.
So, Soul Icon is the bet.
I was really taken by the way he travelled through the Desert Orchid, which was a well-run race thanks to the presence of Editeur Du Gite and Sans Bruit, and he comfortably beat Edwardstone despite being 4lbs out of the handicap.
Edwardstone has since finished a good third in the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase behind Jonbon and Energumene which is ultimately good form.
He’s a quick horse, but he won over 2m3f and 2m4f as a hurdler and stayed on through the line at Ayr last season when second to Outlaw Peter.
So, the trip isn’t a worry, and while proper soft ground would be, I’m hopeful the surface won’t be testing.
10/1 looks like a good price on Cheltenham Trials Day.
3:15 Doncaster – Bowtogreatness @ 14/1 with BoyleSports (5 places) – 1pt EW
Bowtogreatness has turned into a bit of a money pit, and I do think he’s burnt through six of his eight lives, but there are reasons to stick with him at Doncaster.
Quite simply, it’s three miles on good to soft ground around a flat left-handed track. So, from left to right, I’ll try and explain why these are key things.
I’ve come to the conclusion that he doesn’t quite stay marathon trips. They tried him in the Kim Muir and the 3m7f handicap chase at Punchestown to not much avail, and when he tried to make all on soft ground over 3m1f at Cheltenham last time out, he ran out of puff jumping the second last.
Although he won at Newbury on good ground earlier this season, he has won on heavy before and some of his best form comes on soft, so the slightly better side of soft should be fine for him.
As for the left-handed debate, two of his three wins have come this way around and when he finished third in the Coral Trophy at Kempton last season (arguably one of his best performances of the last few years), he slightly jumped out to his right under pressure.
With a rating of 131, 2lbs above his last winning mark and 2lbs below his Coral Trophy third-place rating, he’s well-treated to go close on a nice flat track.
3:35 Cheltenham – Gowel Road @ 7/2 with BoyleSports – 1pt Win
The Cleeve Hurdle is a pretty competitive race this year, and for that reason, I want to keep Gowel Road on side.
Arguably the best performance of his season came last time out over an inadequate trip, and the tactics employed are part of the reason behind that.
He was bucked out from the front to put some pressure onto good horses, and finishing second to the rapidly improving Lucky Place is no disgrace.
Furthermore, Salver looked beaten in the Relkeel Hurdle before falling at the last and he went on to run a big race behind Nemean Lion at Windsor.
On his three previous runs at Cheltenham this season, he finished second to The Wallpark, Doyen Quest, and Long Draw, three horses who were thoroughly unexposed at the time.
Back to three miles and on soft ground should really suit this course specialist.
