It almost feels like last week since Rebel Dawn Rising won the 2m4f hunters’ chase at Prestbury Park in May, but the Flat season is in the past now and the Cheltenham October meeting is on our agenda.
And so, the Cheltenham 2023/24 season is over.
From Our Champ to Rebel Dawn Rising, we’ve seen some nice performance.
As always, it’s been a pleasure to cover the season as a journalist. Thoroughly grateful for all the support.
Time for the Flat now. When’s Brighton again? pic.twitter.com/lSCh98SRa7
— Ash Symonds Journalism (@ASymondsJourno) May 3, 2024
Friday kicks off another campaign at the home of jumps racing, and plenty of the races look very interesting.
Kalpana helped eat into the loss this column took at Chepstow the week prior, so let’s hope Cheltenham is equally as kind to us.
2:25 Cheltenham – Matata @ 9/4 with BetVictor – 2pt Win
Although his price has come in since we recorded the Only Fools Love Horses preview, the case for Matata remains in the third race of the day.
His last handicap run came at the course on New Year’s Day when second to Libberty Lane.
The winner has since finished second in the Grand Annual and third in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices’ Chase, and Matata made a mistake at the last fence which potentially cost him the race.
Belting finish! 😱
Matata jumped for fun in the Close Brothers Novices' Limited Handicap Chase @CheltenhamRaces, but Libberty Hunter flew home after the last under @Adamkwedge 🏇@EWilliamsRacing's eight-year-old is on the march 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ClFhJ5wCZ7
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 1, 2024
The form of his second in the Grade 2 Lightning Novices’ Chase also looks good as Master Chewy, the fourth, was second to Found A Fifty in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices’ Chase two starts later.
Nigel Twiston-Davies’ six-year-old won on seasonal debut last year on good to soft ground and won on good ground in a novice handicap hurdle, so conditions should suit.
Off 147, just five pounds higher than his mark when second to Libberty Lane, he has a good chance here.
2:25 Cheltenham – Arclight @ 7/1 with William Hill – 1pt Win
As much as Matata holds strong claims, the case for Arclight is a makeable one in the conditions.
Nicky Henderson’s mare won on seasonal reappearance last season, a race that occurred on good ground, and the form of beating Mayhem Mya (improved eight pounds since) and Carole’s Pass (now rated 132) from her Listed Exeter success is strong.
Three from three over fences!
Arclight, a juvenile winner on the Flat and still only four, lands the hat-trick over the larger obstacles with a smooth and likeable success in the Listed Lady Godiva Mares' Novices' Chase 👏 @wincantonraces @sevenbarrows | @NdeBoinville pic.twitter.com/OCgFn0f6VP
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 19, 2023
Her final win two starts ago occurred at Wincanton where he beat Marsh Wren, a subsequent two-time winner and Grade 2 Mares’ Chase third, which again looks like nice form for a horse rated 136.
Back in handicap company, she is of interest.
3:35 Cheltenham – Planned Paradise @ 14/1 with SkyBet (6 places) – 1pt EW
I can’t see why Planned Paradise won’t run a big race in the amateur jockeys’ handicap chase at Cheltenham on Friday.
Just five starts ago in July, he dotted up at Perth off 107 (running to an RPR of 128) over 2m4f.
🏆 Secure Air Parks Edinburgh Airport Parking Handicap Chase 🏆
🥇 Planned Paradise
🥈 The Gypsy Davey
🥉 Guarde De ChampsJack Tudor | Christian Williams Racing pic.twitter.com/ppF3MU1Qnw
— Scottish Racing (@ScottishRacing) July 4, 2024
He comes into Cheltenham this weekend off just a five-pound higher mark, and Gina Andrews choosing to ride him is worth noting.
She rode Strictlyadancer when fourth in this race last year, but he is partnered by Edward Vaughan this year instead.
Although Planned Paradise’s last win came over 2m4f, he ran into a clearly well-handicapped Get Up Much over 3m1f at Warwick on his last start and has run two good races over 3m5f before.
The latest occurred at Fakenham in May when second, though he was also a runner-up to Quick Wave in the 2022 London National Handicap Chase off 119.
He’ll like the ground, he has race fitness on his side, and is on a workable mark.
4:10 Cheltenham – Potters Charm @ 7/4 with Paddy Power – 2pt Win
The local track Worcester saw Potters Charm sprint clear on hurdles debut last month, and I thought the performance was impressive.
Chancycourt, who was already race-fit, is a fine horse for Fergal O’Brien and Nigel Twiston-Davies’ five-year-old won easily.
🚨 Grade 1 targets for hurdling debut winner POTTERS CHARM, says Willy Twiston-Davies.
“We’ll look at Cheltenham at the end of October, but the long term target will be the Challow at Newbury.
“We’re hoping he’s one of our brighter lights of the year.
“We think of him as a… https://t.co/Kix2zTAuB6 pic.twitter.com/ge2XGCgeez
— Ash Symonds Journalism (@ASymondsJourno) September 27, 2024
He jumped nicely, and although he was rallied along at the end, I thought his turn of foot in the final half a furlong deserved plenty of respect.
The better ground is a new condition he’ll have to face, but his dam’s half-brother, Earth King, won his three jumps races on good and good to soft.
Connections have Grade 1 aspirations with him, and I hope he can continue that progression.
4:45 Cheltenham – Jilaijone @ 10/1 with Paddy Power (4 places) – 1pt EW
David Pipe has landed a few nice races recently, notably at Chepstow two weeks ago, and he might have lined-up Jilaijone for the conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle.
His mark of 119 is one pound higher than his official rating when second at Chepstow in October 2023, a race that came before his valiant second to Blueking d’Oroux in the Masterson Holdings Hurdle over course and distance.
Blueking D'oroux flies home to win the Masterson Holdings Hurdle
It's a fourth win in the race for @PFNicholls #ITVRacing | @CheltenhamRaces | @CobdenHarry pic.twitter.com/WyYtcjRMvu
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) October 28, 2023
The winner has a rating of 150 now having won a Grade 2 subsequently, so the form looks strong and he’ll handle the good ground.
Gearoid Harney claims a further six pounds off his back as well, so this improving five-year-old looks like an unexposed type here.
