At the time of writing, day one of the Cheltenham October Meeting hasn’t started, so let’s assume all of Friday’s selections won, naturally.
It’s a big day in both the jumps and Flat scene on Saturday, and here are my main selections.
1:10 Cheltenahm – Lisnamult Lad @ 20/1 with Betfair (4 places) – 1pt EW
The opening contest on Saturday at Chelteham is wide-open, but Lisnamult Lad deserves respect for Ian Donoghue.
When trained by John McConnell, he showed promise over hurdles, notably when bolting up at Hexham over 2m4f and Ludlow over one furlong further.
He was sent off 5/2 to beat Butch at the same meeting last year, but I’m not sure how well he stays three miles.
So easy! Irish raider Lisnamult Lad bolts up in the @HexhamRaces opener for @benharvey11 and @McConnellRacing… pic.twitter.com/OKYeZhdhC3
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 6, 2023
After that, ran well over three miles on his first two starts for Donoghue when second to the well-handicapped Bardenstown Lad and Tommie Beau, both of whom have won since.
He has something to prove over fences, but he’s won on good ground before, goes well fresh, and is open to improvement over the bigger obstacles.
2:05 Doncaster – Aberama Gold @ 7/1 with Bet365 (5 places) – 1pt EW
There’s nothing quirky about this pick as Aberama Gold is well-known to many people.
I put him up in this column when third at Haydock three starts ago.
Gamble landed! Stewards' Cup hero Aberama Gold wins again for @omeararacing and Danny Tudhope at @DoncasterRaces… pic.twitter.com/OlrnQ5lVdv
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 28, 2023
Blue Storm, the winner that day, reopposes, but David O’Meara’s seven-year-old gets a six-pound swing in the weights which is key.
Furthermore, Aberama Gold’s record at Doncaster reads 1, 18, 2, 3, 2, 2, 1, so he clearly likes the track, especially in soft conditions.
With Hollie Doyle booked, he can run a good race here.
2:20 Cheltenham – Some Scope @ 13/2 with Bet365 (4 places) – 1pt EW
Some Scope has sat patiently in the tracker for a while, but Saturday could see him turn his run of good losing performances into a win.
He was one of only two finishers in the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase at Doncaster in March, a race that looked brutal in the conditions.
What a performance! 👏
Does He Know wins the Grimthorpe Handicap Chase!#ITVRacing | @DoncasterRaces pic.twitter.com/qwX9wFeREb
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 2, 2024
Speaking to Carl Hinchy, his part-owner, throughout last season, connections have wanted to keep him to a sounder surface, and he did win on good ground at Doncaster in January.
Before that, he gave Twoshotsoftequila a good beating at Catterick on good to soft ground, form that looks solid as the runner-up won two races subsequently.
Saturday’s good ground at Prestbury Park will play to his strengths and a mark of 126 is very reasonable for this improving six-year-old, so I think Some Scope will play his part in the big £100,000 handicap chase.
2:40 Doncaster – Anno Domini @ 7/1 with William Hill (3 places) – 1pt EW
The profile of Anno Domini goes against my usual MO as it’s his first run for 113 days, but I like what he brings to the Futurity Stakes.
On his final start, he gave five pounds and a good beating to Windlord who chased home Hotazhell in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes last time out.
He also beat Angel Hunter that day who has since won a hot nursery at York, and the fourth, Hawksbill, ran a solid race in the Listed Ascendant Stakes in September.
🔵👀
New Bay colt Anno Domini defies a 5lb penalty to retain his unbeaten record and land successive victories under @WilliamBuickX for Charlie Appleby @godolphin@Tattersalls1766 | @Sandownpark pic.twitter.com/7f2LapglW0
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 5, 2024
He’s a New Bay half to the Group 1 placed Kathmandu and Listed winner Pythagoras, while the likes of Alborada (two-time Group 1 winner) and Albanova (three-time Group 1 winner) are further back in the family.
Anno Domini is a likeable horse who hasn’t shown his full ability yet. Hopefully, he will do this on Saturday.
3:30 Cheltenham – Givemefive @ 7/2 with BetVictor – 1pt Win
Bottler’secret is attracting plenty of hype ahead of the Masterson Holdings Hurdle, and that’s fair. He’s the one to beat and Gavin Cromwell loves early-season Cheltenham winners.
But, as I said on Wednesday’s Only Fools Love Horses preview, Givemefive is the safe bet.
Harry Derham has targeted this race, and he’s razor-sharp when it comes to plotting horses for races. Take Shared winning at last season’s Chepstow jumps season opener as an example.
The four-year-old by Holy Roman Emperor ran a good race on the Flat at Haydock last month to prepare for Saturday’s assignment, and there’s reason to suggest his run at Fairyhouse when behind Bottler’secret wasn’t his true self.
Having raced on the Flat for Johnny Murtagh last summer, he hasn’t really had a proper break since the end of 2022 as he had just a 94-day rest between the end of his Flat campaign and the start of his jumps career.
How impressive was Kalif Du Berlais in the Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle? ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/WyX3AYwjwy
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) February 25, 2024
He’s race-fit, should handle the ground despite his soft ground form over hurdles to date, and it’s hard to deny the form he has with Kalif Du Berlais from the Grade 2 Adonis Juvenile Hurdle.
At the prices, I’m happy to play him.
4:05 Cheltenham – Theatre Man @ 9/4 with William Hill – 2pt Win
I could fall into the trap of backing a nice horse on its first start of the season, but Theatre Man will take some whacking in the 3m novices’ chase.
To my eye, Yeats Star and Moon D’Orange could do with softer ground, Bowtogreatness will need the run, and it’ll be tough for Hyland to give weight away to the favourite.
That leaves Transmission and Theatre Man, and while I have the utmost respect for the former, Richard Bandey’s eight-year-old should have the class here.#
Ginny's Destiny – the @CheltenhamRaces fanboy
🏇 Three runs at Cheltenham
🥇 Three wins
👏 Another cracking performance for @CobdenHarry & @PFNicholls pic.twitter.com/dcWSHG5zjQ— Racing TV (@RacingTV) January 27, 2024
Despite falling at the third in the Plate (a race he went off favourite for), he’s a fairly sound jumper and it’s hard to knock his staying on second to Ginny’s Destiny, the subsequent Turners Novices’ Chase runner-up, on Trials Day.
He won at Kempton after a 79-day break in March 2023 and ran a solid race on his first start of last season when second at Newbury.
If he replicates that form, or his winning Kempton form, he should go very close here.
