The Cheltenham Festival is less than two months away now and the Gloucestershire track hosts its final meeting before March’s main event on Saturday.
Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill is set to line up in one of the Grade 2 races on the card and there will be lots of excitement, with a Gold Cup trial to look forward to as well.
Our expert has selected three strong fancies to follow on the card and they include a course and distance specialist in the £100,000 Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase.
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Cheltenham tips
1.15 Cheltenham – Sauvignon 1.50 Cheltenham – Ginny’s Destiny 2.25 Cheltenham – Gentlemansgame1.15 Cheltenham – Sauvignon
We’re getting to an important time of year, especially in the juvenile hurdle division, as some of the later starters will be bidding to book their places at the Festival. One such horse is Paul Nicholls’ Sauvignon, who is set to make his first start for the yard in this Grade 2.
The three-time-raced four-year-old made a winning start to his career for previous connections at Lyon Parilly in April of last year. He left a good impression that day and finished second behind a subsequent Listed winner at Auteuil after that.
Returning to winning ways in a better race on his third and final start in France, the horse he beat that day has since placed in a Grade 2 for the all-conquering Willie Mullins yard.
Nicholls and connections have been very patient and given this horse plenty of time to acclimatise and they could well be rewarded for that now. The handicapper suggests he’s 1lb better than the short-priced favourite and he should have every chance on that evidence.
1.50 Cheltenham – Ginny’s Destiny
Ginny’s Destiny promised more than he has delivered so far this season and he’s running out of chances. That being said, if he can put his best foot forward, the nine-year-old should be capable of winning here.
Arguably his best performance of last season came in the novice handicap chase on this card and we all know he has a liking for this course and distance.
It’s worth noting that the handicapper has dropped him 2lb since his most recent run and the return to handicaps will surely be a big help.
His prolonged battle with Grey Dawning in the Turners here in March suggested that both could be smart graded performers this season and, although it hasn’t quite worked out that way, he still brings some very smart form to the table.
Third in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon when last seen, Nicholls’ charge probably isn’t at the required level for those sorts of races and it’s good that his sights have been lowered.
It’s now or never for Ginny’s Destiny and this looks like a cracking opportunity to return to winning ways, with plenty in his favour here.
2.25 Cheltenham – Gentlemansgame
Whilst this is officially a Gold Cup trial, it’s difficult to see any of the six runners featuring in March’s 3m2½f showpiece. Run over a furlong shorter, Irish raider Mouse Morris’ Gentlemansgame could be the one to side with.
Race favourite L’Homme Presse would be a deserving winner, but there are some stamina doubts after his tired finishing effort in the Gold Cup last year. There are question marks over all of the other runners, so Gentlemansgame gets the nod as a result.
His third behind Galopin Des Champs and Fact To File in the Savills Chase over Christmas is right up there as some of the best form on offer and he also wasn’t disgraced when fourth in the Punchestown Gold Cup back in April.
This could prove to be a shrewd bit of placement from connections and the first place prize of more than £70,000 would make it a very profitable trip across the Irish Sea.
Cheltenham tips
1.15 Cheltenham – Sauvignon 1.50 Cheltenham – Ginny’s Destiny 2.25 Cheltenham – Gentlemansgameall odds correct at time of writing and subject to change
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