By Charlie McCann
The New One was the star of Cheltenham's two-day International meeting winning the feature 2m Hurdle for Sam and Nigel Twiston-Davies. The 6-y-o tasted success at the festival in 2012 winning the Neptune Novices' Hurdle and was perhaps unlucky when hampered in last season's Champion Hurdle in the spring. BetVictor cut the five-time Cheltenham winner to 11/4 (from 3/1) to make amends in the feature on the opening day of the festival, with another Neptune winner, Willie Mullins' Faugheen, the 2/1 ante post favourite and unbeaten over timber. Stablemate Blaklion gave the Twiston-Davies yard an excellent double on the afternoon and was cut to 12/1 (from 20s) to give connections further success in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle on the Friday of the festival.
Sam Twiston-Davies is Plumpton bound this afternoon riding Onwiththeparty for boss Paul Nicholls' in the novices' hurdle on the card and also gets the leg up on Into the Wind (3.25) who looks potentially very well handicapped in the 2m handicap hurdle. Trainer Jim Best is notorious for improving horses when sent handicapping and this 67-rated flat performer should improve after a nice pipe-opener last month at Huntingdon.
The opening 2m novices' hurdle looks a two horse race between The Green Ogre and Midnight Spin (12.10) with the latter preferred for the in-form team of Phiipp Hobbs and Richard Johnson. The 4-y-o built on promise in a brace of bumpers last term when second on his debit over timber earlier in the season at Worcester, chasing home Dan Skelton's 118-rated mare Stephanie Frances. The form of that race has worked out well with the 3rd winning a competitive handicap at Sandown and the well-bred son of Midnight Legend can make it second time lucky in what looks some excellent placing from the master trainer.
Paul Henderson's recent C&D scorer Alright Benny is sure to give another good account in the handicap chase over two and a half miles however Colin Tizzard's Xaarcet (2.55) is worth a chance under Brendan Powell. The selection is rated 3lb lower over fences and reverts back to the larger obstacles after running with credit, and being well-backed, in a pair of competitive handicap at Exeter. He remains unexposed and with plenty of potential to belatedly get his head in front chasing.
There's further National Hunt action at Ffos Las with Cape Caster (12.25) fancied to give locally based Evan Williams success in the opening Juvenile Hurdle. The selection was formerly with Ralph Beckett and showed excellent form over middle distances; only out of the frame twice from ten career start. The 87-rated son of Cape Cross looks the ideal type to improve over obstacles and can continue the trainer's excellent 19% strike-rate with stable jockey Paul Moloney.
Globalisation (12.55) falls into the ‘could be anything' category after winning a warm Aintree bumper on his seasonal reappearance, and is a confident selection under AP McCoy in the novices' hurdle over the minimum trip. The well-bred son of Tikkanen ran with credit in a pair of point-to-points in his native Ireland, chasing home subsequent Rich Ricci purchase Au Quart De Tour at Dromahane in the spring. He is bred to thrive over fences but could prove a smart hurdler and must have clearly impressed AP McCoy, who presumably convinced boss JP McManus to get his cheque-book out after purchasing the gelding earlier this month.
David Pipe's Volt Face (2.05) can give weight and a beating to a competitive field for the feature handicap hurdle. Jockey Tom Scudamore is riding better than ever and replaces Conor O'Farrell in the plate after partnering the 5-y-o to a creditable third last time out at Towcester. The selection should be stripped fitter for the run and remains a fascinating contender for the all-conquering team at Pond House.
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