Cheltenham celebrates the opening of The Princess Royal Stand and the Paddy Power Open meeting today.
The three day meeting kicks off with a host of highly competitive handicaps and classy novice events which are sure to lay a marker for the season.
Last years exciting World Hurdle victor, More Of That, makes his eagerly awaiting chase debut but is handed no easy task after a year off, facing a field of seven over 2m 4f including Nicholls‘ trained As De Mee and a former winner at this meeting in Greatwood winner Dell’ Arca.
Cheltenham hosts its first graded action of the season in the Grade 2 Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle, with recent course and distance winner – and one-time Arc fifth – Penglai Pavilion bidding for a second successive victory at Prestbury Park in a race that seems a match bet with the highling anticipated hurdling debut of Champers On Ice.
The meeting also hosts the first of the Glenfarclas Cross Country series and features some familiar faces. The first four home from the equivalent race at the festival re-oppose, in winner Rivage D’Or, Any Currency, Dogora and Uncle Junior – the latter having gone on to claim the La Touche Cup at Punchestown since.
The card is bookended by two handicap chases, with the David Pipe holding the key to the opener with his unexposed French recruit La Vaticane. Unbeaten over fences and seen just once since his move to Pond House, Pipe has a proven track record of succeeding with these types of horses, specifically at this meeting. However he faces stern competition from local trainer Neil Mulholland, represented by Minella Present and Nicky Henderson’s Lough Kent who reappears after a short break.
The Open meeting is one that always excites and the card on offer today is no exception.
