The first day back at Cheltenham today has produced an interesting card which will no doubt give us some tidy form lines to follow in the coming weeks. I’m eager to see how WYENOT gets on in the opener as I think Henry Daly’s mare is well handicapped. Not overfaced last year, she racked up three victories in good style. A solid effort here at Cheltenham against a good field of mares rounded off her season and given how Daly brings his horses on I suggest she would have improved for another summer on her back. She returns off a mark of 123 with Alice Stevens taking 5lb off which makes her a very appealing bet in an open race. She could be quite smart.
I’m not surprised the 5/2 about FIERCELY PROUD didn’t last long on Wednesday as Ben Pauling‘s charge looks quite clearly the best of these. A smart novice hurdler last season, he too returns off a fair mark with Callum Hutchinson taking a further 10lbs off which providing Hutchinson inexperienced doesn’t inconvenience anything puts him off a mark I don’t think he can lose off. This will be a nice prep run for the Greatwood Hurdle next month and I wouldn’t mind backing him to do the double.
Cheltenham 1.15 – Wyenot
Cheltenham 4.45 – Fiercely Proud
Saturday
Day 2 of the Showcase meeting leads me to punting another Henry Daly runner in the shape of SUPREME GIFT. I think this horse is quite a tidy hurdler that should be figuring in races like these. Chasing didn’t quite work out but when sent back hurdling he made up for lost time with a victory at Ascot sandwiched between placed efforts both here and back at Ascot. This is an open race but with Harry Cobden booked I suggest connections are confident of a bold showing.
I put THEATRE MAN up as a horse to follow this season as he is a second season novice over fences and one that I think can mop up a few of these small field novice races. His experience will be crucial and the fact he doesn’t have a penalty makes him an even more appealing proposition. I think David Bass could be a perfect match for him and anything above 9/4 looks fair.
Cheltenham 2.55 – Supreme Gift
Cheltenham 4.05 – Theatre Man
