Longshots 27/10/2023

Longshots are back, the blog that tries to find winners at double digit prices. The National Hunt is back into the swing of things and Cheltenham open their doors for the first time this season. The racing looks competitive for an early season fixture, and spectators should enjoy a day of good racing at Prestbury Park.

1:35 Cheltenham - 2m1/2f Handicap Hurdle - 0-140

Afadil looks a handicap blot tomorrow running off a mark of 122 with Freddie Gingell on his back, and Paul Nicholls will have him revved up as a prep for the Greatwood in just over 3 weeks. 7/2 is no price for a Longshots blog post, so I'll take a chance on a couple of runners who look weighted to run their races. Assuming Cheltenham doesn't get loads of rain, ALIEN STORM can continue a fine run of form for his trainer Charlie Longsdon who has nailed 3 winners in 8 runners including 2 winners at Carlisle today. Alien Storm was coming with a run before falling at Plumpton behind Our Champ in September, and re opposes him in this competitive handicap again. He only has to give Our Champ 5lb now, and his 1L defeat behind a horse I like called Attacca last season giving him weight makes me believe he is better than the 122 he is rated. He should be winning a handicap sometime this season.

Another horse capable of winning a handicap soon is CLARENS. Ran ok at the Punchestown Festival in a decent handicap, he ran a cracker behind Royle Eagle (runs in this race and has a very good chance herself) at Tipperary at the start of the month and finished well. He has been steadily improving as a racehorse and 122 might have some wiggle room, and has the new kid on the block Michael O'Sullivan onboard. 14/1 is fair for a horse who has only run 5 times in 2 years so is quite fragile but looks capable of running a good race here for his relatively unknown trainer at the racecourse of dreams.

Bets

Alien Storm - 0.5pts ew @ 14/1 (Skybet)

Clarens - 1pt ew @ 14/1 (Skybet)

5:05 Cheltenham - 2m4f Handicap Hurfle