TRM Raceday Preview - 23/10/2021 (Cheltenham)

Day 2 at Cheltenham on a decent weekend for National Hunt fans with the Old Roan meeting at Aintree on Sunday too. With only the Breeders Cup left now for the flat junkies, the National Hunt is really getting into gear now. November is one of my my most favourite months of the year with plenty of informative racing on most days throughout the month.

1:45 Cheltenham - 2m½f NHS Vaccinating Heroes Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

As we currently speak the Paul Nicholls favourite is 5/2 taking out a chunk of the field which gives us options elsewhere and I like the look of the top weight here STRAW FAN JACK, who has the scope to be a decent handicapper over hurdles (assuming chasing isn't on the agenda after this). His 2nd to the Gary Moore Fifty Ball giving 11lb to the 2021 Betfair Hurdle runner up at Ascot reads well, only beaten by a neck that day. Whilst the Geordieland gelding might want a little further in time, I'll give him a chance on his first run of the season at the 14/1 (6 places with Skybet).

The Paul Nicholls horse Samarrive might be anything going forwards, but is best watched at the skinny odds. Other horses include the in-form horses such as Samba Dancer, Byzantine Empire and Small Bad Bob, whilst Ingleby Hollow has run well in his last 3 runs over hurdles. A small mention must go to the Chris Gordon trained PASVOLSKY, who beat the aforementioned animal Straw Fan Jack at Kempton in March last season. Rated 125, he could have scope to improve as long as he brushes up his jumping but could be a fun horse to follow for his owners. Well beaten in his first outing at Fontwell 3 weeks ago, I expect it was a pipe opener and wouldn't look into it too much. With his odds of 33/1, I'll take a chance at the 5 places William Hill are paying, and hoping the form of that Kempton race is decent enough for both horses to be in the finish.

Selections:

Straw Fan Jack - 1pt e/w @ 14/1 (Skybet paying 6 places)

Pasvolsky - 0.5pt e/w @ 33/1 (Skybet paying 6 places)

2:20 Cheltenham - 3m1f (Old) 888Sport What's Your Thinking Handicap Chase

A tough race to pick apart for me. All I know is that there isn't a horse as good as Frodon in there - an impressive winner in this race last year. Cloth Cap is a good horse but terribly overrated by the handicapper in my opinion, he's now having to lug around a mark of 156 from now on. I don't think he's any better than that, and he has to give weight all round.

Whilst it's not a confident selection by any means, and my race reading of long distance handicaps is patchy to say the least, a horse well weighted to run a decent race getting 26lb from the top weight is the Iain Jardine trained COOL MIX. A horse who generally has been kept to minimum to intermediate trips throughout his career, when connections have let the handbrake off and let him go over staying trips, he has always performed consistently. Last season he ran over 3m+ twice, finishing a staying on 3rd in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle behind Yorkhill, before a decent 5th in the Grand National where he ran to the line all the way in the extreme 4 mile handicap. For me it's a case of when, not if, he wins a 3m+ handicap chase and this could be a decent opportunity. A consistent and tough horse, he will give his backers a fair run and is priced around 14/1 which is a price to play each way.

Selections:

Cool Mix - 1pt e/w @ 14/1 (General)

Other Notes:

Tritonic might look a big price at the 11/10 but has to give weight all round here in the Matersons Holding Hurdle. I think his trainer will have him ready and firing to start the campaign off positively. He won't be my type of price, but you'd have to hope the Nigel Twiston-Davies horse I Like To Move It runs well to boost the Champion Bumper form that will be one of the form races of the season, in my opinion.

The 2 mile handicap chase will be interesting with Sky Pirate having to give weight all round. Although there aren't many Grade 2/3 opportunities for a horse like him in the UK over 2 miles, he will no doubt run consistently through the season.

The final race I am interested in from a watching position is the 3 mile novice chase. Does He Know was very good on his first outing at Chepstow, whilst it will be interesting to see how the Tizzard trained Oscar Elite runs. A horse who travels well but doesn't always finish off his races, hopefully he does this season.