The final meeting at Cheltenham before the Festival takes centre stage on this Premier Raceday on Saturday.
The action gets underway at 12.40 with a seven-race card that features the International, the Cotswold Chase and the Cleeve Hurdle.
We’ll also get to see Constitution Hill once again after his impressive win at Kempton over Christmas.
With plenty of top Graded action coming up,, we’ve previewed all seven races on Saturday’s card at Prestbury Park, including a couple of value picks at decent odds.
12.40 Cheltenham - 2m4½f (New course) Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase (Class 2) (5yo+)
It’s hard to get away from the claims of Billytherealbigred in this contest. He was highly progressive over timber last season and he’s looked like a real top quality chaser in the making in two starts over fences so far, winning at Bangor before enjoying another facile success at Exeter last month.
He’s up 7lb in the weights but that is certainly justified and there’s every chance another uncontested lead could be on the cards here, a big bonus on a track that plays into the hands of front runners when the ground has good in the going description.
Jagwar has to be considered the main danger if he settles better this time.
SELECTION: BILLYTHEREALBIGRED
NEXT BEST: JAGWAR
1.15 Cheltenham - 2m1f (New course) JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The Finesse) (Class 1) (4yo)
This isn’t the most competitive contest on the card and it looks like an ideal opportunity for East India Dock to register his claims for the Triumph in March.
James Owen’s son of Golden Horn was highly progressive on the Flat last year and has looked a real tool over timber so far, making easy work of his hurdle bow at Wincanton before a wide-margin success in the other trial at this venue at the November meeting.
He carries a penalty but so do some of his main rivals and he looks like he’ll be a tough nut to crack in this company before going on to Grade 1 level.
Sauvignon has some useful French form to his name and may be worth considering each-way.
SELECTION: EAST INDIA DOCK
NEXT BEST: SAUVIGNON
1.50 Cheltenham - 2m4½f (New course) Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (Class 1) (5yo+)
This is wide open but it may be worth chancing Imperial Saint after his career best effort at Aintree on Boxing Day.
He was allowed to dictate very easy fractions that day so this is certainly going to be more difficult but he’s a horse on the up and the yard really excels with their chasers, so there’s potentially more to come from him this season.
Ginny’s Destiny is a big danger. He was in flying form at this venue last season, including finishing runner-up in the Grade 2 Turners and while he’s not been at that level this term, a drop back to handicap company certainly looks to be a major plus factor.
SELECTION: IMPERIAL SAINT
NEXT BEST: GINNY’S DESTINY
2.25 Cheltenham - 3m1½f (Newcourse ) Betfair Cotswold Chase (Grade 2) (Class 1) (5yo+)
L’Homme Presse ran a respectable race when third in the King George last time out. That’s more of a speed test than is ideal for this Venetia Williams representative so it’s a run worth upgrading in the circumstances and there’s every chance that last year’s Gold Cup fourth will have too much class for these rivals.
Gentlemansgame was third to Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown last month and he may be the one to give the selection most to think about, although giving weight to these rivals won’t be easy.
SELECTION: L’HOMME PRESSÉ
NEXT BEST: GENTLEMANSGAME
3.00 Cheltenham - 2m1f (New course ) Unibet Hurdle (Registered As The International Hurdle) (Grade 2) (Class 1) (4yo+)
This is not a betting race and all eyes will be on Constitution Hill, the best hurdler of recent times without question. He’s unopposable here after his defeat of Lossiemouth at Kempton over Christmas and that rival, who is one of the only horses in training that is likely capable of getting near him over hurdles, has decided to wait until the Festival to see if she can gain her revenge.
The race for second could be a close run thing though and Brentford Hope shades the vote after a progressive season last term. He may have needed his latest start and the new headgear combination may see him improve.
SELECTION: CONSTITUTION HILL
NEXT BEST: BRENTFORD HOPE
3.35 Cheltenham - 3m (New course) Betfair Cleeve Hurdle (Grade 2) (Class 1) (5yo+)
Crambo is going to be short in the betting for this race but there’s a niggling doubt that Fergal O’Brien’s runner isn’t a Cheltenham horse with all his best form coming on flat tracks.
There are questions about a few of these and the one to take advantage could be the consistent Gowel Road who goes well at Cheltenham and has hit the crossbar in each of his last four starts. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ runner has a solid profile and should be right in the mix again.
SELECTION: GOWEL ROAD
NEXT BEST: CRAMBO
4.10 Cheltenham - 2m4½f (New course) Ais Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The Classic Novices' Hurdle) (Class 1) (4yo+)
It could be a big day for Nigel Twiston-Davies as he also has Potters Charm in Saturday’s finale.
This son of Valirann was turned over in a point to point back in 2023 but he justified favouritism in a bumper on his rules debut and has not looked back since, winning all four starts over timber, including a Grade 1 at Aintree on Boxing Day.
He’s also won twice at this venue in that remarkable run and there should be more to come stepping up to this intermediate trip. He already sets a solid standard on the form he’s shown so far and he can enhance his Festival reputation here.
Bill Joyce was third in a Grade 1 last time and can be the one to chase him home.
SELECTION: POTTERS CHARM
NEXT BEST: BILL JOYCE
