The fifth race on the Friday card, the Foxhunters has always held the position of the “amateur’s Gold Cup” immediately after the showpiece. Andrew Mount has run through the key participants alongside Betfair’s exclusive Grow Your Roar offer, where new and existing customers can build up to £30 in Free Bets for the Cheltenham Festival.
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Key Stats & Trends
Prep Race
It Came To Pass (2020) prepped in a point-to-point prior to his Cheltenham victory but nine of the last ten winners arrived here on the back of a hunter chase outing.
The Main Contenders
PORLOCK BAY
Won this by a short-head from Billaway last year when the runner-up probably paid for sitting too close to the strong early pace. He’s been beaten at odds-on twice since but six runners at Bangor wouldn’t have been his bag last time and he’ll be happier in a big field.
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BILLAWAY
Short-headed by Porlock Bay 12 months ago, he was also second in 2020 (ten lengths behind It Came To Pass). He won his prep race at Naas, as he did in the past two years, and has place prospects again.
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WINGED LEADER
The eight-year-old upset 10/11 favourite Billaway at Thurles in January, coming home 12 lengths clear to record his fifth straight win. He’d be younger than recent winners but is clearly on an upward curve. He’s been kept fresh for this rather than have another slog through the mud against Billaway at Naas and holds solid claims.
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CAT TIGER
Scraped home – like most of jockey David Maxwell’s winners – in a handicap chase at Ascot in January and has form figures over fences in Britain of 132521 (2-6), improving to 1221 (2-4) away from Aintree’s Grand National Course. He should go well if tackling this race but also has handicap options in the Ultima and Kim Muir.
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BOB AND CO
The Paul Nicholls-trained 11-year-old was still in contention when unseating three out as a 9-2 shot in this race last year. He beat Billaway at Punchestown in April and I wouldn’t read too much into his odds-on defeat at Haydock last time.
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Verdict
WINGED LEADER easily brushed aside Billaway at Thurles and has been deliberately kept fresh for this. He’d be younger than recent winners but is clearly progressive and can confirm the form. Dual runner-up Billaway may have to settle for a place again, while last year’s victor Porlock Bay is not out of it. The Paul Nicholls/David Maxwell partnership – Cat Tiger or Bob And Co – is also respected.
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