Cheltenham’s New Year’s Day card looks ripe for the punters’ picking, with competitive and compact fields there to be solved. GG tipster Joe Napier has looked at the card for the Tote’s Placepot competition on the day and gives his selections below.
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Leg 1: 12.15 Cheltenham – Enquire About The Cheltenham Bloodstock Club Maiden Hurdle
Leg 1 Selections: (3) Just Golden
There does not look a lot in it between Step Ahead and Just Golden but faith is placed in Dan Skelton’s charge, who was a running on third last time out in a pretty hot novice hurdle at Newcastle. He has to contend with a slight drop in trip here despite shaping like a thorough stayer last time, but he should cope with that in this company and it is encouraging that the fourth and fifth from that Newcastle contest have won since. His bumper form is also eyecatching, so he should come good over hurdles before too long.
Leg 2: 12.50 Cheltenham – Ellenborough Park Hotel ‘Chasing Excellence’ Novices’ Chase
Leg 2 Selections: (1) Eagle Fang
Regent’s Stroll has the potential to go further as a chaser than as a hurdler, but he did not have to work hard to win a match last time out, while his chase debut third in a Grade 2 has taken one or two knocks. Conversely, Eagle Fang may have been an underrated hurdler having placed at Grade 2 level and his chase debut victory at Thurles has been franked significantly by the runner-up scoring since and the fifth winning by a wide margin in handicap company off a mark of 130. The Irish raider could well be in the shake-up here if building even slightly on that effort.
Leg 3: 1.25 Cheltenham – Betfair Handicap Chase
Leg 3 Selections: (3) Herakles Westwood, (8) New Order
Bottom-weight New Order was very progressive last season for Charlie Longsdon, winning three times after wind surgery to shoot up 17lb in the handicap. His first start of this season suggested that may have been too steep an accumulative rise, but he returned to form with a battling runner-up effort over 3m at Sandown which suggested that the extra furlong and a half he faces here should be within range, while he likely bumped into a well-treated rival that day.
Should this step up in class be a little too great for him, then Herakles Westwood is with having on side too. Despite being 9lb out of the handicap, he was well supported into joint favouritism for a handicap here at the December meeting over a furlong further. He saw that race out well and is 1lb lower today in what should be slightly easier company for him.
Leg 4: 2.00 Cheltenham – Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase
Leg 4 Selections: (8) Glengouly
Rising ten on New Year’s Day, the revivified Glengouly can back up his success in the December Gold Cup as Sean Bowen maintains the ride. He is only up 3lb for that gallant front-running success and still carries a very light weight of 10st 3lb, just 1lb more than he was carrying to that victory last month. An aggressive ride over 2m4f evidently works well for him, as does this track, so he should be able to get his opponents in trouble from an early stage once again.
Leg 5: 2.35 Cheltenham – Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle (Grade 2)
Leg 5 Selections: (4) Kabral Du Mathan
Lucky Place should improve again for the return to hurdles, but that is not certain and it is worth keeping it simple by sticking with favourite Kabral Du Mathan to deliver on the sparkling promise he displayed at Haydock in November. The six-year-old was having his first run for Dan Skelton when justifying strong market support with a sensational performance upped to 2m3f, seeing out the trip strongly and kicking clear to win by 12 lengths. There were no fears about ruining his handicap mark, suggesting the yard knew he was destined for Graded company; to improve his case further, the runner-up at Haydock won next time out up 1lb in the handicap. The selection could well be on his way to the very top.
Leg 6: 3.10 Cheltenham – Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Hurdle
Leg 6 Selections: (2) Ma Shantou, (5) Spike Jones
The run of Ma Shantou at Haydock last time out was almost certainly too bad to be true and Emma Lavelle’s charge could easily get right back on track here. The seven-year-old is reunited with Harry Cobden, who guided him to victory on the Old Course here in November and a 9lb rise for that performance did not look overly steep, hence he went off favourite at Haydock. That was not the first time he had disappointed second time out and the bounce factor should now be put behind him.
If that effort proves to be more a harbinger than a one-off, Spike Jones is worth including too. He has won over 3m2f on heavy ground before, so is all about stamina, while he has run two big races this season in defeat, firstly when second by a nose at Lingfield, then when a half-length third over course and distance last month. He is up another 2lb, but will be staying on when others falter.
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