Cheltenham Trials Day Preview

we have a big day of Saturday racing ahead of us as we take a look at the last Cheltenham meeting before the big week in March!.

Every year this meeting is a solid indicator to what we can expect at the festival. Some enhance their chances for the big day by winning here whilst others are left with it all to do, either way this meeting is promised to deliver. 

So enough with the rambling, lets get stuck in to a fantastic card and hopefully we can deliver a few winners as well.

12.40 - Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase

the first race of the day is a competitive one. There are lots of odds on favourites on the card today however we have a very good competitive race to kick us with a solid handicap chase. For me there's a stand out horse in the race but I'd like to give one other a mention whose also in with a chance.

The first horse I want to mention is Resplendent Grey for Olly Murphy. He has some solid form in the book after 2 2nds in his previous 2 starts finishing behind Hyland at Cheltenham at the November meeting before getting beat by Handstands last time out at Sandown. Hyland has boosted the form slightly with a valiant run over Christmas finishing 2nd behind The Jukebox Man at Kempton in the Kauto Star Novice Chase. He will be carrying top weight today however I do feel he will have too much class for his opposition today and he's a very fair price at around 7/2.

The other I wanted to mention is Billythebigred for the Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero yard. This horse has been improving massively throughout the season winning numerous handicaps around Britain. The market suggests there's a lot of confidence for him as he's been hammered into favouritism over night but although he has a chance, I think he'd have to improve again to win this coming up against tougher but there's nothing to say he can't.

Overall a pretty tough race to start the day but I do believe Resplendent Grey is the one to beat.

13.15 - JCB Triumph Juvenile Hurdle 

I mentioned there's a few odds on favourites on the card today and this is race holds the first of those in the shape of East India Dock.

This horse was so impressive last time out at the November meeting at Cheltenham and I'd expect him to back that up again here. Burdett Road was a beaten favourite in this race 12 months ago for the same owners and trainer by the superstar that is Sir Gino, However I cant see anything else in this race with that sort of potential so I just cant see that happening again here.

The main threat (if any at all) would most likely be the French import for Paul Nicholls by the name of Sauvignon. He holds some solid form over in Auteuil but you'd think he'd have to improve from that to get past the favourite in his first run in the UK.

I wont spend too long on this as in my opinion East India Dock simply just wins!

13.50 - Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase

This is the first race of the day where I don't hold a massive opinion. Ginny's Destiny would come here with a chance after winning the novice version of this race 12 months ago off of the same weight. He did bomb out of the Paddy Power Gold Cup last time out in November and with the yard in a slight run of bad form along with a lot of competition in the race It wouldn't be a strong opinion in my eyes.

If you gave me a free bet Id just about side with Ginny's Destiny but either way this race could be an absolute cracker!

14.25 - Betfair Cotswold Chase

Looking through the market this looks like a bit of a 2 horse match to me. Delta Work and Tommy Beau are both at big prices at the bottom of the market but I think its clear these 2 both have bigger targets ahead in the Cross Country race at the festival. Chantry House is coming off the back of a win at Cheltenham last time out but listening to trainer Nick Henderson after that race it seems even they were shocked to see him in the winners enclosure after that so I couldn't side with him. 

The 2 stand outs are L'homme Presse and Gentlemansgame who both ran really good races over Christmas.

L'homme Presse finished 3rd in the King George VI Chase at Kempton which was a very fair effort considering the ground wouldn't have suited him along with the fact that Kempton is a right handed track which is clearly not he's favourable direction. He also has good course form in the book winning the Brown Advisory Chase at the festival in 2022 before finishing 4th in last years Gold Cup. He's had a few injury set backs over the last year or so but he seems to be the one to beat here.

Gentlemansgame also deserves a mention here after a very good run at Christmas finishing 3rd behind Galopin Des Champs and Fact to File in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown. He seems the main danger  but for me, its very hard to see past the favourite again here.

15.00 - Unibet Hurdle

Do I really need to spend much time on this?

Constitution Hill is back at Cheltenham once again and racing fans all over country will be cheering him on as he conquers the Cheltenham hill once again after not seeing him at the track since his Champion Hurdle win back in 2023.

I believe he's around about 1/10 in the market so it'll most definitely be a no bet race, but hopefully the Seven Burrows star can get the job done nicely!

13.35 - Betfair Cleeve Hurdle

Race of the day for me! Really competitive race that holds 3 or 4 with really good chances.

The first one we have to mention is Strong Leader. Trainer Olly Murphy confirmed earlier this week that He's recently had a wind op along with back injections following his complete blow out at Ascot last time out. If you can forgive that and believe he's back to his best then he's surely the one to beat here?

Crambo won that race at Ascot for trainer Fergal O'Brien and would be looking to back up that result here. A very good horse on his day but if you look through the form you'll find he often struggles to back up a performance and after bombing out at the festival last year, Id be happy to take him on in this. 

The last one I want to mention here is Gowel Road for the Twiston-Davies team. Again some solid form in the book finishing 2nd here on New Years Day behind Luck Place in the Relkeel Hurdle as well as 3 more 2nd place runs at the track towards the end of last year finishing behind the likes of Doyen Quest and the Wallpark before being beaten by Long Draw just before Christmas.

A long list of 2's next to his name, Can he go one better here?

As I said there's a heap of horses in here with chances, but for me Strong Leader will take all the beating if he's back to his best... however that could be a big IF.

16.10 - Ais Novices' Hurdle

Make or break for the favourite?

I must admit I'm a little surprised to see Potters Charm lining up here after trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies went on record to say they'd be going straight to the Turners Novice Hurdle after winning the Formby Novice Hurdle at Aintree on Boxing day.

This will be Potters 6th run of the season which would be a slight concern. I cant remember a novice running that many times before trying to land a big grade 1 at the festival.

having said that he is definitely the one to beat here and although he's facing tougher opposition than he's used to, I'd imagine he will get the job done.

Although I expect him to win this, I'll most definitely be against him come March.

So there you have it! best of luck to everyone having a bet today and I hope to see a cracking day of racing ahead of us. For more updates, news and opinions head over to my X (twitter) account: https://x.com/OGedgeracing