Cheltenham selections Saturday 25th October
Cheltenham 1.10: Inox Allen & Newton Tornado
A very tricky opener with very little chasing experience to go on. I have two suggestions in a wide open contest.
INOX ALLEN does have a couple of chase outings to call upon, including a win on his final start of last season, when making all to win a Perth novice handicap with ease. That switch to fencing was clearly a big asset, but so too was the application of a first time visor. He has been put up 11lbs as a result, but there could be more left in the locker yet.
The horse was placed in a Grade 3 hurdle as a novice, so there is no reason to think he is not up to a mark of 130. Those front-running tactics that worked so well at Perth are usually a sound way to run around the chase track on the Old Course.
NEWTON TORNADO makes his chasing debut today, but is already a winner in points and has the sort of profile that reminds me of Haiti Couleurs, trainer Rebecca Curtis’ real trailblazer from last season. He finally got his first win under rules his form deserved when winning at Ffos Las in April.
He seems versatile regarding ground conditions and whilst I am sure he will be a 3m performer in time, a stiff 2m4f here should be a sufficient test of stamina. He already has strong track form to call upon when finishing second in a novice hurdle here last season. He starts his chase career from the right end of the handicap.
Cheltenham 2.20: Three Card Brag & Hyland
Class can come to the fore in the feature event and two horses to the top of the weights are fancied.
THREE CARD BRAG has shown excellent form over 3m since his hurdling days, but his second in the Kerry National last time was probably his career best performance and suggested he is probably best at this distance rather than beyond, and that good going is his preferred conditions.
He does like to race prominently, as he did to good effect at Listowel and he travelled and jumped well for a long way in the Grand National last season before fading over the extended 4m. Going hard from the front at this distance should be ideal and he already has a Grade 1 fourth to his name here when running well in the Albert Bartlett of 2023, on ground probably softer than ideal.
HYLAND has a tremendous record at this track, including a win at this meeting in each of the past two seasons. He definitely prefers top of the ground, hence his good autumn record and his jumping, for a horse who is not the biggest, was a definite asset here.
The ground rode pretty well on Friday so conditions should not be a concern and again his running style is so well suited to this track. He came close to landing a Grade 1 at Kempton last Christmas, so is definitely a grade better than the majority running here.
Cheltenham 2.55: Long Draw & Winning Smut
An early Pertemps qualifier and the only one to be run at the same venue as the final.
LONG DRAW qualified for last year’s contest by placing at Wincanton over Christmas but was then balloted out of the final. I am sure he would have gone close because he has already shown tremendous form around here, especially since being stepped up to 3m.
He won at the December fixture, before following up on quick ground in April. Whilst he would probably prefer this race to be run on the New Course, there is still a stiff enough finish to bring his stamina into play here, and trainer Olly Murphy could not be in any better form.
He might have to give best to WINNING SMUT though as this youngster looks massively progressive since joining Gordon Elliott. He has been given a little break since a busy summer campaign, that culminated in a battling success at the Galway Festival.
His only defeat for his new handler came at Killarney in July where the sharp track did not play to his strengths. This stiffer track should really bring out the best in him and like the trainer’s winner of this race last year, The Wallpark, Winning Smut might be ahead of the handicapper.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Inox Allen – 1.10 Cheltenham – 9/1 William Hill (¼ odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Newton Tornado – 1.10 Cheltenham – 5/1 BetVictor (1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Three Card Brag – 2.20 Cheltenham – 8/1 Ladbrokes (¼ odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Hyland – 2.20 Cheltenham – 6/1 William Hill (1/4 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Long Draw – 2.55 Cheltenham – 5/1 William Hill (1/4 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Winning Smut – 2.55 Cheltenham – 8/1 Bet365 (1/5 odds 1st 5)
