Philip Hobbs
Defi Du Seuil
(Champion Chase)
He is very good and everything has gone well since he won at Ascot. Personally, I would prefer if Chacun Pour Soi and Altior did not get there, as it would be much easier! If they are all there and Defi could win, it would be great. Having gone unbeaten all season over two miles, the Champion Chase was the obvious race to go for. All is going well up to this stage, but we still have a couple of weeks to go to keep them in one piece. Most of the work is done and it is just a matter of ticking over.
Defi Du Seuil is reported in very good form by Philip Hobbs \Healy Racing
Thyme Hill
(Albert Bartlett)
If I had to guess he would be more likely for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle. It looks like a slightly easier race and I am sure the three miles will suit him, but if the ground was very soft and the race cut up, he may go for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle instead.
Sporting John is more likely for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle, although he is in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle as well.
Pileon has only had three runs over hurdles and won the last two very easily, albeit in extremely moderate affairs. His first run was maybe his best when he was fourth here in a good novices’ hurdle in the autumn.
He will run in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle I would imagine.
Jatiluwih will go for the Pertemps Network Final with his owner David Maxwell riding him. He should have a decent chance.
Deise Aba is in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase would be an obvious one and maybe Zoffee in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. They would be our main ones.
Alan King
Sceau Royal
(Champion Chase)
He will probably take his chance in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, provided the ground is not bottomless. He was a very good third in it last year, but this looks a stronger renewal. He has been a marvellous horse and if it was not for Altior, he would be a multiple Grade 1 winner, but we know our place. If he could finish third or fourth, it would be a great achievement.
Who Dares Wins
(Ultima Handicap Chase)
He will run as long as the ground isn’t heavy. The handicapper left him alone on 147 after he won on Saturday, so the Ultima Handicap Chase could well come into the reckoning now. He will certainly go up to three miles and it will be that or the RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase.
Harambe is just back cantering after being brought down in the Betfair Hurdle. The County Hurdle may come a bit too quickly, but we will see how he is.
Lisp and Ballywood are in the Grand Annual. Ballywood would want decent ground, whereas to Lisp it would not matter. Lisp is only a novice, but I have won it with a novice before (Oh Crick in 2009).
Warren Greatrex
Emitom
(Stayers’ Hurdle)
He has come out of Haydock well. He is all good and back on track. I doubt he can beat Paisley Park, but we will give it our best shot. He has only disappointed us once and that was down to my error rather than his. He is only a six-year-old and I think there is plenty more to come.
La Bague Au Roi
She is in the Ultima Handicap Chase and the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate. We will see nearer the time but, having seen the weights, she is off 11st 2lb and that could be quite appealing. She has never run in a handicap and is probably ready to have a go in one.
Bob Mahler will go for the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase. He won the Edinburgh National at Musselburgh last time and is improving all the time. We won this race a few years ago with Missed Approach and he would have the same sort of profile.
Portrush Ted will run in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle or the Coral Cup and Encore Champs will go for the Northern Trust Company Novices’ Handicap Chase.
Ben Pauling
Global Citizen
(Arkle)
He has never encountered an undulating track when he has been right. He is obviously very effective on a flat track, but I will hold out the hope that he can produce the goods here as well in the Racing Post Arkle Novices’ Chase. He did a piece of work yesterday and is in very good nick. He has been laid out specifically to come here fresh, as he is best fresh. There have been no hold ups. I would love it if the ground is a bit quicker than soft. If it got very soft, I would maybe swerve it and head to Aintree.
I was very pleased with Kildisart on Saturday [finished fifth in Betway Handicap Chase at Kempton]. That was much more like his old self back on a bit of better ground. I think he would have a live chance in the Ultima Handicap Chase.
Le Breuil is in the Ultima and also up there in the betting for the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase. He will probably run in one of the two in preparation for the Grand National.
Nigel Twiston-Davies
Bristol De Mai
(Gold Cup)
Bristol De Mai is in good shape ahead of the Gold Cup. I am amazed that Santini is favourite for the race and we are 33/1. We were giving Santini 2lb in the Cotswold Chase and looked all over the winner at the bottom of the hill, but then we slipped on landing and that cost us the race. I think we have a great chance.
Ballyandy
(Champion Hurdle)
He has run against Pentland Hills twice this season and beaten him twice. He loves Cheltenham and will run better than his price suggests in the Unibet Champion Hurdle.
We have a few for the handicaps, including Cogry, who often runs very well around Cheltenham, but the rest of them are around the 25/1. With a bit of luck, one of them might win.
Kim Bailey
Vinndication
(Ultima Handicap Chase)
He runs in the Ultima Handicap Chase. He worked this morning and I was delighted with him. He has only run once this season, which won’t do him any harm as he has not been chuntering around on heavy ground all winter. He has won seven out of nine. He got beat at Sandown last season and we weren’t hugely happy, but Defi Du Seuil and Lostintranslation were the two horses that beat him, so in hindsight it was a very good race.
Vinndication will go for the Ultima Handicap Chase \Healy Racing
Imperial Aura
(Novices’ Handicap Chase)
He will go for the Northern Trust Company Novices’ Handicap Chase. He worked with Vinndication this morning. He has only had the three runs over fences and two of them have been here, so he has experience around the racecourse. He virtually had a walkover the first day at Fakenham and there were only four other runners when he came here in December, whereas when he ran here January at least there were 12 runners. He had to race among other horses, which was important. He will go with a live chance.
Jonjo O’Neill
Minella Rocco
(Foxhunter)
Minella Rocco is in great form ahead of the St James’s Place Foxhunter Chase. He has had plenty of help along the way this season. He has had two runs and two wins, but the two fancied horses did not really turn up on the day. Hopefully, he has the same luck here! I think obviously dropping down a gear or two has helped him. He should have a sporting chance.
Annie Mc
I will leave the decision regarding where Annie Mc runs up to Simon Clare – then I can blame him if it goes wrong! She is in grand form and has had an easy trip to here, with small fields, although she jumps well to be fair. She is a genuine mare and should run well.
Jamie Snowden
Thomas Macdonagh
(Martin Pipe)
I think he would have a chance in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle. He won three races in the early part of the winter and loves soft ground. He disappointed a bit in the Grade 2 River Don Novices’ Hurdle [finished last], but he did not stay the three miles that day. The drop back in trip for the Martin Pipe on the back of a wind op should give him a chance.
Fact Of The Matter
(Cross Country)
He came here yesterday (Wednesday) for a pop around [the Cross Country Course] and had a good time of it. Taking on Tiger Roll off level weights is probably not the best thing in the world and he will struggle to win, but he loves it around here. All being well, after Cheltenham he will go to Punchestown for the banks race.
Harry Whittington
Simply The Betts
(Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate)
We were delighted with Simply The Betts on Festival Trials Day and now he will have to mix it with the big boys in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate, which won’t be easy. Hopefully, he can continue on an upward curve, as he has been in great form all year.
Rouge Vif
(Arkle)
He will go for the Arkle. It looks quite open this year, although of course it won’t be easy. My horse has improved with every run and had a wind op after he finished fourth here in December. They always say the second run back after a wind op is the better run and he won the Kingmaker well. I don’t plan on doing any fast work with him now and he will just tick over until the Arkle. He has form on all ground, but I think he is better on better ground.
Saint Calvados
(Ryanair Chase)
He will go for the Ryanair Chase. He is very different to Rouge Vif in that he is better when he is fresh – there is no doubt about that. After his run on New Year’s Day [finished second], we decided it would be best if he came straight here. He is in fabulous shape and I could not be happier with him. It is not going to be easy against the likes of A Plus Tard, Min and Riders Onthe Storm, but if the ground is very testing, he will have a chance.
Saint Calvados could be a big Ryanair contender if the ground comes up soft\carolinenorris.ie
Olly Murphy
Brewin’upastorm
(Arkle)
I think he is our best chance of a winner. He has not done a lot wrong. I know we have not seen him for a while, but he is very good fresh – he won his bumper, novice hurdle and novice chase first time out. It does not bother me that he has not had a prep run. The Irish look like they have a fairly strong hand in the race, but I am looking forward to my lad.
Itchy Feet
(Marsh Novices’ Chase)
He has been priced accordingly for the Marsh Novices’ Chase. He is a horse that people love to knock, particularly after Laurina did not turn up in the race at Sandown. At the same time, four of them jumped the second last upsides in a Grade 1, and I don’t understand what more people want horses to do because he was a facile winner in the end.
Skandiburg
(Pertemps Network Final)
He would definitely have a chance in the Pertemps Network Final. He won over course and distance around here and has been mapped out for the race for the last six months. He has a proper running style for the Pertemps, as he races behind the bridle and should come home strong.
Fergal O’Brien
Champagne Well
(Coral Cup)
I think he is our best chance in the handicaps – he goes for the Coral Cup. He has done nothing wrong all year and probably got outstayed last time when second in the River Don at Doncaster. The drop back in trip to two miles and five furlongs will suit, and his form here earlier in the season looks solid.
Neil Mulholland
The Young Master
(Kim Muir)
He finished third in the Kim Muir last year. He is rated 144 and has been around for a while, but he still finished third last year and then came out and finished second in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown. Sam Waley-Cohen will ride and is obviously a positive booking for an amateur race.
Fingerontheswitch
(Ultima Handicap Chase/Kim Muir)
He has been very consistent this year. He was second in the Sky Bet Chase last time, having won a good pot in Kempton the time before that. Millie Wonnacott gets on very well with him. Ideally, I would like to run him in the Ultima Handicap Chase but, if he does not squeeze in, he could go for the Kim Muir as well.