Cheltenham Tips: Andy Holding's Thursday Racing Tips

The formula to finding the winner of this race in recent times has to look no further than the qualifier run at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting and having featured prominently in the outcome of that well-contested affair, THE BOSSES OSCAR (best price 6-1) and MRS MILNER (best price 14-1) have strong claims for keeping the trend going. 

The former has had this prize as a target ever since he finished a creditable fifth in the Martin Pipe here last season and based on his three runs so far this term, preparations seem to have gone to plan. A smooth winner first time out at Thurles back in October, Denise Foster’s gelding then tackled an ultra-competitive Class b handicap at Navan next time out and although he ended up getting beaten a fair way in second, the winner, Flooring porter, has gone on to land a Grade 1 subsequently. Qualifying neatly for his ultimate aim when filling out the same position at the Dublin venue 80 days ago, it was very much a case of job done and with the final circuit sectionals working out better than the Grade 1 on the same card, the form looks solid. Due to the usual overly-aggressive nature of the UK handicapper, the son of Oscar hasn’t exactly escaped lightly with a rating of 151, but with the excellent Jordan Gainford to offset that slight negative, this strong-travelling six-year-old should be well suited by the way this race often pans out.

The latter looked one of the most likely winners on the run down to the last at Leopardstown, but ultimately she paid for racing too exuberantly towards the head of affairs on the run-in. Still, it was certainly another solid effort by Paul Nolan’s mare and it’s a shame she arrives here on the back of a fall back at the same track next time out. On the positive though, the daughter of Flemensfirth has solid course form to her name courtesy of an excellent effort behind On The Blind Side in a keenly-contested handicap back in November and having scored with a bit to spare at the Galway festival on good ground, faster conditions than expected will suit her more than most. 

As if we needed reminding, with the likes of Appreciate It, Monkfish, Put The Kettle On, Vintage Clouds, Honeysuckle, and Black Tears have all proved that course form and previous Festival experience is worth its weight in gold, so there’s every chance of history repeating itself in the Stayers division. On his victory in this race two years ago, Paisley Park looks the obvious one to wrestle back his crown and on the evidence so far this season, he appears back to something close to his best. However, on this day last year, both Sire Du Berlais and THE STORYTELLER (best price 9-1) finished a long way ahead of Emma Lavelle’s inmate if you compare the like-for-like overall time and final circuit splits, so it makes sense to stay loyal to the form of what was an above-average renewal of the Pertemps Final.

Having already invested heavily in the former, the wisest move is to have a little insurance on his stable mate just for the insurance and it’s not as if Denise Foster’s gelding has that much to find on form. Only just denied on the run-in here twelve months ago having travelled the best of the pair throughout, he did, in turn, pull well clear of the rest which included subsequent Rendlesham Hurdle winner, Third Wind, and that’s not the first time the son of Shantou has excelled at this meeting. In cracking form over fences during the Autumn period, the 10-year-old has returned to action in just as good shape with two runner-up spots against Grade 1 opposition – one of which was over hurdles at Leopardstown – and with the drying ground set to suit him better than most, he looks set to easily outrun his odds and provide his handler with another memorable moment at the Festival.

Like most Cheltenham handicaps in recent times, unexposed and lightly-raced novices tend to come to the fore and this race is no different. Pulling all the different strands together, strong cases can be made for plenty, but the pick of those in that category in this year’s renewal could well turn out to be THE SHUNTER (best price 9-2). 

Expertly handled by Emmet Mullins, the son of Stowaway has made dramatic strides up the ranks this season and his victory over a typically deep field in the Greatwood Hurdle here in November strongly suggested he was a horse going places. Given a mid-season break with a view to coming back to the home of National Hunt racing later in the campaign, the eight-year-old returned to action in cracking form by finishing a close-up third in a white hot handicap chase at the Dublin racing festival and its form that has already stood the test with the likes of Entoucas and Mitchouka going on to hit even greater heights subsequently. Successful himself on his return to these shores in the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso 12 days ago, The Shunter arrives here on the crest of a wave and with a clear round it’s easy to see him going close to pulling off a well-planned coup with a 100k bonus on the table. 

Of the rest, SULLY D’OC (best price 12-1) makes most appeal of those quoted at double figures and if he can just cut one or two niggly errors that have sometimes blighted his performances, he easily has enough ability to figure. Promising in his first four races over fences, Anthony Honeyball’s gelding has really sprung to prominence this term and his smooth victory at Ascot back in November signalled he was a young novice going places. Indeed, the form of that race at the Berkshire venue couldn’t have worked out any better with the likes of Editeur Du Gite, Smarty Wild, Falco Blitz, Copper Coin, Dorking Lad and Trincomalee all winning since and he might have followed suit himself had he not took the last fence as a souvenir at Newbury on his latest encounter. Rested for this since, the son of Konig Turf goes well fresh and with the drying ground also in his favour, he rates a must for the shortlist.

Only five running’s of this new event and all have been trained by Willie Mullins, so it should pay to keep all of his four representatives on side. Of the quartet, GAULOISE (best price 7-1) easily makes the most appeal as she took part in the strongest form line for this event at Fairyhouse last time out and she, along with the winner that day, ROSEYS HOLLOW (best price 6-1), are the two to take against the field.
The former had gone into that hot contest at the Co Meath venue unbeaten in three previous starts and although she failed in her bid to kept that record intact, her performance in defeat was a useful one nonetheless. Probably not as in love with the proper winter soft ground than her two main market rivals, the daughter of Samum still kept on well enough to finish a close-up third and with that effort still representing a career-high in term of pure figures, there’s every chance she can take her game to even greater heights on better ground. 

The latter impressed with the way she went through that well-run affair 38 days ago and there are many reasons to suggest she should be clear outright favourite to confirm the form with her old adversaries. Firstly, she clearly thrives in a strongly run environment and secondly, she may have more physical scope than the rest of the field. Indeed, she might well by a good deal shorter in the betting if trained by a more household name, but rest assured, she’s in a very capable hands and she has all the attributes to provide her handler Jonathon Sweeney with his first festival winner.

Henry De Bromhead is having a meeting he’ll never forget and he looks as though he has another fine chance of adding to tally with PLAN OF ATTACK (best price 8-1) in this concluding handicap. 
Aimed at this race last year after a cracking effort in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown, the eight-year-old ran right up to his best form to finish fourth in a strong-looking renewal and considering the ground was far from ideal, his effort deserves plenty of plaudits. Arriving here not quite in the same form after three below-par displays by his standards, his latest performance, however, when a keeping-on eighth in the very same contest at the Dublin venue, suggests he’s coming to the boil nicely. Additionally, the switch in headgear from cheekpieces to first-time visor might bring about improvement (8 of the last 10 winners all wore headgear) and now on ground that is a good deal more favourable based on his overall profile down the years, the son of Court Cave looks likely to be one of the main players again. 

Another for whom the ground is important is GO ANOTHER ONE (best price 40-1) and representing a stable that have done well with their raiders to Cheltenham in the past, John McConnell’s gelding makes plenty of appeal at his preposterous-looking price. 

A very consistent nine-year-old who’s hardly ever out of the frame, the son of Stowaway ran well on his first visit to today’s venue behind Slate House back in 2019 and that prompted connections to have a tilt at this very race later in the campaign. Unfortunately, he got no further than the ninth, but unperturbed, he’s back for another crack following a series of fine efforts in victory and defeat. Fourth in Mayo National on unsuitable soft ground in September, his last effort a month later saw him finish within a respectable distance behind The Bosses Oscar over hurdles and having a career record of 21432111 when off the track for 50 days or more, Go Another One’s freshness is likely to see him outrun his odds.