Five horses to keep an eye on this weekend and for the season ahead
Saturday
VANITEUX - Saturday 15.10 Cheltenham
Formally with Nicky Henderson, the eight-year-old seems to have been around for years. He’s finished in the first three in seven of his 10 starts over fences and won at both Listed and Grade 2 level. Last seen finishing fourth of four in the Grade 1 Celebration Chase behind the incredible Altior, his five length victory over Romain De Senam the time before that looks particularly strong especially considering the latter’s form this season. A runner-up three times at Saturday’s venue, it will be intriguing to see how he performs on his first run for David Pipe under top weight
Sunday
GLOBAL CITIZEN - 12.40 Aintree
A £275,000 purchase at the April sales, the five-year-old winning pointer blew away any cobwebs with a bumper win 17 days ago at Worcester. Facing only two rivals that day, he was untroubled throughout en route to a seven length victory. Now over hurdles for the first time under rules, his pointing experience should come in handy and he could be one to follow as this season and beyond with chasing very much expected to be his game.
THE ROMFORD PELE - 13.50 Aintree
Now at the veteran stage of his career, the ten-year-old has moved to the Tom George stable from Rebecca Curtis. A three-time winner over fences, he’s been somewhat in and out of late but the switch to George could help him rediscover some of that old sparkle. With more and more veterans’ races being added to the racing calendar there should be plenty of opportunities for him to make his way back to the winners’ enclosure at some point this season.
CLOUDY DREAM - 15.00 Aintree
Yet to finish out of the top two in any of his seven starts over fences, Malcom Jefferson’s seven-year-old got a deserved success on his final start of last season in a Grade 2 chase up at Ayr. Saturday’s race looks a competitive one but the consistent gelding hasn’t yet finished out of the places in his 14 career starts and a winning start to the season could see him emerge as a genuine Cheltenham Festival contender.
DIAMOND GUY - 15.55 Wincanton
A 28 length winner of his only start so far, Paul Nicholls’ four-year-old falls under the ‘could be anything’ bracket. The form of that four-runner bumper is nothing special and having been sent off at 4/9 that day he was obviously expected to win but it’s still hard not to be taken by a performance of that nature.
