Andy Holding's Cheltenham Wednesday Racing Tips

The testing conditions on day one only went to emphasise the importance of stamina over this track, so with that in mind, SAMS PROFILE (best price 8-1 w/out BattleoverDoyen) should end being in his element. A good second to Battleoverdoyen in the Grade 1 Navan Novices’ Hurdle in January, Mouse Morris’ gelding had to be deemed as a slightly unlucky loser due to the bad mistake he made at the first one down the back straight. Rallying to the cause, however, the son of Black Sam Bellamy impressed with the way he gallantly tried to make up the lost deficit by staying on best of all to claim the runner-up spot.

Prior to that praiseworthy display, the five-year-old had chased home the strong-staying Derrinmoss in what turned out to be a war of attrition in a Grade 3 at Cork but knowing that he has previously proved that he stays beyond today’s trip, should end up being in his favour when push comes to shove at the business end. Although all the fancy prices have evaporated about this likeable sort, he still makes plenty of appeal in the ‘without the favourite’ markets as it’s hard to envisage him not running well hailing from a stable that took this race many years ago with a similar type, First Lieutenant. 

In what should turn out to be a proper test at the trip, the ever-reliable DELTA WORK (best price 3-1) is fancied to show who’s boss in this division. Winner of last season’s Pertemps Final, the six-year-old has taken as well to fences as connections would have hoped and his three straight victories have all been sprinkled with a certain degree of class and authority.

An elementary success in a beginners’ chase at Down Royal was usurped by Grade 1 glory over Le Richebourg in the Drinmore at Fairyhouse and given how well that form has worked as the season has progressed, it was no surprise that he completed the hat trick on his latest outing at Leopardstown. The feature of all his starts over fences has been his assured jumping and knowing that Gordon Elliot’s gelding is a past-master when it comes to the white-hot heat of a championship environment suggests he’s very much the solid percentage call down the front end of the market.

In recent years there’s been a distinct shift in the trends for this race with class horses very much coming to the fore, so with that mind, both VISION DES FLOS (best price 16-1) and SCARPETA (best price 22-1) are worth more than a second look.

The former has improved significantly since finishing a creditable sixth in the Ballymore on this corresponding card last season and his upswing in form was highlighted by his authoritative display in the Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell last time out. Always in cruise control at the Sussex track, Colin Tizzard’s gelding had too much all-round game for the likes of If The Cap Fits and Old Guard and that victory was due reward for a series of solid placed efforts against some of the best hurdlers around. Although he has his fair share of weight, he has enough size and scope to offset that burden and having run well on numerous occasions on testing ground, odds of 16/1 make plenty of appeal with many firms touting for your business with five, six or even seven places on offer.

The latter finished ahead of Vision Des Flos in that aforementioned Ballymore and although he was pulled up on his last start of the season in the Grade 1 novice contest at Punchestown, he may have well played a part in the finish that day but for nearly being brought to a complete standstill by the fall of Debuchet at the second last. A comfortable winner of his opening gambit of the campaign over three miles at Clonmel, Willie Mullins’ gelding might have followed up at Punchestown last time out but for a bad mistake three out, and with the cheekpieces on for the first time just to aid his concentration, he too looks overpriced in terms of pure class.

Tiger Roll would be one of the most popular winners of the week but working on the basis that URGENT DE GREGAINE (best price 7-1 W/Out Tiger Roll) chased him home to be a clear second in this race last year, it makes more financial sense at the respective prices to go with the French raider in the ‘without the favourite’ market. Although the 11-year-old was pulled up last time out, he raced without the usual aid of a tongue-tie and you’ve also got to bear in mind that he has a terrific record around the slopes of Prestbury Park. Not only did the son of Truth Or Dare I run to a career-high twelve months ago, his previous two visits here have resulted in a victory and solid third place finish, and with the ground likely to be riding pretty testing all over the track, his ability to handle the conditions and travel well through the ground will count for plenty in the final reckoning.

As ever, quite a few well-regarded types from powerful stables face the starter, but MASTER DEBONAIR (best price 12-1) has the distinct advantage of running over the C&D twice, so based on that knowledge, he rates the value each-way option to some of those unproven ones down the front end of the market. 
Winner on debut at Sedgefield back in May last year, Colin Tizzard’s inmate was pitched into a hot bumper on his first visit to today’s track six months later and although he just came up slightly short of the mark, he certainly did more than enough to suggest he has a very bright future.

Sent back to the Prestbury Park on his latest outing, the son of Yeats made no mistake at the second time of asking as he pulled out more in the closing stages to repel the late thrust of Thyme Hill. Speed figure-wise the race in question was a decent one of its kind on the numbers and with the likes of Ask Dillon, Hold The Note, Ribble Valley and McFabulous all going on to win since, the form looks pretty watertight. 

Although beaten that day, THYME HILL (best price 25-1) was by no means bowed, and if Richard Johnson hadn’t sent his mount around the inside on the unfavoured slower ground, it might have well been a different story. A nice big chasing type with a bright future, clearly this son of Kayf Tara is well suited by a galloping track and there’s simply no way he should be a 25/1 based on that run alone.