Cheltenham Tips: Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

As ever, a wide open affair for this traditional big-field handicap on day two, but there’s plenty to like about the chances of both KOSHARI (best price 9-1) and BIRCHDALE (best price 18-1) and they are worth playing accordingly against the field.

The former came back from a long 875-day absence to score in decisive fashion at Cork back in January and considering the heavy ground was far from ideal at the Co Mallow venue, his performance deserves a good deal of praise. Sent to Leopardstown’s Dublin racing festival to contest an ultra-competitive handicap on his latest start, any chance Willie Mullins’ gelding may have had evaporated at the third hurdle when he hit the panel half way up and got shuffled back through the pack as a result. Doing well to finish as close as he did considering where he was positioned at halfway, his effort deserves a huge upgrade, and providing he can avoid any mishaps on the way around on this occasion, the son of Walk In The Park has the talent to make his presence felt.

The latter has always been held in pretty high regard, but it’s probably fair to say he hasn’t quite hit the heights connections envisaged. That said, he has run well at today’s track on several occasions and other than his Grade 2 victory here back in 2019, he also ran well in this race last season. Never placed to challenge twelve months ago behind stable mate Dame De Campagnie, the son of Jeremy was noted doing some good work at the finish and on the evidence of what we’ve seen of him of late, it looks as though connections have had this race in mind for some time. Following an aborted chase campaign, the seven-year-old warmed up for this prize with a nice spin in a useful jumper’s bumper at Kempton recently and being as he was of the few horses that day to run well despite racing out widest of all, his prospects for today’s assignment look a good deal stronger than at first glance.

A race in which the Irish have done particularly well in during the last decade and they appear to have a strong hand in this season’s renewal with EMBITTERED (best price 11-2) and ENTOUCAS (best price 15-2) fitting the profile on many previous winners.

The former has been dining at the very top table in his first season over fences and he definitely brings an element of class to the table. Although he’s yet to win so far in four starts – which is not a bad thing looking back at the stats – he has been plying his trade at Graded level and his last two performances were probably a little better than his finishing position suggests. His best effort on the numbers, however, came when he chased home the very smart Easywork in a novices’ chase containing 17 runners at Navan earlier in the campaign and a repeat of a similar level of form should see him good enough to feature heavily off a mark of 146 at a track where he excelled last year.

The latter, hailing from the same camp, has a similar profile in the sense he’s been taking on plenty of classy novice chasers without success on home soil. To his advantage, however, Joseph O’Brien’s gelding has had the benefit of running in three hot handicaps and with the latter of the trio coming courtesy of a sound effort in the Matheson Handicap at Leopardstown most recently (The Shunter won since), he does have at least that extra knowledge in his favour. Moreover, his chase mark hasn’t been effected despite his consistency and with the inside track of the Old course likely to suit his run style, a big run looks on the cards from the son of Network.

Without being anyway disrespectful to the rest of the field, the two standout prospects here lie in the hands of the Willie Mullins-trained pair SIR GERHARD (NAP) (Best price 9-4) and Kilcruit, and of the duo, the former gets the confident vote to take home stable bragging rights.

Formerly trained by Gordon Elliott until recent events intervened, the former point winner arrives here with an unbeaten record of 2-2 in bumpers under rules and with both performances impressiving in many different ways, he will hopefully have the sort of game to cope with whatever is thrown in his direction. Imperious when quickening up smartly at Down Royal on his seasonal debut back in October, the six-year-old showed a different side to his make-up when ploughing his way through much tougher conditions at Navan when last seen. Saved for this race ever since, this powerfully built gelding has an action to strongly suggest he will improve immeasurably for some better ground and if today’s affair becomes a foot-race from the bottom of the hill, Willie Mullins’ inmate may just have too many gears for his rivals.