Jake Price picked out two winners from three on Thursday's column and has three tips for racing's return to Cheltenham on Friday.
13:15 CheltenhamSee All Odds
William Hill Epic Boosts Handicap Hurdle
Cheltenham is back and I can't wait to be there, but it would be impossible to avoid saying that the Friday card is particularly tricky. It is summed up by this opening two-and-a-half mile Handicap Hurdle, but I thought that at a massive price AL GASPARO (best price 22/1) was worth a small play.
This 7yo used to be with Gavin Cromwell, and during the Christmas Festival of 2024 he won a Listed Handicap Hurdle over 2m4f at Leopardstown. Connections decided to go straight for the Coral Cup at the Cheltenham Festival afterwards, and off a mark of 144 he did not disgrace himself in 13th place behind Jimmy Du Seuil. The class of that face is light-years away from this, so it was a very fair effort in context.
Since disappointing over fences he has joined Joshua Newman, who runs the point-to-point operation at Kayley Woollacott’s yard. During the months of December through to May he picked up a staggering five point-to-point wins (and fell in a sixth), and he now returns to life under rules with his confidence gleaming.
Kayley Woollacott and Joshua Newman have successfully done very similar with El Capitaine in the past when winning seven points before going back under rules and winning three times, and I am hoping they can do similar with this lad. Unfortunately he does still have a Hurdles mark of 140 to contend with due to his Irish form, but talented young conditional Lucas Murphy jumps aboard to take off a very crucial 7lbs.
14:25 CheltenhamSee All Odds
Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) - 2m½f
Whilst fitness may well be a slight concern, I think there are enough positives about WONDERING WHY (best price of 9/2) to make him a bet here in another very winnable Handicap on the opening day of the October meeting.
This 5yo was progressive in Novice Hurdles last season, getting off the mark at the third attempt when winning his Maiden at Lingfield in January. Under a penalty he then ran with loads of credit at Warwick in a Novice Hurdle won by Cosmic Connection, and that race has been working out strongly with the likes of Road To Wembley and King Al winning since. He was actually thought good enough to be sent off the 5/4f for that race beforehand too, so clearly connections think he is a talented animal.
After a bit of a break he made his Handicap debut back at Warwick in May on decent ground, and he ran a belter. It was only a slow pace set, but he showed a tremendous turn of foot to quicken up and win well - scoring by two lengths at the finish. The form of that contest is working out strongly too; the second Nap Hand (117) has won twice since, the third Seraphic (98) won last week, and the fifth Wild Goose (125) also won on his reappearance earlier this month.
With that form in combination with his potential, a mark of 119 looks very workable on his return to action, and it is an added bonus that Ben Pauling’s stable conditional Elliott England is able to claim 8lbs off his back. He won four times for the yard last season including twice on Onewaywest, so is certainly a capable rider in a Conditional Jockeys event like this.
15:00 CheltenhamSee All Odds
Oddschecker Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) - 2m½f
This Oddschecker sponsored Grade 2 looks like a cracking contest for the time of year, and plenty of money has come for Cooltobecareless of the Dan Skelton team. Whilst clearly he would have a big chance I do think he is too short in the betting however, and as such I’d rather take a chance on SCOTT’S LEGACY (best price of 8/1) who has a very similar profile.
Both Horses had mixed form in Bumpers but ultimately were able to win one, with our selection scoring at Southwell in March when having to dig deep to beat Music Song - who was clearly in the shop window having subsequently sold for £75,000. It was a much better effort than when running as a 3yo however, so you would imagine that he simply needed more time to develop.
After his Summer break this Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies charge made his Hurdles debut at Newton Abbot in late September, in a race where the market was very much concentrating on Matiwo of the Jane Williams Stable. It has since transpired that most of her string have been needing their first runs, but it was still a very impressive performance from SCOTT’S LEGACY to travel all over that rival rated 117, and scoot away to score by a very easy 6 lengths on the bridle.
The plan since that victory which was recorded in a good time has always been to come to Cheltenham for this Grade 2 event, and the 25 day turn-around is much more ideal than the 14 days the favourite Cooltobecareless has to deal with since his Chepstow success in what I thought was a weaker contest. The selection is still only a four-year-old too, so he receives 1lb at the weights which is a small added bonus in our favour. Ultimately, he shouldn't be as big of a price as he is at the time of writing. Sam Twiston-Davies is reunited in the saddle, and the stable is still in good form.
