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Cheltenham Trials Day 2023 Tips
- 11.40am – Comfort Zone 9/4
- 12.10pm – Panic Attack 16/1
- 12.40pm – Foxy Jacks 9/1
- 1.20pm – Energumene 8/15
- 1.50pm – Fugitif 9/2
- 2.25pm – Protektorat 13/8
- 3.00pm – Paisley Park 5/4
- 3.35pm – Rock My Way 11/2
- 4.10pm – Hacker Des Places 9/2
11.40am – Comfort can get us in the winning Zone
The opening contest of a cracking nine race card is the Grade 2 JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle over two miles and a furlong. Won by the likes of Defi Du Seuil and most recently Pied Piper, it’s a race that can produce a smart type and Festival contender. Jupiter Du Gite could be anything after a shock runaway victory at Newbury last time out. He never saw another rival that day and I would like to think the chasing pack may sit a little closer to him this time around. The Cheltenham hill could go against him here and I have decided to take him on with a closer. Comfort Zone 9/4 has good form behind the exciting Lossiemouth and ran out a narrow winner of a Grade 2 at Chepstow over Christmas, just getting the better of the reopposing Dixon Cove. I think Comfort Zone hit the front way too soon and didn’t appear to be doing much out in front. Dixon Cove appeared to be coming with a wet sail, but Comfort Zone found more when he got to his girth. With Jupiter Du Gite likely to set a good gallop, I am hoping Jonjo Junior can come with a late winning run. Scriptwriter is another who will surely look to pounce late, and his form has been franked by Perseus Way. I was concerned about the ground for him though.12.10pm – Pipe and Scudamore can strike with plucky mare
The second race of the day is a devilishly tricky Novices’ Handicap Chase over an extended two and a half miles. Top weight Stage Star has Grade 1 winning hurdle form to his name and had a confidence booster last time out over fences. I’m not entirely sure about his finishing effort and off top weight could see him being found out up the Cheltenham hill. Datsalrightgino has been crying out for this step up in trip but with the ground currently soft, I wouldn’t be sure it will dry out enough for him to be seen to best effect. I have opted to side with Panic Attack 16/1 for trainer David Pipe. Her seasonal reappearance came in a hot looking Pertemps qualifier at the track in October. Shoot first won the race and currently sits at the top of betting for the final in March, whilst Botox Has (second) went on to win the extremely valuable Betfair Exchange Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle. Panic Attack duly made her chasing debut at Huntingdon where she jumped brilliantly on the way to a thirteen length win over 125 rated hurdler Wynn House. Panic Attack was then pitched into warmer waters at Kempton where she ran into an extremely well handicapped Balco Coastal. She was beaten ten lengths by the Nicky Henderson inmate in receipt of three pounds but stayed on strongly after being slightly outpaced turning for home. Balco Coastal went up 11lbs for that success, whilst Panic Attack remained on a mark of 130. Rated 125 over hurdles, I think Panic Attack has the scope to be a much better chaser and this return to Cheltenham should play to her strengths. With winning course form in the form we know she goes well at Prestbury Park and 16/1 looks a nice each-way price. I hope to see her staying on strongly up the hill.12.40pm – Cross country newcomer can run a big race for shrewd connections
2021 Grand National winner, Minella Times, and 2022 Cheltenham festival winner, Delta Work, head the weights for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap chase. It is worth noting that today’s contest is a handicap, whilst the cross country ran during Festival week is off level weights. With that in mind, Delta Work has quite the challenge on his hands lumping weight away to some decent cross-country performers. He’s the class act in the race and should improve for his seasonal reappearance where he did well to mow down Singing Banjo late on at Punchestown. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Gordon has left a fair bit to work on and I could see Delta Work improving significantly again come March. Tentatively, I’ll take him on with an interesting runner from the shrewd yard of Mouse Morris. Foxy Jacks 9/1 is his sole runner on the card and ran a fantastic race to finish fifth in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas. He was slightly hampered at a crucial stage but plugged on gamely to get within two and a half lengths of eventual winner Real Steel. Officially rated 140, he receives 20lbs from Delta Work and is completely unexposed over cross country courses having never run over them before. Taking that into account, it is certainly an eye-catching move from his Irish trainer to bring him over for a first crack at the cross-country banks.1.20pm – Energumene to show why he’s the reigning champ
The best in the business get to strut their stuff in the rearranged Grade 1 Clarence House Chase. This looks a major showdown between defending champion chaser Energumene 8/15 and Arkle hero Edwardstone. Last season’s Arkle didn’t seem a vintage renewal at the time, but the form is rock solid. Blue Lord (third, beaten nearly eight lengths) has come out and won the Grade 2 Clomel Oil Chase and Grade 1 Paddy’s Rewards Club Chase, whilst more recently Haut En Colouers (sixth, beaten just over sixteen lengths) was about to beat Fakir D’oudairies before taking a final flight tumble at Thurles. Overall, Edwardstone has been an excellent jumper of a fence, but he has unseated twice now, most recently on his last start in the Desert Orchid chase at Kempton. Subsequent winner Editeur Du Gite has been supplemented for this and I think he could be key to race. He thrives around Cheltenham and will no doubt bowl along from the front, setting what I anticipate to be quite a strong pace. Energumene was foot perfect in the Champion Chase last season and just as good when narrowly going down to Shishkin in an epic renewal of this last season. The handicapper would have you believe that Edwardstone has 6lbs to find on official ratings, but I’m not sure there is a great deal to separate the two on raw ability alone. Out of the two, Edwardstone is far more likely to throw in the odd clumsy jump or race-ending error and subsequently, the tentative vote goes to the Champion Chaser, Energumene.30/1 Energumene to win the 1.20pm
1.50pm – Improving chaser can land a valuable prize
The feature handicap of the day is the Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase over the intermediate trip. Your Darling is an interesting runner stepping back in trip, whilst Il Ridoto has been banging on the door in these handicaps all season. I like the chances of current market leader Fugitif 9/2. He reappeared with a good second behind Amarillo Sky at the track in November and that rival went on to frank the form, winning his next start by 14 lengths of a 4lb higher mark. Fugitive stepped up in trip on his next start at Chepstow, where he effortlessly defeated a competitive looking field of 12. He’s subsequently gone up 10lbs for that win, but he won doing handstands and remains unexposed at this trip. The form of that race is yet to be tested, with a few reopposing here, but Fugitive struck me as a horse on the up with plenty of improvement to come. He will hopefully go very close here.2.25pm – Gold Cup third can stake his claim to A Plus Tard’s crown
Last season’s Gold Cup third, Protektorat 13/8, bids to back up his excellent Betfair Chase win in this years Grade 2 Cotswold Chase. Dan Skelton’s impressive son of Saint Des Saints looked better than ever at Haydock last time out and I was seriously impressed with his slick jumping. His form at Cheltenham is very good and both RPR’s and Official Ratings suggest he’s an improved horse this season. Noble Yeats also seems to be improving but I have doubts about the strength of his form. He beat Dashel Drasher who is a questionable stayer at three miles and Ahoy Senor didn’t jump with any fluency whatsoever. His Many Clouds triumph and Grand National win are his two standout pieces of form, and interestingly, they both came at Aintree. He’s certainly an improving horse but he was well beaten of 147 in the Ultima less than a year ago. I have niggling doubts about whether he’s a proper Gold Cup horse and if he will be seen to best effect around Cheltenham. Protektorat can power up the Cheltenham hill and prove he’s the standout English contender for this year’s Gold Cup.3.00pm – Age won’t stop Paisley Park storming up the Cheltenham hill
The top action just keeps coming and the next race on the card is the Grade 2 Cleeve Hurdle over three miles. I think there’s an awful lot to like about Paisley Park 5/4 here despite him being an 11-year- old. Officially rated 10lbs higher than anything else in the race, he won the rearranged Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle on his last start despite Kempton suiting his speedier rivals. His form around Cheltenham is fantastic, winning the 2019 Stayers Hurdle, this contest three times, and a further two placed efforts in the last two running’s of the Stayers. Gelino Bello switches back from fences and is certainly an interesting runner but his form heavily relies on Blazing Khal who is still a complete unknown having been off the track all season. As touched upon before, I have stamina doubts for Dashel Drasher and despite conceding weight all round, I expect Paisley Park to land his fourth Cleeve Hurdle.3.35pm – Rock My Way is the play in good looking Ballymore trial
The penultimate race of the day is the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle where a good-looking field of 12 go to post. I had liked the chances of Blenkinsop for trainer Henry Daly but he’s been declared an early non-runner. Henri The Second is a horse connections hold in high regard but he faces no easy task conceding weight all round. Pembroke has improved considerably since his hurdles debut and could be smart for team Skelton. He is short enough in the betting on what he has achieved, and at the prices I would favour taking him on. Rock My Way 11/2 ran a cracker on hurdles debut, finishing a close second to the smart Weveallbeencaught. That looks a decent piece of form and Rock My Way is entitled to step forward for the run. With Point To Point form behind Champion Bumper favourite Its For Me, he may well be underestimated by many due to his lesser-known connections. We know he handles the demands of Prestbury Park and he looks a decent each-way bet.
4.10pm – Champion Trainer to land the lucky last
Sixteen runners go to post for the lucky last, a two-mile one furlong handicap hurdle. Punctuation is the current market leader and sets a fair standard after winning at the track back in December. He has gone up 8lbs for that win and I think he may be slightly flattered by the form due to hurdles being omitted. Before embarking on a jumps career he wasn’t a bad flat performer so the fact half the hurdlers were taken out due to low sun would have seriously played to his strengths. I’ve decided to take him on with Hacker Des Places 9/2 who has some smart form to his name, including a good third in last season’s Imperial Cup and an excellent win in a competitive handicap at the Aintree Festival. He reappeared this season with a staying on second behind the well handicapped High One O Two and shaped to me as though he would really appreciate this switch to Cheltenham, a stiffer galloping track, with more emphasis on stamina. He improved plenty for racing last season so is entitled to come forward for that seasonal reappearance and Angus Cheleda clearly gets on well with him. I would be hopeful he can be competitive in a typically tricky Cheltenham handicap.Cheltenham Trials Day Free Bet Offers
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