Cheltenham Trials Day: best bets and Cleeve Hurdle preview
In just over six weeks, the tapes will rise, the famous Cheltenham roar will escape from the throats of around 70,000 people and the thunder of hooves will be heard as runners in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle attempt to become the first winner at the 2020 Cheltenham Festival.
And one of the key signposts on the road to this year’s showpiece event takes place today when Cheltenham hosts its Trials Day. Last year, three Trials Day victors went on to claim a slice of racing immortality by winning at the Cheltenham Festival, so whether you win or lose today, it’s worth keeping an eye on the equine stars strutting their stuff.
The Cleeve Hurdle (3.35)
The biggest name on show this afternoon is probably Paisley Park, who is out to defend his Cleeve crown.
One of the jumps season’s leading lights in 2019, he went on to win the Stayers’ Hurdle after landing this race last year and has since extended his winning run to six after making a successful reappearance at Ascot in November.
This time around, though, he faces a far tougher test in his final run before Cheltenham as he takes on the new kid on the staying block in If The Cap Fits. Priced at 7.6 on the Betfair Exchange to win the Stayers’ Hurdle (Paisley Park is the 2.38 favourite), If The Cap Fits is rated just 3lb below Paisley Park on official ratings and has the ability to provide the favourite with his hardest task since his winning streak began.
With Paisley Park trading at 1.74 and If The Cap Fits at 5, it could well be worth taking a chance on the newcomer overturning the established pecking order and announcing himself as a contender for top honours.
The Cotswold Chase (2.25)
This race has struggled to live up to its billing as a Gold Cup trial in recent years, with Looks Like Trouble in 2000 the last horse to complete the double. This year’s renewal, though, is shaping up to be a cracker with an intriguing mix of proven performers taking on exciting youngsters.
The standard is undoubtedly set by four-time Grade One winner Bristol De Mai, who finished third in last year’s Gold Cup behind Al Boum Photo. But he was soundly beaten in the Betfair Chase, a race he’d won in 2017 and 2018, so there is potentially plenty of upside in siding with a young gun.
Santini and De Rasher Counter appeal as the two most likely to make an impact at the highest level and my preference is for the latter, who looked to have the world at his feet - er, wait, should that be hooves - when he won the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury in November. That race was the springboard to success for Denman and Native River among others in the last ten years and De Rasher Counter has a big run in him at odds of 8.4.
Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (12.40)
Only three horses have won this and gone on to run in the Triumph Hurdle in the last 12 years, but all three were successful. This year it could well pay to side with Monte Cristo, who is trading at 2.26. He makes his British debut for Nicky Henderson, who has won this race four times in the past seven years, including with subsequent Triumph winner Peace And Co in 2015.
Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (3.00)
King Of Roland appeals as the type to take this race. He won his last race by a massive 19 lengths and the form of his earlier run has worked out extremely well. This six-year-old looks set to go to the top over hurdles and his trainer Harry Fry could be set for a big day as he also saddles If The Cap Fits in the Cleeve Hurdle.
The Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase (1.15)
As ever, the Cheltenham handicaps look tricky to solve but the first of them could could go the way of Champagne Court. He’s won his last two starts over fences and can continue his rise up the ranks.
Cheltenham Trophy Handicap Chase (1.50)
It’s worth siding with young improvers in this race and My Way can claim an overdue success for Betfair ambassador and champion trainer Paul Nicholls, He’s open to plenty of improvement after just three chase starts and looks good value at 8.6 on the Betfair exchange.
Steel Plate And Sections Handicap Hurdle (4.10)
We can all go home happy by backing Lust For Glory at 4 in the last race. She didn’t take to fences on her last start and goes back over hurdles here. She was well fancied at the Cheltenham Festival last year and can return to winning ways.
