Jack and Law look far from short Straws
THREE days of Cheltenham’s November Meeting bring some top-class Jumps action to the table this week, but putting anything up ante-post at the moment is far from easy with so little rain around. Jumps trainers throughout Britain and Ireland are crying out for rain so they can get a run into their horses, without having [...]
THREE days of Cheltenham’s November Meeting bring some top-class Jumps action to the table this week, but putting anything up ante-post at the moment is far from easy with so little rain around.
Jumps trainers throughout Britain and Ireland are crying out for rain so they can get a run into their horses, without having to risk them on good ground first time up.
What that means is field sizes are smaller than usual, with many trainers waiting until the 11th hour in the hope of rainfall before pulling their runners out of races.
For now the forecast looks dry and that will mean the going is sure to be quick come the opening day on Friday, no matter how much water is applied to the course in between now and then.
In the major race on Saturday, the Paddy Power Gold Cup (2.20pm), plans to run Protektorat look likely to be scuppered by the ground.
Ginny’s Destiny is an obvious pick as a horse that goes brilliantly around Cheltenham, but at the prices I’d rather side with a couple further down the betting.
The first of those is STRAW FAN JACK who is no stranger to Cheltenham himself, having won once and placed once from four starts over fences at Prestbury Park.
He was a good winner of the Squareintheair.com Novices’ Chase two years ago, and last season ran a super race to finish a close third behind Shakem Up’arry in the Plate at the Festival.
He got outpaced on the hometurn on that occasion before staying on well up the hill, and the fast-run nature of this race will suit him, as will the good ground.
Off a mark of 135 he looks more than feasibly treated, and while he will need a few rivals to come out of the race in order to get a run, that looks likely on account of the ground conditions.
Sheila Lewis’ nine-year-old also has an excellent record when fresh which allays doubts about him after a long absence, and at 25/1, I think there’s good value to be had with four places on offer.
I’m also keen to keep GA LAW onside and he is another I’ll be playing each-way at around 8/1.
This horse is the battle-hardened type you need for these big handicaps and he has won two major 2m4f handicaps around Cheltenham already.
The first of those wins came in this contest two years ago, when he got the better of a very strong rival in French Dynamite.
Last season he won the January edition of the Paddy Power Gold Cup off a mark of 150, staying on powerfully up the hill when challenged.
He lines up here five pounds higher in the weights, but arrives with a good prep run already behind him, meaning he should be spot on for this contest.
Good ground is key to him, so conditions look ideal and everything points to a big run.
Friday’s Cross Country Chase (2.55pm) could feature plenty of past stars, including the likes of Glavin, Conflated and Fakir d’Oudairies.
Once again the question is how many of those Irish raiders will take their chance on the ground, and I’d rather look to DEISE ABA at around the 12/1 mark.
We know he stays well and likes both the course and ground, while he arrives here in form having gone down by only a short-head at Wincanton on his seasonal bow.
He finished a narrow second over this course and distance a few seasons ago and conditions look favourable for another good run, so he’ll do for me in what looks a tough race.
POINTERS FRIDAY & SATURDAY
Deise Aba e/w 2.55pm (Fri) Cheltenham
Straw Fan Jack e/w 2.20pm (Sat) Cheltenham
Ga Law e/w 2.20pm (Sat) Cheltenham
