Cheltenham December Meeting Day 1 Preview and Tips from @Rideout_Racing

The Cheltenham December meeting gets underway on Friday 9th December (weather depending) and we have some exciting action lined up with the return of the Cross Country race and some trappy handicaps to solve.

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Cheltenham Tips (09/12/22)

• 12.05pm: Delta Work – 3/1
• 12.40pm: Gentle Slopes – 5/1
• 1.15pm: Mister Coffey – 6/4
• 1.50pm: Her Indoors – 7/1
• 2.25pm: Spiritofthegames – 15/2
• 3.00pm: Anyharminasking – 6/1
• 3.35pm: Indefatigable – 10/1

 

12.05pm – Class to the fore in cracking Cross Country opener

The opening race of Cheltenham’s International Meeting is the Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Country Handicap Chase over a stamina-sapping three miles and six furlongs. Cheltenham Festival winner Delta Work 3/1 will attempt to concede over a stone to all ten rivals and it is worth remembering that the Cross Country in March is run off level weights. He reappeared with a gutsy win over the Punchestown banks and should improve plenty for that run. He finished a short head in front of Singing Banjo, giving that rival 7lbs on the day, not taking into account his jockey’s 7lb claim. Due to different race conditions, he must concede 25lbs to Singing Banjo, again not taking into account his jockeys 7lb claim.

Having finished a neck second to the reopposing Back On The Lash in November 2021 over course and distance, we know Singing Banjo goes well at the track and he returns on the exact same mark. Back On The Lash warrants plenty of respect after an excellent placed effort here last month and should relish the extra few furlongs. This looks a trappy contest and I was tempted to side with Singing Banjo, but his price has crashed in the last 24 hours. At the current prices, I think Delta Work is the play. He should relish the step up in trip and the Cheltenham banks should suit him more than Punchestown. Yes, he concedes more weight to Singing Banjo, but he was given a relatively easy ride by Jack Kennedy last time out and I think he will have taken a big step forward.

 

12.40pm – Gentle can power up the Cheltenham Slope on hurdles debut

An intriguing Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and one furlong is next up on the card with just the six runners set to line up. Attaca dons the silks of a certain Altior and being trained by Nicky Henderson could attract plenty of support after a debut hurdles success at Kempton. The form of that race is yet to be tested but he looked a little awkward in the finish. Nico had to cajole him along before some stern reminders after the last. Carrying a winner’s penalty, I would be inclined to take him on. Master Chewy looked the most likely winner of a decent Ascot Novice Hurdle but took a crashing fall at the last. He subsequently escapes a winner’s penalty and has some smart form lines with the likes of Hullnback and Pikar. If that fall hasn’t left his mark, he should be bang there.

Gentle Slopes 5/1 was a fantastic 14/1 winner for one of my November Meeting previews and it is interesting to see connections pitch him in here for his hurdles debut. He finished fifth at the track in the October meeting bumper and that race is producing plenty of winners. Strong Leader (2^nd) has come out and won twice since whilst the fourth, Mamoon Star beat Timeforatune who features in this contest. The race was run at crawl that day and it clearly didn’t suit Gentle Slopes who was badly outpaced but stayed on eye-catchingly up the hill. They went a much better gallop at the November meeting and Gentle Slopes cruised into the contest before taking it up three furlongs from home. Shaken up by Harry Cobden, he stormed clear and made quite the visual impression. Having seen him in the flesh a couple times now, he certainly has the scope for hurdles and on looks alone you would think he would improve for obstacles. We know he handles the track, and he should like the better ground conditions. Having been entered at Bangor on the same day, I am hoping it is a telling sign that he returns to Cheltenham for his hurdles debut.

 

1.15pm – Mister Coffey can strike in trappy affair

Just the four runners are set to contest the Cheltenham Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase over three miles, one and a half furlongs. Hidden Heroics ran out an impressive 23 length winner on chase debut, but that race fell apart and he did jump to right on occasions. He has gone up 9lbs for that success and Green Vault went up 8lbs for winning a poor race at Ayr. Art Approval hasn’t convinced me over fences and despite conceding plenty of weight all round, I favour the chances of Mister Coffey 6/4.

Nicky Henderson’s talented son of Authorized is yet to get his head in front over fences but has plenty of good form in the book. He finished second in the Kim Muir and did extremely well to finish so close having nearly been wiped out by a faller early on in the race. Mister Coffey has an excellent record when fresh, recording victories off the back of a 250 and 289 break so the fact this is his seasonal reappearance is by no means a negative. With course form in the book and plenty of chasing experience, I think Mister Coffey can finally get his head in front over fences.

 

1.50pm – King can strike with course winner

The mares get a chance to shine in the CF Roberts Electrical & Mechanical Services Mares’ Handicap Chase over the intermediate trip. This looks a competitive affair and a case can be made for plenty. I liked the claims of Her Indoors 7/1 for trainer Alan King. Sent off an unfancied 16/1 shot for her chase debut at Bangor she was clearly caught for tow over an inadequate trip. She did jump well in the main though and plugged on nicely up the straight.

Given she hasn’t won when fresh in the past, she is entitled to improve plenty for that run and will be much better suited to this step back up to the intermediate trip. With winning course form in the book on good ground, conditions are in her favour and the handicapper has dropped her 3lbs for that chase debut effort. Still only a five-year-old, there should be plenty more to come and having achieved a peak hurdles rating of 133, I would hope she can be very competitive here off a mark of 122.

 

2.25pm – In form Skelton’s can perform more magic

Next up on the card we have a gruelling Premier Handicap Chase over three miles and two furlongs. Commodore was an emphatic winner of this race last year and has an excellent record fresh. It is no surprise to see him head the market but at the age of ten, I would question how much more he has to give, especially off a career-high mark and carrying 9lbs more than his success last year.

Eva’s Oskar brings solid recent course form to the table and should be bang there once again. I have decided to take a chance on Spiritofthegames 15/2 for the inform Skelton team. The major negative with Spiritofthegames is that he hasn’t gotten his head in front since 2018 but if he is going to strike again, this could be his last chance. As a ten-year-old there is likely to be little improvement left in him but his handicap mark is tumbling and I think this trip may just be exactly what he wants.

He always seems to do his best work late on and if Harry can keep him close enough to the pace, I think he’ll enjoy coming past tired horses up the Cheltenham hill. With no less than seven top three finishes at the track we know he enjoys the demands of Prestbury Park and at each way price I thought he was the play in the race.

 

3.00pm – Constitution Hill conqueror can storm up the hill

The penultimate race of the day is the Catesby Estates Handicap Hurdle over two miles and one furlong. Rouge Vif is dangerously well handicapped on old form, but he hasn’t sparked for some time now. Mullenbeg has racked up a quick fire hattrick and has winning course form in the book. I haven’t been totally convinced by her and running in handicap company, she doesn’t receive the mares allowance. It could be a telling sign that Anyharminasking 6/1 backs up extremely quickly after an eye-catching run at Huntingdon just five days ago.

He was absolutely flying at the finish and Jonjo Junior reported that he hung badly left up the straight. This switch to Cheltenham, a left-handed galloping track, with a stiff uphill finish, should really play to his strengths. The extra furlong should also suit, and he did take a few runs to find his form last season so it may be that he his fully wound up now and ready to strike. Having beaten none other than Constitution Hill in his Point To Point you would have to think a mark of 136 underestimates his abilities.

 

3.35pm – Festival hero can add to her fine course record

Day One of the International Meeting ends with a competitive Handicap Hurdle over three miles. Simonsig’s half-brother Dusart heads both the weights and the betting and is the choice of Nico de Boinville. This is an interesting bit of placement from Nicky Henderson and I can’t decide whether connections are potentially using this as a pipe opener before going back chasing or because they think a hurdles mark of 150 looks lenient. With a niggling doubt in my mind that this could be a stepping stone, I have decided to take him on.

Indefatigable 10/1 has exceptional course form to her name, recording form figures of 512142F. She was going well when falling in the Mares Hurdle and the fifth came in the 2019 Mares Novice Hurdle. She would return twelve months to win the Martin Pipe off her current mark and I believe another big Cheltenham run could be on the cards. She drifted like a barge on her last start at Wetherby and it may well be that despite a run on the flat prior to that, she may improve plenty for the run. Her final start last season was a staying on second behind Mcfabulous and I think she definitely wants three miles these days. Ground conditions are in her favour and with Dusart running she carries a nice racing weight despite running off 145. Paul Webbers form would be a niggling doubt, but things have to change at some point!

 

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