Cheltenham Trials Day 2024 Preview and Betting Tips

Adam O’Brien has been tasked with picking his Cheltenham Trials Day betting tips from each of the eight races on a bumper card on Saturday 27th January 2024.

The action gets underway at 12.05pm with the JCB Triumph Hurdle trial and runs through five other graded races and two valuable handicaps.

Adam has previewed each race below and picked his best bet from each race.

You can use the CopyBet bet £10 get £40 sign-up offer to get 4 free £10 bets to use on Cheltenham trials day via this link.

 

12.05

Britain has the top 2 in the betting for the JCB Triumph hurdle in March and we have a proper trial here as both of those 4 YO’s go to post for what looks to be a fascinating contest. Both unbeaten on 2 hurdle starts, Sir Gino and Burdett Road come from 2 very different backgrounds. Sir Gino has only had 1 start in the UK but was impressive when smashing a field by 14 lengths whilst giving weight all round at Kempton at Christmas. That form was franked on Thursday with the 3rd Torneo winning by a wide margin at Wetherby. It’s still difficult to know exactly how strong that form is but we can say the same about market rival Burdett Road.

A Royal Ascot winner in June, he has taken the rare route of juvenile hurdling and has raced to the top of the Triumph market due to his success at Cheltenham in November when coming from last to first in a matter of strides. He showed electric pace then and it was hard to not be impressed even though his jumping has been far from fluent on his 2 starts.

Both horses have shown to have impressive turns of foot whilst not perfecting their jumping and it might come down to how well they jump on Saturday. For that reason I’m happy to side with the French, National Hunt horse over the flat pedigree and with prices bigger for Sir Gino it’s him I’m going to side with. I believe he will come on greatly for his debut and by winning this he will go favourite for the big one in March

Back Sir Gino win only 13/8 (Coral) – Open a Coral account > bet £5 > get a £20 free bet.

 

12.40

A Cheltenham meeting wouldn’t be the same without a 2 ½ mile handicap chase and we have 2 back-to-back on Saturday. This one is for the Novices and in the past had a great record in producing winners for the Festival Novices Handicap Chase in March. That race has since been replaced but this race still has significance on the festival as it still acts as a good trial for the Plate. Last year’s winner Stage Star went on to win the Grade 1 Turners Novices Chase and trainer Paul Nicholls has top weight and favourite here in Ginnys Destiny. After recording back-to-back wins here in November & December he is a solid favourite and one I believe punters will back further on the day. His form has been boosted with 2nd in December’s contest Grey Dawning winning well in a graded race at Warwick a fortnight ago.

This horse is on the upward curve and looks to have a similar profile to Stage Star and although he’s favourite and carrying 12st in this competitive race, I think he’s the most likely winner.

Back Ginnys Destiny EW 4/1 (SkyBet) paying 5 places

 

13.15

Last year’s winner Il Ridoto tops the betting here too for the same trainer/jockey as the above handicap chase. Another horse who has visited Prestbury Park at the November and December meetings and put up a cracking effort last time out when pipped on the line in the December Gold Cup by Fugituf.

I think that form from that race is strong and I’m willing to chance the 4th from that race here. Granduer D’Ame was getting 7lb from Il Ridoto that day but gets 15lb here and although he was beaten 10 lengths, I think he will get a lot closer this time and at the prices I’m happy to chance the Alan King horse.

Back Grandeur D’Ame EW 11/1 (William Hill) paying 4 places – Join William Hill > bet £10 > get £30 in free bets.

 

13.50

Albeit a competitive and fascinating race, a trial for the Gold Cup and the best-staying chasers in UK & Ireland this is not. It’s a race where all horses have question marks over them which makes it a compelling race and one where you could make a case for all 6 runners. Stay Away Fay heads the betting and is a horse I really like and has a great chance in the 2024 Brown Advisory Novice Chase in March. But as a novice, I want to take him on. He has lots to find on ratings and would be a mammoth performance to win this on what would only be his 3rd chase start. Royal Pagaille joins the Nicholls runner at the head of the market but I can’t have him at all for this. Winner of the Grade 1 Betfair Chase last time, the horse is just a different animal at Haydock to anywhere else. We won’t get a bog here (likely to be good/soft with maybe bits of good if it dries out on Friday) that would justify his price and although he hasn’t disgraced himself in 3 Gold Cups, he’s never taken well to this venue.

The Real Whacker comes here off the back of 2 poor runs this season in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and King George. He has won 3 times at Cheltenham before though, 1 of which was at last year’s festival when beating Gerri Colombe in the Brown Advisory. If he can return to that form he would have a chance but you would have to be the forgiving type, especially with trainer form or lack of this season. Ahoy Senor won this race last year and often performs when least likely to do so. It could be that he turns up here but with the inconsistency in his jumping, he’s one I can leave. Capodanno runs here after being a NR in Ireland last week due to a temperature. On his day he has the class to possibly win this but his recent record hasn’t been good and I believe he’s being aimed for the Grand National so won’t be primed to win this.

That only leaves my selection which is Datsalrightgino. Beaten 16 lengths into 8th on seasonal debut in what doesn’t look the strongest Old Roan chase at Aintree, he put up a career-best when winning the Coral Gold Cup on his next start. That was his first try over 2m4 and he excelled over it and the further they went the more he grew into the race. Even though he’s not young (8) I think he is still improving with more to come and has every right to go for this. He was 2nd on this card last year to Stage Star which represents good form. He has the mix of 2 ½ mile form along with proven stamina at further and with the pace up front here, I think he is an outstanding bet.

Back Datsalrightgino win only 6/1 (SkyBet)

 

14.25

Unfortunately, we won’t get the clash of the 2 heavyweights here as the rearranged Clarence House comes without El Fabiolo after connections decided against coming over after last week’s scheduled race was abandoned. That has left Jonbon with an open goal and he should be taking full advantage of that against these. Heavily odds on and he should justify that and win. From a betting perspective, it’s ok to sit this one out.

 

15.00

Regarded as a Champion Hurdle trial, it’s difficult to see any of these lining up in the prestigious race come March with just 5 runners going to post. Triumph Hurdle winner Lossiemouth returns for her first start of the season having had a quiet time since the spring. That break was planned as Willie Mullins has been gentle on his 4 YO mares this winter. This looks like the perfect place to start her campaign as she (likely) gears up for the 2024 Mares Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 6 ½ weeks time. 2022 Mares novice winner Love Envoi is her closest rival in the market and won’t make it easy for the odds-on favourite from Closutton here even though the trip is probably shorter than her preferred distance of 2m4. I don’t believe any of the other 3 can win and are here to pick up what they can in prize money. The 2m4 trip that Lossiemouth may face in March is still up for debate but with this contest being over 2m, she will be in her comfort zone and should take the world of beating if producing the form of her win last March.

Back Lossiemouth win only 5/6 (William Hill)

 

15.35

You could be mistaken for thinking this is a veterans version of the Cleeve hurdle due to the ages of some that line up. But I can assure you that it is not. We have 2 x 12 year olds, and an 11, 10 & 9 YO who will all be giving everything to win here. Although a trial for the Paddy Power Stayers Hurdle at the Festival, this is a great race in its own right. With a realisation that March’s race may be a race too far for some, I expect all to be primed to go close and roll back the years.

Like the Cotswold Chase, you could make a case for most in here whilst also finding faults with all and it’s another fascinating race because of that. I’m going to side with the slightly younger but intriguing horse in Noble Yeats. The Grand National winner of 2022, Emmet Mullins is targeting this and the Stayers Hurdle for his prep runs for this year’s renewal and he seems a player in both. Rated 166 over fences, if he translates that form back to hurdles then he should be too good for these at the end of their career. The heart and racing fan in me would probably love Paisley Park to win and he obviously has a favourites chance but I’m going with my head for now.

He was as big as 12/1 ante-post for this on Tuesday and although the money has come and he has shortened, I think it’s still a backable price.

Back Noble Yeats win only 4/1 (William Hill)

 

16.10

The Ballymore (now the Baring Bingham) Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham is a race that has been dominated by the Irish at the festival for a number of years now but in Gidleigh Park, the British have a big player. He runs in this trial and I’m hoping he’s good enough to rival the Irish come March. He really needs to be winning this if he’s to do that, and I think he will.

He’s short enough in the betting but he should have the class to see off this field. The Harry Fry charge won on debut at 2m at Exeter in November but it was next time out when stepped up to 2m4 at Newbury in December where he really impressed me. He beat a highly thought-of horse of Paul Nicholls in Fire Flyer and easily despatched him out the way, winning by 9 lengths. A 5-week break has taken him to this and I believe he’s ready to show us even more class in this Grade 2.

Back Gidleigh Park win only 5/4 (Coral) – Join Coral via this link > bet £5 > get a £20 free bet.

 

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