IL RIDOTO can claim victory in the AIS December Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (1.50pm) at Cheltenham on Saturday afternoon – if the meeting beats the cold snap and gets the go-ahead again with a precautionary inspection called for 7.30am in the morning.
Many times the Paddy Power Gold Cup, won last month by Ga Law, has been a good guide to this similar race and it could provide a pointer this time. Paul Nicholls' Il Ridoto finished fourth in the prestigious extended 2m4½f handicap and would have been much closer without a mistake at the last fence. With the first three – Ga Law, French Dynamite and Midnight River – not lining up this time he looks a worthy favourite to take advantage.
Others who ran in the Paddy Power are also on retrieval missions including Stolen Silver, who unseated Sam Twiston-Davies three out when going well, Deyrann De Carjac (fifth), Il Ridoto's stable-mate Simply The Betts (seventh) and Storm Control (eighth). But Nicholls' five-year-old looks to the most progressive of those and can come out on top.
Il Ridoto was seventh over two miles at the Cheltenham Festival last season and then third in Grade Two company at Ayr stepped up in distance. His run last month was his first over this slightly longer trip following wind surgery in the summer. And there was enough in it to believe there will be more improvement again. He is down a 1lb in the handicap from last month's effort and looks a chaser on the up on a track that suits.
Il Ridoto can score ahead of, chiefly Joe Tizzard’s War Lord, the Nicky Henderson-trained Fantastic Lady and the aforementioned Stolen Silver, from the Sam Thomas stable.
I LIKE TO MOVE IT can give trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies a record-equalling sixth victory in the Grade Two Unibet International Hurdle (GBB Race) (2.25pm).
Trainer Twiston-Davies won the race with Guard Your Dreams 12 months ago and also treble hero The New One. And I Like To Move It looks set to follow in their hoofprints.
The five-year-old was a bit unlucky not to win the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury last season, but ran a fine race to just be beaten by Glory And Fortune by a short head. He disappointed at the Cheltenham Festival afterwards when down the field in the County Hurdle.
But he bounced back on his seasonal return when landing the Greatwood Hurdle at Prestbury Park last month. Many horses have used that race as a stepping stone to this and I Like To Move It can continue his progression with another victory at Cheltenham by getting the better of former Champion Hurdle heroine Epatante.
Nicholls may land another victory at Cheltenham with OUTLAW PETER holding a big chance in the Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Registered As The Bristol Novices’ Hurdle) (GBB Race) (3pm).
The six-year-old has won over hurdles at Kempton in May and again at Exeter last month, following a second on his seasonal return at Chepstow before.
He looks to be progressing well and can take this ahead of Twiston-Davies’ Wevellabeencaught.
Last year’s winner EDITEUR DU GITE can win the Lycetts Insurance Brokers Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (1.15pm) for a second year in a row.
Gary Moore’s eight-year-old – a winner at the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse in 2021 – has not scored since his victory in this race last year. But he hinted at a return to his best when third, admittedly well beaten by Dads Lad, over course and distance in October.
He still remains slightly high in the handicap but he can go in again at a track he seems to do well on.
Fergal O’Brien’s unbeaten young hurdler SCRIPTWRITER can make it three from three wins in the JBC Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (Novices’ Championship Hurdle Series Qualifier) (GBB Race) (12.05pm) ahead of the similarly unbeaten Nusret from the Joseph O’Brien stable.
Others who can win at Cheltenham are the Nicholls-trained MONMIRAL in the three-runner Bearrene.com Novices’ Chase (GBB Race) (12.40pm); and Harry Fry’s returning LADY ADARE in the finale, the Cheltenham Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (3.35pm).
At Doncaster the Lizzie Quinlan-trained GETAWAY LUV can win the Bet Boost At bet365 Handicap Chase (2.40pm).
The seven-year-old won well at Carlisle last month and can go in again on Town Moor.
John McConnell’s MAHLER MISSION won over hurdles at the start of this year and can go in again over the bigger obstacles in the Grade Two bet365 December Novices’ Chase (GBB Race) (12.55pm).
The six-year-old won three of his six hurdles starts and made his chasing debut at Cheltenham last month. He was a massive 61 lengths behind Gordon Elliott’s Chemical Energy at Prestbury Park, but it will at least have given him experience over fences. And he can build on that to open his chasing account.
Nigel Hawke’s I HAVE A VOICE, who opened his account over obstacles in good style at Southwell, can double up in the Listed bet365 Summit Juvenile Hurdle (GBB Race) (1.30pm).
Others who can triumph at Doncaster are the Donald McCain-trained FRUIT N NUT in the opener, the bet365 Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (11.45am); Lucy Wadham’s course and distance winner MIDNIGHT MARY in the bet365 Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (Go North Lady Buttons Series Qualifier) (12.20pm); GUY, from the Twiston-Davies’ stable, in the bet365 Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (2.05pm); and Olly Murphy’s EWOOD PARK in the finale, the bet365 Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (3.15pm).
Wright Ones
CHELTENHAM (precautionary inspection 7.30am)
12.05am Scriptwriter
12.40pm Monmiral
1.15pm Editeur Du Gite
1.50pm Il Ridoto (NAP)
2.25pm I Like To Move It
3pm Outlaw Peter
3.35pm Lady Adare
DONCASTER (precautionary inspection 7.30am)
11.45am Fruit N Nut
12.20pm Midnight Mary
12.55pm Mahler Mission
1.30pm I Have A Voice
2.05pm Guy
2.40pm Getaway Luv
3.15pm Ewood Park
HEREFORD (precautionary inspection 7.30am)
12.12pm Le Coeur Net
12.47pm Spring Note
1.22pm Glorious Lady
1.57pm Paddys Motorbike
2.32pm Cap Du Mathan
3.07pm Drop Him In
3.42pm Push The Button
NEWCASTLE
1.09pm Broctune Red
1.44pm Imperial Ace
2.19pm Red Bird
2.54pm Enemy
3.28pm Blazing Son
4pm Pocket The Packet
4.39pm Diocles Of Rome
5pm Whiteandblue
WOLVERHAMPTON
3.50pm Eagle Eyed Freddie
4.20pm American Rose
4.50pm Ahlawi
5.20pm Carouselle
5.50pm Jilly Cooper
6.20pm Bird For Life
6.50pm Inexplicable
SUNDAY’S NAP: Liverpool Knight (Southwell (1.53pm)
