TAKE the ‘Aye’ road and back Scottish raider AYE RIGHT to land the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase (2.30) at Cheltenham.
Chantry House is the hot favourite for the Grade 2 Cheltenham Gold Cup trial, but Nicky Henderson’s horse comes here with something to prove after running a shocker in King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.
Aye Right, by contrast, travels to Gloucestershire on the back of a brave victory in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle in November.
The Harriet Graham-trained nine-year-old showed his trademark toughness to subdue subsequent Rowland Meyrick Chase winner Good Boy Bobby by a head.
On the back of that run, Callum Bewley's mount is now rated 159 by the British Horseracing Authority handicapper.
That's just 1lb below this afternoon's market leader, so Aye Right, who made the podium when third to Vintage Clouds at the Cheltenham Festival last March, is well positioned to take advantage if Chantry House fails to come up to scratch.
It’s hard to see past CHAMP in the Welsh Marches Stallions At Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle (3.05).
A flop when last seen over fences in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Nicky Henderson trainee switched back to timber to capture the top-level Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot a week before Christmas, beating Thyme Hill by a length and three-quarters, with 2019 Stayers’ Hurdle hero Paisley Park a further three and a half lengths back in third.
A reproduction of that performance and the Seven Barrows challenger will be very hard to beat.
Henry Daly has sound prospects of a double at the home of jump racing, set up by WHATMORE in the Cheltenham Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase (1.55).
The 10-year-old is another who struggles to put a string of runs together, but seconds to Regal Encore at Ascot (Sodexo Gold Cup) and Yorkhill (Rehearsal Chase) at Newcastle in the first half of last winter read well in the context of this race.
Daly’s exciting HILLCREST defended his unbeaten record over obstacles here on New Year’s Day and stands out in the Grade 2 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (3.40).
At Doncaster, KAPCORSE has the potential to give Paul Nicholls a third victory in the Sky Bet Handicap Chase (3.20) at Doncaster.
The JP McManus-owned son of Kapgarde is evidently a hard horse to keep sound - despite having recently turned nine, Kapcorse has had just five outings over fences.
The good news is that he has won three of them, and my selection showed what he was made of on the Ladbrokes Trophy undercard at Newbury in November.
Sent off at 13-2 for the 13-runner Sir Peter O’Sullevan Memorial Handicap Chase, Kapcorse moved with purpose en route to a five-and-a-half-length supremacy over Court Master.
The handicapper has reacted to that win with an 8lb rise to a new British Horseracing Authority figure of 139.
But that’s a figure that is within range for as long as Kapcorse stays sound, and Lorcan Williams’ mount, bidding to emulate the feats of Ditcheat winners Colourful Life (2005) and Big Fella Thanks (2009), should give another good account.
Earlier on the Town Moor card, Nicholls’ MIRANDA looks a worthy favourite for the Grade 2 Sky Bet Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle (2.10).
Camelot’s daughter marked her return to action with a second to Molly Ollys Wishes at Wetherby in October, before getting the better of Voice Of Calm by a nose in a handicap hurdle at Ludlow at the beginning of last month.
Bryony Frost’s partner is the best horse in this race according to the official figures, and her hurdles record of six successes from 12 attempts shows she knows how to get her head in front.
A clutch of improving rookies assemble for the Grade 2 Albert Bartlett River Don Novices’ Hurdle (2.45), with preference for MY BOBBY DAZZLER.
Saturday selections
CHELTENHAM
12.15 BYZANTINE EMPIRE
12.45 PIED PIPER
1.20 WHEN YOU’RE READY
1.55 WHATMORE (NB)
2.30 AYE RIGHT
3.05 CHAMP
3.40 HILLCREST
4.15 NELL’S BELLS
DONCASTER
12.25 ROMEO BROWN
1.00 SPEAK OF THE DEVIL
1.35 THIRD TIME LUCKI
2.10 MIRANDA
2.45 MY BOBBY DAZZLER
3.20 KAPCORSE
3.55 BOLD REACTION
UTTOXETER
12.08 MOVEIT LIKE MINNIE
12.38 ARIZONA CARDINAL
1.13 DRENAGH
1.48 RAECIUS FELIX
2.22 WICKED WEST
2.57 BURROWS DIAMOND
3.33 BRETNEY
4.08 KINGS CREEK
LINGFIELD PARK
12.52 EVENING SONG
1.27 FAR AWAY THOUGHTS
2.02 PROVINCE (NAP)
2.38 CHANCE
3.12 CRIMSON KING
3.48 SMALL PRINT
4.23 MARTINEO
KEMPTON PARK
4.30 NO DIGGITY
5.00 NOBLE ORDER
5.30 SID’S ANNIE
6.00 ALHAMMAAM
6.30 OCEANLINE
7.05 RED FLYER
7.35 HANNALITE
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