Cheltenham Festival 2024 tips: 10 horses flying under the radar this year in the Cotswolds
Picking winners at a decent price won’t be easy at Cheltenham.
There are a lot of short-priced fancies for some of the bigger races and it’s going to be tough for punters to find some value in the Cotswolds.
‘Odds on is better than money gone’ as the old saying goes but we’ll still attempt to unearth some big runners under the radar with chances.
QUILIXIOS
(Arkle Chase, Tuesday)
Henry De Bromhead has an excellent record with two mile chasers and in an open Arkle Chase, this seven-year-old has a real chance.
The 2021 Triumph Hurdle winner has been lightly raced since but has won two of his three chases, the best effort coming at Naas in January when beating Sa Fureur and subsequent winner Mister Policeman.
His jumping was flawless that afternoon and a similar effort on Tuesday would make him a major player as he doesn’t lack gears either.
De Bromhead has won six chase races at Cheltenham over the minimum trip and two Arkle Chases with Sizing Europe and Put The Kettle On.
APPLE AWAY
(Ultima Handicap Chase, Tuesday)
A race that Irish-trained horses have a wretched record in, with only two winners since 1967, the last coming in 2006.
Lucinda Russell has won with Corach Rambler in the past two seasons and she looks to have a nice chance again with the novice Apple Away - if she can sneak into the race.
She won a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Aintree last year but doesn’t look up to that level over fences, although a nice handicap looks well within her grasp of 137.
Her last run in the Reynoldstown at Ascot was better than it looked and she looks more suited to a stamina test which she’ll be guaranteed here.
She’s well handicapped for a yard that will have been thinking about this race for some time.
AN BRADAN FEASA
(Boodles Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, Tuesday)
The Boodles has a habit of throwing up big priced winners and we think this Jack Jones-trained son of Camelot has a big run in him.
He was trained in Ireland by Joseph O’Brien, beating the useful Pigeon House by eighth lengths at Ballinrobe, before finishing second to the smart Burdett Road at Cheltenham.
He went back to Cheltenham and won at the December meeting before disappointing under a penalty at Musselburgh.
He’s an ex-Coolmore horse that should love a bit of better ground and his young trainer mentioned this race after his win at Cheltenham before Christmas.
CORBETTS CROSS
(National Hunt Chase, Tuesday)
Probably the least ‘under the radar’ of these 10 horses listed here but we think there’s still a shade of value in his price.
He was desperately unlucky in last year’s Albert Bartlett when crashing out through the wing of the final hurdle and was again unlucky in his prep race for this when colliding with Run Wild Fred at Fairyhouse
He was put in his place by the smart Grangeclare West in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown over Christmas but the extra distance here should really play to his strengths.
It may well be veteran jockey Derek O’Connor’s final outing at the Festival too and it would be fitting for one of the great amateur riders to bow out with a winner for JP McManus.
GALVIN
(Cross County Chase, Wednesday)
Having started as short as 100-30 for the 2022 Gold Cup and finishing runner-up in this last year, there’s a suspicion that Galvin is the forgotten horse in the Cross Country.
Minella Indo and Delta Work are two high-class opponents but Galvin is a proven performer in this sphere and is possibly the outsider of the three big guns having struggled to concede weight here in November and December.
Wednesday’s race is not a handicap though, like the pre-Christmas contents are, and after an eye-catching effort in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan he looks primed for a big run.
Gordon Elliott has used that prep with both Tiger Roll and Delta Work (who also competed this year) and he looks a very strong contender.
SAINT FELICIEN
(Grand Annual Chase, Wednesday)
A tough race to pick the winner of but Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy both seem to think this seven-year-old has the right profile for the race.
He looks to be an improving horse coming into form at the right time and has picked up plenty of experience in Beginners’ Chases — winning one on Red Mills day at Gowran.
He was a 147-rated hurdler and it’s disappointing his opening mark over fences is only 1lbs lower but there’s still plenty to like about his chances.
He is also in the Festival Plate on Thursday so it will be interesting to see where Elliott sends him but his consistency and class should see him involved wherever he goes.
NOBLE YEATS
(Stayers’ Hurdle, Thursday)
Winning a Grand National and going on to win a Stayers’ Hurdle at the Festival would be one of the great training achievements of the past few years but nothing seems to be out of Emmet Mullins’ capabilities in that regard.
He won steeplechasing’s biggest prize with this horse as a seven-year-old and having found the Gold Cup waters too deep 12 months ago he’s a player in the Stayers’ Hurdle.
Irish Point and Teahupoo are specialist hurdlers that possibly carry more class but if this race turns into a battle up the hill then Noble Yeats might just prevail.
In the Cleeve Hurdle back here in January he showed those qualities in beating Paisley Park by a head and looks fully entitled to take his chance here.
LIFE IN THE PARK
(Kim Muir, Thursday)
A frustrating enough horse to follow but interestingly has only been raised 1lbs by the English assessor from his Irish rating and if he puts it all together he has a chance here.
Having the word ‘good’ in the going description would certainly make him even more interesting as his form on a sounder surface is much better than that when it’s soft.
He ran some encouraging races during the summer at Kilbeggan and Ballinrobe and dropping into a 0-145 race like this will be easier than the Paddy Power which he contested last time out.
Barry O’Neill could ride as he often does for Henry De Bromhead and at a big price he still looks reasonably well handicapped.
HIGH CLASS HERO
(Albert Bartlett, Friday)
Not one of Willie Mullins’ talking horses going into this week but he remains unbeaten for Closutton and really impressed last time out at Thurles.
He may not have beaten much and it was a small field conditions contest but he travelled so well and looks to have huge reserves of stamina.
He has won on heavy ground at Limerick in October but you’d imagine a bit of nicer ground would see him jump better and there looks to be room for improvement.
He is likely to be seen to better effect in a true run race too and it will be interesting to see whether Paul Townend picks him or DRF Grade 1 winner Dancing City.
FASTORSLOW
(Gold Cup, Friday)
it seems nuts to back a horse to beat a rival that comfortably saw him off at the Dublin Racing Festival but we think there’s a massive run in Fastorslow.
That Irish Gold Cup run was his first since the John Durkan at Punchestown and there’s a niggling suspicion that he may not have been cherry ripe.
Martin Brassil is a real target trainer and he’ll have been only thinking about Friday’s Gold Cup and with the prospect of better ground and a stronger gallop, he may get his revenge on old foe Galopin Des Champs.
He is a fantastic jumper and has shown he’s capable of beating the favourite twice before, at Punchestown last April and in that John Durkan. It promises to be a fascinating race to close out the week and one where Shishkin and Hewick could also be on the premises.
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