Cheltenham Friday Tips: Three to back as Showcase Meeting begins
Jumps fans rejoice; racing is back at Cheltenham! With Friday's card now locked in, the home of National Hunt racing will host a brilliant seven race card and while the action is away from the ITV cameras, punters up and down the land will be getting stuck into the form. Billy Grimshaw had his eye on the entries all week and with his three to watch all declared to run, he now gives his trio of tips for the action...
At this meeting it can often pay to back horses that may not turn out to be the best in the fullness of time, but are the fittest. Black Poppy for Kerry Lee was very close to being the pick after a fantastic success in the Swinton last season at Haydock. That is always a hot race and receiving seven pounds from the horse he beat in Teddy Blue here, there is no reason that form should be turned around unless Gary Moore's charge has come on a bundle over the summer.
Afadil was slightly disappointing when fancied in the Fred Winter, but that race has seen many a horse find it all too much over the years and the style in which he bounced back at Ayr marked him out as a very classy juvenile. Paul Nicholls has given him a wind op over the summer and if cherry ripe, he has a big chance but I wouldn't be keen at 7/2 with the nearest rival double the price. At the time of writing, the closest rival is SHETLAND TONY, a horse who looked distinctly average over in Ireland for Gordon Elliott.
He put that well and truly behind him when dotting up on yard debut for Nigel Twiston-Davies at Stratford a few weeks ago and that run should see him coming here cherry ripe. That was only a novice contest and he will be running here with a featherweight on his back compared to many of the others, so with that in mind and the fast start his yard have once again made to a season I will be backing him to at least hit the frame at Prestbury Park and keep the resurrection rolling for his new handler.
In the race prior to this one I was sorely tempted to back Jetronic for Paul Nicholls, a four-year-old who has arrived from France on the back of a good chase win in which the form has been franked. However, up against the classy My Mate Mozzie of Gavin Cromwell's and only receiving a pound, I am not sure 3/1 represents value when even his trainer has admitted this is a 'toe dipping exercise'. Onto the Novices' Hurdle then and a horse I am much more keen to back actually will be on the boat over with the aforementioned My Mate Mozzie, in ENCANTO BRUNO.
This looks a fascinating contest and there is a case to be made for a multitude of the runners, but the style of Encanto Bruno's win on his first run over hurdles at Bellewstown was really taking to my eye and I am willing to forgive him his blowout at Galway next time out. He has since been moved from John McDonnell's yard to Cromwell and while this is meant as no slight to his former trainer, Cromwell is one of Ireland's elite and has a good record with switchers first time up. The canny trainer clearly sees potential in sending some of his charges over to Britain to plunder some prizes and although El Elafante did also look very good when an all the way winner on hurdles debut for Lucinda Russell, I think Encanto Bruno will love being given that sort of toe into a race.
Tag Man is another Irish raider of interest with Rachael Blackmore taking the ride for Henry De Bromhead, but his last flight blunder when making a winning hurdles debut will have spooked many potential backers here. Gordon Elliott is also represented with Mel Monroe, but Encanto Bruno at 4s or bigger will do for me.
Prices are still filtering through for this race at the time of writing, but any double figures about HERWEGOHONEY look worth snaffling. Fergal O'Brien's charge was last seen over 100 days ago running out an authoritative winner at Market Rasen, and before that had run well fresh on chase debut when scoring at Catterick. Fern O'Brien will take off three pounds which could be valuable here, but the key reason to back Herewegohoney is the angle of focusing on trainers who target early season success. O'Brien certainly fits this bill, as does the aforementioned Nigel Twiston-Davies, and this looks an eminantly winnable race.
Old boy Court Master was on the shortlist, as he has improved of late for Neil Mulholland, another trainer with a fine record at this meeting. On his penultimate start in late July he shaped with plenty of promise when eventually finishing second at Uttoxeter, and after a month or so off the track he was sent to Bangor. Richie McLernon had a tough day at the office trying to contain the old boy here and he raced off to an uncharacteristic lead, screaming that this outing was a mere prep run to get him ready for a bigger prize. Favourite Strictlyadancer is the obvious danger to the selection after an encouraging reappearance run and around this time of year he began his run of three consecutive wins. However, at a bigger price it is the Fergal O'Brien charge who will be carrying my cash.
