Saturday 24th October 2020

Welcome to my Saturday Preview for this week where primarily I’ll be taking a look at the second day of the Cheltenham Showcase Meeting, but I’ll also be sharing my opinions on two Group 1’s that take place this afternoon in Doncaster and France.

Enjoy!

– Jordan

I’ll focus on Cheltenham first and the first race is the 2:05 which is the Masterson Holdings Hurdle over two miles. I think this can go to the Dan Skelton trained ALLMANKIND who was last seen finishing third in the Triumph Hurdle here at The Festival. He also won a Grade 2 here at the November Meeting last year, he’s an exuberant front runner who they may struggle to peg back if he’s anywhere near his best. He certainly has the best form on offer in the race. Irish raider Anna Bunina is a big threat with her weight allowance, and the Gary Moore trained Botox Has has to be considered on his form at the track last season.

2:05 Result:

1st: Botox Has (5/1)
2nd: The Pink’n (14/1)
3rd: Allmankind (11/8)

Next up at Cheltenham is the 2:40 which is a Novices’ Chase over two miles and four furlongs. The race has only attracted four runners, however, all of them aren’t without a chance. I’ve sided with Phillip Hobbs’ PILEON who’s the mount of Richard Johnson. He was unlucky not to win the Martin Pipe at The Festival last March when going down a very close second, he’s still very much unexposed and has considerable potential and also has a handy weight allowance here. Southfield Stone poses an obvious big threat and will likely play a big part, and recent winner Not That Fuisse certainly shouldn’t be ruled out.

2:40 Result:

1st: Southfield Stone (2/1)
2nd: Coole Cody (5/1)

Moving onto the 3:15 at Cheltenham which is a Handicap Hurdle contested over three miles and this is an extremely competitive affair. I’ve taken a chance on FLINCK who’s also representing the Hobbs/Johnson partnership. He was last seen when finishing third in a Grade 3 at Chepstow earlier on in the month and could well have more to offer over this longer distance. He’s also a consistent sort who has often given his running and is still unexposed.

3:15 Result:

1st: Honest Vic (12/1)
2nd: Lock’s Corner (20/1)
3rd: Kansas City Chief (18/1)

The final race I’ll be looking at from Cheltenham is the 3:50 which is a Handicap Chase over three miles and a furlong. Another big field and very competitive contest I’ve sided with two older horses who are no stranger to Prestbury Park. The first of these is COGRY who represents the Twiston-Davies team. He has form figures of F123 in this particular race and often likes to run prominently and serve it up to them, he’s eleven now but there’s every chance he could put in a bold showing once more at a track and race he seems to relish in. The other one I’m chancing is Colin Tizzard’s WEST APPROACH who’s the mount of Harry Cobden. He’s been far from the most straight forward of rides in his career, however, he does have form at the track and is lurking on a dangerous mark if he’s on a going day.

3:50 Result:

1st: Frodon (9/2)
2nd: West Approach (15/2)
3rd: Cloth Cap (13/2)

Doncaster & Saint-Cloud previews below..

Moving over to Doncaster and the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy which takes place at 2:55 and is contested over a straight mile. This is an absolutely dreadful renewal of a race that has thrown up some crackers in recent years, therefore it’s hard for me to get away from the Aidan O’Brien trained WEMBLEY who’s the mount of Ryan Moore. Aidan’s sole runner in the race in which he normally has several, the two-year-old has been placed in two Group 1’s in his last two runs which is the best form on offer by some way in this. There’s a strong arguement to be had that if he hadn’t had his first couple of runs this season he’d be odds on for this. The main dangers look to come in the form of One Ruler, who won a Group 3 impressively the last day for Charlie Applebly and the unexposed King Vega for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy.

2:55 Result

1st: Mac Swiney (12/1)
2nd: One Ruler (6/4)
3rd: Baradar (9/1)

* (Wembley Non-Runner)

I’m concluding this Saturday Preview from France and the Group 1 Criterium International at 1:35 from Saint-Cloud, which is also contested over a mile. I think this can go to the unbeaten LA BARROSA for Charlie Appleby and James Doyle who arrives here on the back of a victory in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket when getting the better of Dark Lion by a length. He was a very short price that day and was expected to win, he did look as though he was still learning on the job though and it’s likely he will come on a lot from that effort. He’s very much another top prospect for his all conquering connections. The main rival looks to come from Ireland in the form of Aidan O’Brien’s Van Gogh who’s the mount of Pierre-Charles Boudot.

1:35 Result:

1st: Van Gogh (3/1)
2nd: Normandy Bridge (11/2)