Friday sees the start of Cheltenham’s three-day meeting and the National Hunt season turns up a notch. We also have jumps action at Doncaster and Wexford plus three all-weather cards at Newcastle, Wolverhampton and Dundalk respectively.
The Must Watch Race Of The Day
Cheltenham treats us to a clash of stars in the Cross Country at 2.55. We see Delta Work, who has won the previous two renewals of the Festival Cross Country race return over the banks after a slightly underwhelming seasonal return at Punchestown last month. He will face off with Galvin, who was second at the Festival last season and gets the assistance of Rob James, taking a handy seven pounds off.
Now anyone keen to back either runner needs to understand that this is a handicap so given their ratings both horses are giving lumps of weight away to the rest of the field.
We wish BetVictor brand ambassador Harry Redknapp the best of luck with his runner Back On The Lash who is trained by Martin Keighley. The nine-year-old won the January version of this race before three poor efforts and is looking to bounce back here. This for me is a great renewal and is the one race you should try to catch live.
Nap Of The Day
I was very taken with Captain Teague at Chepstow last month where he won despite a couple of questionable jumps, the stable wasn’t quite fully firing at the time, and I think this two-mile five grade two race is tailor-made for the Doyen gelding. The Champion Bumper form looks like it’s starting to work out, Captain Teague was third in that and I think he’s going to be a horse very much in the conversation for winning the Ballymore at the Festival in March. I will make him the nap of the day to enhance his reputation and give Paul Nicholls yet another winner.
Captain Teague – 4/7
Each-Way Play
Trying to second guess Tony Martin isn’t easy but I am very intrigued by the placement of Belgoprince. He was ninth in this race back in 2021, off a mark of 105. Since then, he has bits of form to suggest that now off 97 he is well handicapped. He arrives fit from a busy flat campaign which saw him score at Epsom in the amateur Derby. It may be the best part of two years since we have seen him jumping but I think a double figure price could look a shade big and is worth each-way bet with five places on offer with us.
Belgoprince – 5/1
Odds subject to change | 18+ begambleaware.org
