THE INTERNATIONAL MEETING - SATURDAY
A good start to the weekend with some nice winners on Friday here at Cheltenham and now we look to the second day of the International meeting. It's a competitive card for Saturday including the Racing Post Gold Cup [1:50] and The Unibet International Hurdle [3:00]. The international hurdle is a top class race in it's own right but also a good trial for the Champion Hurdle later in the season, even though it's been a long time since a winner has emerged from this race (Rooster Booster back in 2002) it has been won by some famous hurdlers. In 2020 the race was won by Song For Someone ridden by Aidan Coleman and trained by Tom Symonds, he will reappear this afternoon looking to repeat that feat.
Enjoy Saturday's racing with a great card and live racing on the ITV 4 channel (Uk viewers) with coverage of the final four races on this card plus some racing up at Doncaster.
Surface: Turf.
Weather: A sunny day at Cheltenham but a chilly one with a max temp of only 9c.
Going: Good [Good to Soft in places].
12:05 Jcb Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (novices' Championship Hurdle Series Qualifier) (3yo)
2m 179y (Class 2 10 runners)
The opening novice event, has a few previous winners in but I feel it could be worth looking at the newcomer from David Pipe's yard Titian. Formally a flat winner when in the care of trainer William Haggas and changed hands for a considerable sum. The Pipe yard won this race last year with Adagio who has certainly progressed out of novice company. Of those that have previously raced I suspect that Interne De Sivola [Won @5/1] could be the one to improve from his Warwick run.
Result - (5) Interne De Sivola @5/1 [Chester Williams].
12:40 Bearrene Novices' Chase
2m 4f 127y (Class 2 4 runners)
Just the four runners here, with a very short odds on favourite in My Drogo, unbeaten over hurdles and landed a Grade 1 at Aintree back in April then was looking all set to make a winning start over fences when departing at the second last here last month, still clearly the one to beat. The field is complete by Captain Cuckoo who looks unlikely to trouble the other three and will hopefully jump round to collect the place money on offer. Jay Bee Why represents Alan King and could be the one to benefit of My Drogo suffers another blunder, while Torn And Frayed [2nd @8/1] tended to jump left and cannot afford to give distance away in this company, might do better with a handicap mark later.
Result - (3) My Drogo @2/9f [Harry Skelton].
The race has been renamed to honour Simon Claisse who recently stepped down as clerk of the course after 22 years. Frero Banbou [3rd] appears to be a progressive 6-y-o who ended last term with good fourth at Aintree and all the better for reappearance when third behind Il Ridoto over 2m Newbury 2 weeks ago. Further rain would surely improve his chances. Notre Pari drops back to 2m having travelled well over further at Carlisle last time, low weight and has won of higher mark, should go well again today..
Result - (3) Editeur Du Gite @3/1jf [N F Houlihan].
1:50 Racing Post Gold Cup Handicap Chase
2m 4f 127y (Class 1 13 runners)
Midnight Shadow has a good record around here and was successful in a similar contest last month beating Protektorat and Lalor up the straight after being left in the lead when Coole Cody fell two from home. Both Coole Cody and Lalor also line up today, the latter has bounced back to something close to his best for trainer Paul Nicholls after a wind operation, and certainly one too keep a very close eye on.
Outsider to note - an each way player Siruh Du Lac [25/1] from the David Pipe yard hasn't been seen much since 2019 but was smart before then and the trainer can certainly get one back to health and form also a course and distance winner, a race that his father won several times too.
Result - (10) Coole Cody @12/1 [Adam Wedge].
Blazing Khal beat Gelino Bello in a Grade 2 event here last time out in November, they battled it out together from two flights out and you might expect the pair to be the ones to fight it out up the hill once again. Both seem very short in the market as a result and with only a six runner field taking them on with one of the others could be tricky. However I noted they made a few mistakes over hurdles and therefore will give Barony Legends a chance against them both, while Current Mood who was third behind the others in that Grade 2 race here (5l defeat, tried to make all) might well go off in front again and set it up for the finishers.
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| Song For Someone won the Unibet International Hurdle last year |
Song for Someone will attempt to repeat last years victory here, a small field of seven have been declared, having had wind surgery returned at Ascot and was runner up to a short priced winner, a race that ought to have put him spot on for this. Sceau Royal is very consistent at this level, Alan King's 9yo took the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton and also had a spell of chasing last season should be the one to lay it down to Song for Someone here. There is an Irish challenge led by Ballyadam for Henry de Bromhead and also Heaven Help Us from Paul Hennessy however they would need to find some improvement to take this back home. Shame there are only two places up for grabs with just the seven runners declared, else the Skelton entry Wilde About Oscar would be considered to place, only 6yo still has time to improve over hurdles.
Results will be updated later on during the afternoon and we hope you enjoying a good weekend too. We will be back here at Cheltenham on New Years Day and hopefully we can start to attend some racing our self in 2022, until then stay safe.
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