Cheltenham 3.00
By Flat Turf UK (The Advisor)
THE ADVISOR - Cheltenham 3.00 - Handicap Hurdle - Class 2 - 3 miles - 20 run - Going Good / G/S
One important thing to note here is that the first 4 home; will automatically be qualifiers for the Pertemps Hurdle Qualifier here in March. Now, that is a massive incentive as it would allow you to cherry pick races to protect a mark through the winter months taking off all the pressure to qualify and give up a good mark later in the season. So the prize for finishing in the first 4 is more significant than just the monetary value today!
There are numerous horses in with chances, Paul Nicholls runs Hugos New Horse , winner of 5 of 7 races last season. I detect though that with a host of good younger horses PFN isn't rushing a lot of them to gain an early lead in the Trainers Championship, he seems to be reverting to tactics of a previous golden era when he know he had ammunition for the Spring, something he hasn't had in a fair while! I think the horse may benefit from the run today.
The Irish send over Gortmullish and Ringdufferin, both of which Michael is keen on longer term, and also We'llhavewan and Bugs Moran and again the feedback from Michael is important in that he sees the Mullins horse as a contender today but thinks Bugs Moran is exposed off the UK handicap mark. I'll leave them out of my final picks but obviously they are dangerous to ignore.
Spike Jones is a progressive horse who has had a wind operation and will be interesting to follow, Hurricane Harvey is race fit and the sort of profile to pop up into a place at a nice price and as he just missed a nomination he would be my reserve in the event of a non-runner. Party Business and Judicial Law are in the Tracker and I'd expect both to improve for the runs today.
There are though 4 of the 20 strong field that really interest me on the day.
HYLAND has had a run and a win already for the Henderson team and it's unusual for them to have too many out this early. I can imagine that he's just they type they would love to win this with, then have a couple of quiet prep runs where they were just trying to tick over and then attack the final with a horse who has been laid out for the race. JET OF MAGIC has wins off marks in the mid 120's; is up to a mark of 136 but the booking of a very decent 10lbs Claimer suggests they mean business here and not just here for the run.
For some shrapnel and a bit more left field, WILLASTON is a Course winner and a Distance winner and was very impressive last Spring, it's had a wind op, they use cheek pieces and a tongue tie and is just the type at a big price here who may be angling and running for those 4 places and to open up a great day out for connections in the Spring. DUBROVNIK HARRY is possibly the most intriguing in the race. Last season was a bit of a write off when the Fry yard seemed to be under a bit of an illness cloud and generally out of luck, if you go back to the season before he would be very well handicapped here and IF back to full fitness could be a real dark one at a nice price.
Tips (1) Hyland / (2) Jet Of Magic / (3s) Willaston / (4s) Dubrovnik Harry