As has become the pattern in recent weeks, last weekend served up a host of high-class action from both sides of the Irish Sea. Newbury topped the domestic bill with a Friday/Saturday fixture.
Paul Nicholls stole the show in the big betting event, thanks to the success of Kandoo Kid in the Coral Gold Cup, but here we focus on those contenders who either enhanced or diminished their claims for Cheltenham Festival success.
Record Buy Regent’s Navigates First Hurdle
The decision of leading owner Chris Giles to sell the bulk of his string put Paul Nicholls in an unusual position earlier in the summer. Already the trainer of Regent’s Stroll, Nicholls needed to splash the cash to ensure a new owner didn’t move the promising gelding elsewhere.
It cost Nicholls and a consortium of existing owners the small matter of £660,000 to secure the services of this son of Walk In The Park. With that in mind, those involved were possibly a little more nervous than usual when watching the five-year-old make his hurdles debut in a 2m½f Maiden contest at Newbury on Friday afternoon.
Whilst it is too early to say Regent’s Stroll represents money well spent, the new owners could breathe a little easier following this event. Bar a slightly lazy blunder at the second last, this was an impressive first outing over hurdles. Travelling much the best throughout, Regent’s Stroll only needed to be shaken up for a 9½l success.
The Challow Hurdle over 2m4f looks likely to be next on the agenda. As for his Cheltenham prospects, bet365 offer 25/1 for the Turners Novices' Hurdle and 50/1 for the Supreme Novices Hurdle.
Du Berlais back on Track
Going in the same colours as Regent’s Stroll, the four-year-old Kalif Du Berlais has long been held in high regard by Paul Nicholls. Two from three in his hurdles campaign, including the Grade 2 Adonis Juvenile Hurdle, the son of Masked Marvel skips his open hurdle season to head straight over fences.
That decision could scarcely have gotten off to a worse start, with the horse suffering a heavy fall at the fourth last on chase debut at Carlisle. In fairness to Kalif Du Berlais, he had jumped well in the main that day, but it can take some horses a while to recover from such an experience.
Happily, the mount of Harry Cobden showed no ill effects and, bar a niggly error two out, jumped immaculately throughout. The winning margin was only ¾l at the line, but Graded assignments are likely in the immediate future of this promising sort. Bet365 make him a 25/1 shot for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and 50/1 for the Arkle.
Jukebox Plays a Winning Tune
Ben Pauling’s The Jukebox Man hit the crossbar in his three attempts in Grade 1 hurdling company – most agonisingly when going down by just a head in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. However, considering his destiny was always thought to lie over fences, those efforts were particularly encouraging.
Wasting little time, Pauling pitched the six-year-old straight into the Grade 2 John Francome Novices’ Chase for his chase debut. The mount of Ben Jones took a few obstacles to find his stride but was soon putting in some prodigious leaps at the head of affairs. In front passing the winning post for the first time, that’s where he remained for an impressive 2l success. Hailing from the Pauling yard, he will likely benefit significantly from this outing and looks to have solid claims of breaking his Grade 1 duck in 2025. As big as 20/1 for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase before this win, he’s now into 10/1 with bet365.
Strong Showing from Stayers Hurdle Contender
One of the most promising up-and-coming trainers in the game, Olly Murphy has two Grade 1 triumphs to his name but has yet to strike at the Cheltenham Festival. If the Warwickshire handler is to put that right in 2025, Strong Leader may be the horse to do it.
Steadily improving as he stepped up in trip last season, Murphy’s stable star rounded off the campaign with an excellent win in the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle. Dropping slightly in class for his seasonal return in the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle, he gave those who took the 4/7 odds few concerns. Travelling ominously well throughout, he made hard work of a couple of fences in the straight but was well on top at the line for a 3½l victory.
A defence of his Liverpool Hurdle crown looks the main objective this season. However, if he goes well in Cheltenham’s Cleeve Hurdle, connections may struggle to resist a shot at the Stayers’ Hurdle. Bet365 make the son of Passing Glance a 12/1 shot for the headline act on Day 3 of the Cheltenham Festival.
Listen Extends Winning Streak as Alpha Catches the Eye
Dan Skelton’s Listentoyourheart extended her perfect start to the season in the opening event for the Mare’s on Saturday afternoon. Now three from three in 2024, she toughed it out well on this move into Listed company and looks to possess a willing attitude to complement her undoubted talent. On this evidence, a strongly run contest over 2m1f should suit, with bet365 making her a 14/1 chance for the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
Listentoyourheart grabbed the honours, but the horse to take out of the race is the Paul Nicholls-trained Jubilee Alpha. In touch with the leaders throughout, she made a critical error at the second last, just as those ahead of her quickened for the line. Seemingly out of contention, she then finished like an express train to hit the line in third. If building on this, it would be no surprise to see her turn the tables with her conqueror in the Ryanair Mares’ Novices Hurdle, for which bet365 make her a 12/1 shot.
Lion Devours Novice Rivals
The current leader in the trainer's championship, Dan Skelton, is most associated with handicap success at the Cheltenham Festival. However, he hit the Graded target with Grey Dawning last season and looks to be building a solid team of challengers for the high-level events in 2025.
The New Lion is a name to include on that list. Heading to Newbury with a two-from-two record, he faced five rivals who had won on their most recent outing – most notably Nicky Henderson’s Califet En Vol, who hacked up by 15l at Kempton.
This looked a well above average event for the grade, and, in cruising 3l clear to score as he liked, The New Lion looks like a well above average winner. Bet365 make the son of Kayf Tara 14/1 for the Turners Novices’ Hurdle and 20/1 for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. That former would appear the more likely target at this stage, but that may change if the rain arrives at Cheltenham in March.
Paul Harrison
Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.
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