The curtain comes down on another year at Cheltenham Racecourse on Saturday afternoon, but don't fret, racing fans, as the track will be back with a bang on New Year's Day to ring in 2025 in style.
Saturday's seven-race card features a nice mix of Handicapping action and informative events ahead of the JCB Triumph Hurdle and Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle in March.
As the big betting heat of the day, the December Gold Cup will generate much of the betting discussion. However, having covered that contest earlier in the week, we turn to the best of the supporting handicap action.
Held over a trip of 2m½f and offering £40,000 in total prize money, the BetMGM Handicap Chase has been landed by several runners who have gone on to success at a higher level, including 2021 champ Editeur De Gite, who claimed the 2023 edition of the Grade 1 Clarence House Chase.
With the final declarations made on Thursday, the following six contenders make up the small but intriguing 2024 field.
1. Master Chewy – 11/4 with BetVictor
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies
This nicely bred son of Walk In The Park failed to hit the mark over hurdles but always looked destined to fair better over fences. And so it has proved. Breaking his duck at the first time of asking in 2023/24, he added the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices Chase at Kempton before the season was out. Stepped up to the top level following that effort, he had a chance of finishing third when falling in the Arkle and went down by just a head to Found A Fifty in the Maghull Novices’ Chase. Making his seasonal return in an Ascot handicap, he posted a fair performance to finish a 3½l third off this mark of 154. Having his third crack at a Grade 1 in the Tingle Creek last weekend, he was still travelling well enough when taking a tumble at the sixth fence.
2. Libberty Hunter– 5/2 with BetVictor
Trainer: Evan Williams
This eight-year-old has a solid record at Cheltenham, having won a Class 3 Novice event and finished a 2½l second in the ultra-competitive Grand Annual Challenge Cup at the Festival. Rounding off 2024 with a third-place finish in the Maghull Novices Chase, he finished just under 11 lengths adrift of Master Chewy but is 10lb better off at the weights under these terms – all of which makes the pair at the head of the market tough to split.
3. Third Time Lucki – 13/2 with BetVictor
Trainer: Fergal O’Brien
Rising to a mark of 144, this ex-Dan Skelton runner reached a decent level over hurdles and has largely repeated that standard in the chasing sphere. Boasting form figures of 1142 in Cheltenham chase contests, he also goes well at this track. However, he suffered an injury at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, has since joined the Fergal O’Brien operation, and only recently returned from a 584-day absence. On the plus side, he is now 1lb lower than for his most recent handicap success and should come on for his comeback outing.
4. Etalon – 15/2 with BetVictor
Trainer: Dan Skelton
From an ex-Skelton runner to one still based at the yard of the British Championship leader. Etalon burst onto the chase scene in 2023/24 with three wins in his first three starts by a combined 57¾l. He then found the Maghull Novices’ Chase a step too far when well adrift of Master Chewy and Libberty Hunter and he hasn’t been the same since. A last-of-five effort in the Haldon Gold Cup was excusable following a 209-day absence, but he again failed to beat a rival in a Class 2 handicap at Newbury last time. He gets 3lb of help from the handicapper for that effort, but we would need to see more before backing him.
5. Issar D’Airy– 9/2 with BetVictor
Trainer: Gary & Josh Moore
This six-year-old is a dual winner over fences at around this trip. Each of those efforts came in soft ground contests at Newbury, suggesting the relatively dry forecast may be against him. On a more positive note, he finished 1¾ ahead of Master Chewy in a good ground event at Ascot in November and is only 3lbs worse off at the weights here.
6. Triple Trade – 13/2 with BetVictor
Trainer: Joe Tizzard
Joint bottom of the weights but the most experienced runner in the field, with 17 previous chase outings. He has a mixed record at Cheltenham, having kicked off with a win off this mark of 130 in a Class 2 event, but followed that with 25+ length defeats off 138 and 135. Disappointing in his final three starts of 2023/24, he has continued that theme with below-par efforts in his two outings this season.
The Verdict
Triple Trade, Etalon, and Third Time Lucki can’t be supported with any confidence on their recent efforts. Third Time Lucki is the easiest to forgive of that trio, having been away for so long. Nevertheless, this seems most likely to be fought out by Issar d’Airy, Master Chewy, and Libberty Hunter.
It’s not easy to split that trio. However, with Issar D’Airy yet to experience this track and Master Chewy reappearing only seven days after a heavy fall at Sandown, the solid Libberty Hunter edges the vote.
Recommended Bet: Libberty Hunter to win @ 5/2 with BetVictor
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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