12.20pm - Favourite From The Sun Now Daily Maiden Hurdle
Somewhat a rare Irish raider for just a pretty standard maiden contest, there is one horse for the powerful Seven Barrows yard here, and that is Peaky Boy, who cost a pretty penny when winning his Irish point to point (finishing a good four lengths ahead of Persian Time, a 129 rated hurdler and 133 rated chaser for Nicky Henderson and the McNeill family).
He was a decent operator for Michael Scudamore in bumpers last season. Like most, if not all of the Oli Harris horses, he is now trained by Nicky Henderson, and although they have mixed results so far (Willmount disappointing in the Challow on Saturday) it is a owner/trainer combination that we could be seeing quite a bit more going forward as Oli is spending quite a bit on purchasing some good prospects.
Peaky Boy had two runs last season in bumpers, second on his racecourse debut behind Realisation at Bangor, he then backed that decent effort up with a comfortable win next time out at Newcastle.
A feature of both of his bumper runs was that he was always staying on very well in the closing stages, so this step up to 2m 4f should be no issue, and there may be an even further step up in trip in time for this point-to-point winner.
12.55pm - Close Brothers Novices Limited Handicap Chase
This is quite a nice contest for the Grade, and the main two at the head of the market (Matata and Petit Tonnerre) are the most interesting out of the 5-runner field.
Matata was a very good chase debut winner at Ffos Las, but that was 76 days ago so there is a slight break to overcome here in a decent contest.
Therefore Petit Tonnerre piques my interest the most as he tackles handicap company over fences for the first time after just two runs and off the mark of 138, which we might look back on to be very lenient in due course.
Those two chase debut runs came in far better graded contests than this, both of them in fact graded races. He was well fancied by a few when making his chase debut in the Grade 2 Arkle Trial at Cheltenham in November, where he finished a decent runner-up, only beaten by a couple of lengths, albeit his finishing position slightly flattered by JPR One coming down when he looked like winning.
He was then pitched straight in at the deep end next time out when running in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown, and was pretty well beaten by 9 lengths, but the very testing heavy conditions might not have suited him that day.
The fact that connections put him into Grade 2 and 1 races for his first two chase starts suggests they think he is a decent animal, and now in handicap company we might see him to better effect for the time being, before maybe improving enough to become a graded horse.
He would have to brush up on his jumping here, especially around Cheltenham, but he is the most interesting runner in this for me given how he has been campaigned so far.
1.30pm - Paddy Power Handicap Chase
This is a bit of a mixed bag contest really, as we have some young horses who could go on to be decent staying chasers in time, and others who are slightly older and in decent form at present, but looking to revive their racing careers.
It is the first mentioned type that I will be siding with here, and I am a huge fan of Inch House for the O'Neills now he has gone over the larger obstacles.
A 2-length winner of his Irish point to point over 3 miles, he beat a horse called A U Wise To That who looks to be a really nice improving type over fences, another one to keep an eye on.
Inch House only had three runs over hurdles, which included a winning effort at Chepstow, so it was clear to see his future does lay over fences, and he has shown why that was the thinking from connections.
The Jonjo O'Neill charge has had three runs over fences so far this season, so has plenty of experience already, coming third on debut behind Chianti Classico (another very nice novice chaser) before going on to win at Newbury by a little under 5 lengths before backing that very good effort up by winning again by a little over a length in the Sir Peter O'Sullevan Memorial Chase at Newbury.
He has been raised seven pounds after that effort, and although the winning margin might not suggest he won easily, one thing to keep in mind was that he was staying on very well to and after the line, therefore this step up in trip shouldn't be an issue, and he can land the hat-trick at a track that is also sure to suit
He tackles this sort of company for the first time, but I think he is a young chaser to keep a close eye on going forward, as well as the horse he beat in the point-to-point in the same colours trained by Jonjo O'Neill.
2.05pm - Paddy Power New Year's Day Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
A shade disappointing that there are only six runners (hopefully) heading to post for this £56,000 pot, and this is the sort of race I would try and look for one at a decent price to go against the favourite who has to carry a whole load of weight in this contest in the heavy going at Cheltenham. However, there isn't a world where I can't see Stage Star winning this, as he is by far the best horse in the race and although he has to lug 12 stone around Cheltenham in the mentioned heavy going, he is just such a class act over 2m 4f around this track.
A phenomenal improver last season, he won a Class 2 chase like this at Cheltenham last season and I remember saying he is a Grade 1 type in a handicap at the time.
Turns out I was correct as he then went on to back that performance up with a very good winning effort in the Grade 1 Turners Novices Chase, making all, jumping superbly to forge clear up the Cheltenham Hill, a hill he clearly loves so much to win by a little under 5 lengths.
His one outing this term was in a big-field handicap contest at Cheltenham, where he was sent off the 4/1 favourite, not quite as fancied as he will be on New Years day for this, but he won like an odds-on shot, jumping so well again before flying clear up the hill to get his head in front once again by 4 lengths.
He absolutely loves it here, and if he can go on and win this before winning the Ryanair come March, then that would be an excellent piece of training by Paul Nicholls, as he has plotted a route of races at a course he does so well at.
Ever since that Turners Novices Chase win in March I have started to love watching Stage Star, especially around here. And although he has plenty of weight to carry around again here, he is the class act in the race who should be winning this before hopefully more Grade 1 glory at Cheltenham later on in the year.
2.40pm - Paddy Power Handicap Hurdle
It is nice to see a few more scheduled starters here, with 10 down to run in what could make for a very intriguing race, with some nice staying hurdlers in the making here.
Springwell Bay and Butch arrive in very good form, and the former has to carry around loads of weight here against some lesser exposed rivals, therefore Ed Keeper is the one I think could be worth siding with here.
He is lightly raced, with just five career runs so far, so it might be a little risky siding with him whilst taking on some more experienced rivals here. However the fact he is lightly raced could mean he improves past most of these, and he did show last time at Newbury over the 3-mile trip (tackled it for the very first time) that he is way below his current mark, even after a 9lb raise from that win last time.
He pulled clear when winning by 5 lengths at Newbury last time, really relishing the step up in trip. His new mark of 133 is by far a career best for him, and I really don't think we have seen the best of Sam Thomas's runner here as he will look to progress this horse into a nice staying type for the future.
He has a nice weight to carry around here, and this race is not much different to the contest he won at Newbury. Sam Thomas's 6-year-old is a nice type going forward, and providing he backs that Newbury effort up, he will be hard to catch.
3.15pm - Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle (Grade 2)
Similar to the feature of the day, only four runners head to post for the Grade 2 feature contest of the day at Cheltenham.
There could be a few question marks on the main two in the market as Marie's Rock was disappointing last time out when stepped up to 3 miles. And although Bob Olinger won last time, you can't guarantee he will back that effort up, as he looked to have slightly lost his way in a few runs before that, mainly last season, and last time was his first win since landing the 2022 Turners at the Festival.
Therefore Marie's Rock is the one I shall be siding with here, and although she was expected to win the Long Distance Hurdle last time (sent off almost odds-on favourite for the race) she was far too green that day, and given she has already had one run this season, that should knock a little bit of the greenness out of her and set her in good stead here.
She is a dual Grade 1 winner, which were in mare- only contests, but one of those Grade 1's came over 2m 4f at Cheltenham in the Mares’ Hurdle. Although having a slightly patchy record at Cheltenham (she wins and then runs disappointingly next time out at the track) I think on her going day she is by far the best in this race currently (as mentioned Bob Olinger has had his issues recently) therefore she is the one they have to beat here.
She will need to settle a lot better here, like she did when winning the race last season. That was a decent performance, a Grade 1 winning performance in a Grade 2 contest, with some very good horses in behind that day.
The yard will get her perfect for this, and she gets the all-important mares’ allowance from the rest of these, and more importantly a little bit of weight from Bob Olinger who carries 7lbs more than her on the day.
Even though she was disappointing last time, she is the class act with the least question marks surrounding her. Lets just hope and pray that she settles a lot better here back down to the 2m 4f trip, with the in-form James Bowen in the plate taking up the ride for the injured Nico De Boinville.
3.50pm - Family Day "Junior" National Hunt Flat Race
It seems a little strange that none of the "big guns" have any runners in this contest to end the Cheltenham card on New Year's day, as I think this could be quite a good contest in time.
The first four in the market have previous winning form already, which is a good start from them given how hard it is for a horse to win on its first ever racecourse run.
Jamie Snowden and Gavin Sheehan are going well this season, especially the latter who is a King George-winning jockey who is really riding on the crest of a wave at present.
And their runner here La Marquise is the one to end us on a winner in the lucky last. She was quite a taking winner on debut at Stratford 60 days ago, and although she does have a slight break to overcome here, she looked as if she won with a little in hand there, making all before pulling clear to win by 2 and a half lengths, and looking a real professional whilst doing so.
Stratford is a tricky track to win at first time, and given she made all and pulled away in the closing stages in the softer ground, she has a fair bit of quality in the locker.
Summary of New Year’s Day selections:
- 12.20 - Peaky Boy
- 12.55 - Petit Tonnerre
- 1.30 - Inch House
- 2.05 - Stage Star
- 2.40 - Ed Keeper
- 3.15 - Marie's Rock
- 3.50 - La Marquise
Race previews and tips provided by @ Jake Russell