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CHELTENHAM
Race 2 No1 CREBILLY
Trainer: Jonjo O’Neill – Jockey: Jonjo O’Neill Jr
CREBILLY kept smart company over hurdles last season when he top and bottomed the campaign with successes at Newcastle and Sandown. Very impressive at the last-named venue, he goes straight into handicap company on this switch to fences. This is a tougher assignment than that which faced him on his intended comeback race, but he’s well regarded at Jackdaw’s Castle and should be up to the task in hand.
Race 3 No5 SLIPWAY (Each Way)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Kielan Woods
With his proven ability to operate effectively when coming back from a break, coupled with the fact he is very lightly raced over fences, SLIPWAY is worth a serious look in this long-distance handicap chase. A winner of three of his eight chase outings, he scored on return to action at Fontwell at this time last year and was suffering with a breathing issue when beaten at Musselburgh and in the Kim Muir here in March. If a close season wind operation has done the trick he can outrun his forecast lengthy odds in this.
Race 4 SCHLOER CHASE (Grade 2)
No2 EDWARDSTONE
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Tom Cannon
Jonbon met his one defeat in six chases in the Arkle Trophy at the Festival in March and is carded to start at prohibitive odds for this early trial for the Queen Mother Champion Chase. He will be a tough nut to crack though it might be worth taking him on with EDWARDSTONE. The selections has to concede two years in age to Jonbon but showed with his Tingle Creek Chase victory last December that he can be readied. Things didn’t work out for him after that, but it’s best to draw a line through his underwhelming display in the Queen Mother and give him the chance to bounce back. Unlike Jonbon, he has an Arkle Chase on his CV and is always hard to beat when right.
Race 5 UNIBET GREATWOOD HANDICAP HURDLE
No1 NEMEAN LION (Each Way)
Trainer: Kerry Lee – Jockey: Richard Patrick
There’s the look of a plot about Onlyamatteroftime on his debut for Willie Mullins and the seven-year-old needs respecting from his place at the base of the weights. All the value has been punted out of him though, and at the other end of the scale it’s hard to ignore NEMEAN LION. The top weight has also raced only five times under Rules but was a most impressive winner of the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las last month. He’s developed a fine understanding with his jockey, and possesses that touch of class needed to take this valuable contest. Locally trained Anyharminasking, Knickerbockerglory and Luccia add spice to the race as a magnetic betting medium and should be included in all permutations.
Prediction: 1st a NEMEAN LION, 2nd Anyharminasking, 3rd Onlyamatteroftime, 4th Knickerbockerglory, 5th Luccia
FONTWELL PARK
Race 2 No6 AVILES
Trainer: Gary Moore – Jockey: Jamie Moore
AVILES went 2222 in his four races last season but is in no way ungenuine and deserves a change of luck. With the benefit of a summer at grass he can take advantage of an attractive mark, which sees him getting upwards of 17lb from his five rivals.
Race 3 No1 UP FOR PAROL
Trainer: Jamie Snowden – Jockey: Gavin Sheehan
UP FOR PAROL looks to have been found a perfect opportunity to get a confidence-building success under his belt. A very slick jumper of hurdles, he underwhelmed on debut over fences at Hexham in May and now reverts to hurdles. His third to West Balboa in the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton in January was a sterling effort, and if repeated gives him the whip hand over Yorksea and Word Has It.
NEWCASTLE
Race 3 No5 BERRY CLEVER
Trainer: Chris Dwyer – Jockey: Harry Davies
BERRY CLEVER was unable to justify the support that came late for him in a similar race at Wolverhampton last week. However, he was only just out of the money in what was probably a warm contest for its kind, and brought out quickly can recoup the losses.
Race 4 No1 NEAPOLITAN (Nap)
Trainer: Somin Crisford – Jockey: Harry Davies
It’s hard to look past NEAPOLITAN in this novice and the Magna Grecia colt should make no mistake. He landed some good bets at Kempton, and failed by a whisker to defy a penalty at Chelmsford in what looked a better race than this.
