Cheltenham hosts its December meeting today with the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (17h00) the highlight on a seven-race card.
Showers are expected on Friday, so track conditions are expected to remain soft, good to soft in places.
Cheltenham Racecourse plays host to a seven-race programme (Pic – Cheltenham Racecourse on FB)
The Group 2 feature sees a field of seven contest of over a three-mile trip with the Jennie Candlish trained Skyjack Hijack topping the boards.
The six-year-old completed a remarkable six-timer over the summer and could be hard to peg back if given an easy time in front. His stable is in tremendous form at present, and the only concern is that his last five wins have all come on fast ground.
Western Knight must be considered. The Joe Tizzard trained runner is unbeaten in his two starts over hurdles, including last month at Ascot when showing a lot of fight to deny Excello by a head.
He needs to improve on that, so the selection is Clondaw General from the Kim Bailey yard. The most unexposed runner in the field, he is open to any amount of improvement following an easy victory at Worcester in October on soft ground.
Madara can turn around last month’s Cheltenham form to win the big ‘pot’ on the card, the Nyetimber December Gold Cup Handicap Chase (15h50).
A winner at this meeting last year, Madara went on to take land a handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival last season. He disappointed in the Grand Annual and changed stables, moving to the Skelton yard ahead of the Paddy Power Gold Cup.
A 16/1 shot that day, he stayed on all the way to the line after racing at the rear in the initial stages, eventually beaten a shade under eight lengths by the reopposing Il Ridoto off level weights.
Drop a 1lb for that run, if he can sit nearer the pace this time, he should have every chance here carrying a light weight for his in-form yard.
Re-opposing Il Ridoto gets the services of claimer Olive Nicholls for her dad and is in with a shout along with his top-weighted stable-companion Stage Star. The latter, a course and distance winner is the class act in the field and gets the services of champion jockey, Harry Cobden.
The 12-stone Stage Star must carry is a concern though, so a bigger threat is Ga Law from the Jamie Snowden yard.
