New Year´s Day at Cheltenham

The weather has improved and conditions should be perfect for the traditional New Year´s Day fixture at Cheltenham, easily the best of today´s 7 cards in the U.K. and Ireland.

Main feature is the Grade Two novice chase over 2 miles 5 furlongs at 14.20 CET, in which we expect the three so far unbeaten chasers to dominate: Champagne West (Philip Hobbs/ Tom O´Brien), P´Tit Zig (Paul Nicholls/ Sam Twiston-Davies) and Ned Stark (Alan King/ Denis O´Regan). All could go to the top, but we prefer P´tit Zig, who was the best of these over sticks- 6th in the Champion Hurdle-.and looks a future star.

The hurdle race at 16.05 has attracted a very strong field for the money on offer, headed by ex-Champion Hurdle winner Rock on Ruby (Harry Fry/ Noel Fehily), who came back to form with a nice win over this CD last time. However he has to give 8 lbs to Silsol (Nicholls/ Sam TD) and Vaniteux (Henderson/ Geraghty) which will not be easy. The latter was runner-up here to The New One last time, while the German-bred Silsol, a son of Soldier Hollow, has been 1 / 2 on his last 7 starts and looks well worth a try in this stronger company.

Henderson and Geraghty might take the opening novice hurdle at 13.10 with Different Gravey, while there are also 3 very hot handicaps in which our tentative each-way selections are Alfie Spinner (Nick Williams/ Noel Fehily) at 13.45, King Massini (Evan Williams/ Adam Wedge) at 14.55 and Sybarite (Nigel TD/ Ryan Hatch) at 15.30.: Henderson could also have 2 winners at Exeter with Brigadier Miller at 14.20 and Whisper, a top hurdler making his chasing debut at 15.30; both are partnered by the very capable Nico de Boinville.