Talking Horses: The Real Whacker can get back to winning ways at Cheltenham
COURSE SEPCIALIS: The Real Whacker enjoyed his finest hour when winning the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham last March. He can get back to winning ways at his favourite venue on Saturday. Picture: Healy Racing
On an afternoon likely to provide a host of Festival clues, the Grade Two Paddy Power Cotswold Chase provides a decent opportunity for The Real Whacker to bounce back to winning ways.
Patrick Neville’s charge boasts a fine track record at Cheltenham, winning three times there last season, the hat-trick completed when he held off a late surge from Gerri Colombe in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Festival.
Given his fondness for Prestbury Park, it was no surprise that Neville opted to return there to begin life in open company but things went badly awry in the Paddy Power Gold Cup as The Real Whacker was pulled up and found to be post-race lame.
The speed test the King George provides was never likely to play to his strengths but The Real Whacker stayed on gamely to finish fourth, 10 lengths behind shock winner Hewick.
Though he was never truly competitive in the contest, the way he finished the race out was a step in the right direction after his Cheltenham mishap.
The Real Whacker has a similar profile to Ahoy Senor, a horse who won this race last year after a similarly underwhelming start to the season and the stamina test Saturday’s contest provides should really play to his strengths in what shapes as an intriguing contest. He is just preferred to Betfair Chase hero Royale Pagaille and promising novice Stay Away Fay.
In the absence of the Dublin Racing Festival-bound El Fabiolo, the rearranged Grade One My Pension Expert Clarence House Chase looks a penalty kick for Jonbon and it will be a big disappointment if Nicky Henderson’s Tingle Creek victor fails to oblige.
It could be a super Saturday for the Seven Barrows team as Excello, victorious at Ascot just before Christmas, may be able to follow up in the Paddy Power Cheltenham Countdown Podcast Handicap Chase.
Triumph Hurdle heroine Lossiemouth returns to action in the Grade Two Unibet Hurdle and looks certain to go off a short-price favourite.
She’s a seriously talented mare but she wouldn’t be the first Triumph Hurdle winner to struggle the following season. For that reason, preference is for Love Envoi. Harry Fry’s charge has something to prove herself after a laboured showing behind Not So Sleepy in the rearranged Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Sandown last month but she’s far better than that and it will be no great surprise if takes a big step forward here. Should she do so, Love Envoi will be a tough nut to crack.
A host of familiar veterans will again lock horns in the McCoy Contractors Cleeve Hurdle but Irish raider Noble Yeats may be able to get the better of them.
The 2022 Grand National hero was turned over on his return to the smaller obstacles at Limerick over Christmas but that was over an inadequate trip of two and a half miles. Stepping up to three miles should really suit and he is fancied to put down a marker for the Stayers’ Hurdle by landing this Grade Two prize for Emmet Mullins.
There’s Three Grade Twos up for grabs at Doncaster and it will be a big surprise if the promising Jeriko Du Reponet surrenders his unbeaten record in the SBK Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle.
With race fitness on her side, the Willie Mullins-trained Ashroe Diamond is fancied to get the better of stablemate Gala Marceau in the SBK Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle.
The Paul Nicholls-trained Welcom To Cartries gets the vote in the Albert Bartlett River Don Novices' Hurdle.
Cheltenham 1.15: Excello
Doncaster 1.30: Jeriko Du Reponet
Cheltenham 1.50: The Real Whacker
Doncaster 2.05: Ashroe Diamond
Cheltenham 2.25: Jonbon
Doncaster 2.40: Welcom To Cartries
Cheltenham 3.00: Love Envoi (NB)
Doncaster 3.15: Famous Bridge
Cheltenham 3.35: Noble Yeats (Nap)
