Horse racing tips: Harry Cobden can gallop his rivals into submission on my NAP at Cheltenham

1 month ago 9

TEMPELGATE takes on Saturday’s action confident of firing in some BIG winners.

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GINNY’S DESTINY (2.20 Cheltenham, nap)

Loves this track and can take the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

He has the enviable record of three wins and a place around the home of jumps racing.

Champion jockey Harry Cobden has struck up an excellent partnership with Paul Nicholls’ eight-year-old and they can gallop their rivals into submission from the front.

DOYEN QUEST (2.55 Cheltenham, nb).

Is improving for the Skeltons’. He rose through the handicap ranks last season and finished the campaign with a big-field win at Prestbury Park.

This campaign started with a second at Chepstow and he’ll be all guns blazing after that.

L’EAU DU SUD (1.45 Cheltenham, treble).

Looks another nice prospect for the Skeltons.

He was an excellent second in the County Hurdle at this year’s Festival and he took really well to chasing when winning by 10 lengths on debut at Stratford.

He has a strong engine and is certain to improve for that experience.

Templegate’s Saturday ITV verdicts

12.35

EAST INDIA DOCK was decent on the Flat and looked a natural when winning on hurdles debut at Wincanton last month. He jumped well and can take a big step forward. Prairie Angel won some minor handicaps before a successful switch to timber two Saturdays ago.

He went from the front at Down Royal and is certain to improve for Joseph O’Brien. My Noble Lord was a regular in the winners’ enclosure on the level and jumped nicely when winning on his hurdles bow at Chepstow.

This is a fair bit hotter but there’s more to come. Irisante wasn’t disgraced when third in a French Grade 3 when last seen in May and he looks a nice prospect on debut for new connections. Static is another who started across the Channel and was just pipped in a Wetherby Listed race on UK debut. He can’t be written off on that form.

1.10

TRANSMISSION showed promise on his chase return here last time. That was a classier contest than this and he looks potentially well handicapped on his useful hurdling form.

He stays strongly and should progress fitness-wise for that comeback with top amateur rider Patrick Mullins on board. Deise Aba ran his best race for a long time when second at Wincanton last month. He stays all day and has every chance of running into a place up the hill.

The Newest One enjoyed the switch to chases when winning in a big field here last month. A 5lb rise for that is more than fair and he’ll right on the premises again. Read To Return runs for canny Tony Martin and he was a good fifth in this last season. He’s only 1lb higher in the handicap and he’s been well backed.

Captain Speaking has been racing in France with some solid results including when second at Auteuil latest. He is a thorough stayer but more rain would help his chances. Jimmy The Digger chased home The Newest One here latest and is slightly better off at the weights today. He needs his very best to turn that form around but has an each-way shout.

1.45

L’EAU DU SUD was second in last season’s County Hurdle but already looked better than that when cruising home on chase debut at Stratford last time out. He made one early mistake but jumped really well other than that.

His showed plenty of pace there so this slightly shorter trip won’t be a worry and there’s a lot more to come. Lookaway has been on the podium in a couple of Grade 1 hurdles and is another who jumped well in his first chase earlier this month.

He only had one horse to beat but was slick over his fences and we’ll learn a lot more today. San Salvador has more experience in chases than these and wasn’t beaten far here last month. He has enough pace for this trip but is taking on stronger company here.

Western Zephyr will have no issue getting up the hill after storming home at Carlisle latest. He has his sights raised plenty here so will need a fair step forward. Breizh River is a regular winner in lower grades and battled right to the line when winning at Kelso latest. He has a lot more on his plate today. Noble Anthem was held here last time and needs plenty more.

2.20

GINNY’S DESTINY can add to his brilliant record at Cheltenham. He improved with every run last season, winning three good contests here over this trip before pushing the high-class Grey Dawning all the way in the Turners at the Festival.

He finished with a fair run at Aintree and looks hard to beat back at his favourite track for Cobden and Nicholls. Protektorat warrants plenty of respect despite giving away lumps of weight. His last run at

Cheltenham saw him take the Ryanair Chase and he has three wins and four places at Prestbury Park including when second in this way back in 2021. Imagine is interesting on debut for Harry Derham having cost connections £300,000 to take him from Gordon Elliott’s yard.

He was a Punchestown Grade 2 winner at best last season and has more to come after just three chase runs. He looks the main threat. Ga Law won this in 2022 and has an each-way shout.

He was an excellent second at Chepstow on comeback last month and likes these decent conditions. At a big price, Lets Go Champ ran well in the Galway Plate and Henry De Bromhead is always respected.

2.55

DOYEN QUEST ran a cracker on his last visit here, seeing off 14 rivals with a bit left in the tank. He came back at Chepstow last month with another excellent effort when second in the Silver Trophy.

This hike in trip holds no fears and he still looks ahead of the handicapper for the Skeltons. Emailandy didn’t fire at Sandown last time but had earlier scored readily at Plumpton and has gone well fresh before. He looks a danger for Cobden and Nicholls.

Gowel Road ran well when second in solid company here on comeback last month. There was a good gap back to the third and a 2lb rise in the weights gives him a chance.

Gavin Cromwell knows how to win at Cheltenham and his Noble Birth can’t be ignored on this return to hurdling after a solid chase effort at Cork latest. Zeeband ran well at Galway last month and looks a big price despite his higher mark.

3.30

MAJOR FORTUNE has been totting up the wins and had plenty in hand when scoring at Newton Abbot on comeback last month. He has plenty of stamina for this distance and can improve past his higher handicap mark for the in-form Skelton team.

Tony Martin won this race in 2022 and has a chance again with Hamsiyann. He hasn’t run since finishing second in the 2m2f Chester Plate on the Flat back in May. His best hurdles run came when third at Ascot over 1m7f but this trip should suit much better.

He looks on a fair weight and is likely to be fit. Wyenot came back from six months off to win here at the October meeting. He goes on any ground and trainer Henry Daly has made a decent start to the season.

Champagne Twist won a hot handicap at Sandown before a late mistake proved costly at Aintree in April. It’s still early days and he has scope to improve for Ben Pauling.

4.00

KORINTHIA has done nothing wrong in winning both her bumper runs at Wexford and Limerick. Willie Mullins is always the man to beat in this grade and he won this race 12 months ago.

We can expect plenty of improvement from this four-year-old. Jasmine D’Airy had six lengths in hand when winning on debut at Tipperary in May. That saw her change hands for a six-figure sum and she can make her mark this season.

Settle Down Jill makes her debut for the Skelton team after winning a point-to-point in Ireland earlier this year. A market move would underline her chances. Siog Geal showed promise when second on debut at Aintree for Fergal O’Brien.

She can build on that effort as can Strong Run who went close at Uttoxeter first time out. Riviera Walk scored on debut for the O’Neill team when very green at Sedgefield and can do better.