Our star daily duo of Rory Delargy and David Massey provide their thoughts ahead of Saturday's racing.
Racing betting tips: Saturday January 24
1pt SF/C Impose Toi/Doddiethegreat in the 15:35 Cheltenham
1pt win Paper Mill in the 15:41 Uttoxeter at 5/2 (General) - min 9/4
15:35 Cheltenham
We don’t agree on a huge amount at Cheltenham today, or rather we do, but the prices on those we both fancy are short enough, but the Cleeve Hurdle is one we see in very similar style, in that we expect the Long Walk form to work out but we don’t like Ascot runner-up Strong Leader on the ground or the track here, so we are doubling down on winner IMPOSE TOI and looking for DODDIETHEGREAT to improve on his Ascot effort to fill the forecast spot. You can make a case also for Ma Shantou for that role, but Doddie has the Graded form in the book and looks the percentage call. He was beaten 9½ lengths at Ascot having been done no favours by being dropped out on the day, giving him a stiff task to reel in those in front, and prior to that he was a good third to Strong Leader at Wetherby, beaten a length and a half and then finished fourth in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury, largely confirming the Wetherby form. He copes better with soft ground than Strong Leader does and it’s a bit surprising that Olly Murphy runs the latter here having virtually ruled him out of the Stayers’ Hurdle due to concerns about the undulating track.
14:32 Uttoxeter
This doesn’t look like it’ll take a lot of winning, and if the headgear does the trick on Karuma Grey again, then he has a solid chance here. He hasn’t won since getting his head in front for Alison Thorpe at Ffos Las in the December of 2024, springing a 100-1 upset on desperate ground, but he returned to form back there last time out, finding only the improving Itseemslikeit too good. He made a real mess of the last but bar that jumped better than has been the case, so hopefully those particular issues have been sorted out. Deep ground is clearly needed for him to show his best, and he’s well enough handicapped here to think he should go well.
15:41 Uttoxeter
PAPER MILL did the column a good turn when scoring here last November and I see no reason why, with conditions once again in his favour, that he can’t score again.
Seven times a winner in point-to-points for owners the Kehoes, it didn’t take long for Stuart Edmunds to find the key to him; third to course specialist Ali Star Bert at Southwell (winner and second won again next time), he won second time up for the yard on soft ground over this C&D, relishing the longer trip as he beat four last-time-out winners with something in hand. A 6lb rise is more than manageable given the relative strength of that contest and runner-up Holokea was beaten just a neck in a class 3 at Cheltenham last month to confirm that impression.
16:18 Uttoxeter
There used to be a time when backing Tom Lacey horses on their handicap debuts (even more so at Uttoxeter) was the way to go, but that’s not a profitable angle any more, and his Thorgath makes only limited appeal here, an opening mark of 92 looking plenty on what he’s achieved to date.
With the ground likely to ride just the right side of unraceable here, old Richardson comes into play. He’s been fairly sparely raced for one his age and might well have another race in him on his favoured deep ground. Twice a winner around this time last year, he would have badly needed his first start of the season at Leicester and despite the run being far from a write-off, the handicapper dropped him 3lb for it, which means he’s only 4lb higher than his last easy win at Bangor. In any case, this will be less about handicapping and much more about what’s still galloping on at the finish and on that score, Richardson would be one you want on your side.
Preview posted at 09:50 GMT on 24/01/26
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