Timeform: Four Cheltenham Festival handicappers to following including Proschema
Following the release if the handicap weights for the Cheltenham Festival, four Timeform experts reveal their best fancy.
Houx Gris – Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, Tuesday
Ever heard the one about the ex-French Paul Nicholls-trained juvenile proving his handicap mark all wrong in the Boodles?
Thought so.
And Sanctuaire, Qualando, Diego du Charmil may soon be joined on the ‘Fred Winter’ roll of honour by Houx Gris, a strong-travelling third behind Adagio and Nassalam in the Finale Hurdle on his sole appearance in Britain.
Houx Gris ended up weakening to be beaten more than 20 lengths, but his proximity to the front pair crossing the second last felt a more accurate representation of his ability/potential and, seemingly saved for this since, he can prove his opening mark undersells him by some way – he’d looked promising when winning a bumper and three-year-old hurdle in his homeland and joined new connections for as much as €200,000. Dan Barber
Farmix – Grand Annual, Wednesday
Novices won three of the four open handicap chases at the 2020 Festival, with Irish trainers supplying two of that trio.
As a result, any lightly-raced chasers crossing the Irish Sea this year are likely to prove popular in the betting for such contests, though it’s possible Farmix could be overlooked by punters just because he represents a lower-profile yard.
Liz Doyle has yet to saddle a winner on British soil, but she’s got a very smart prospect on her hands with Farmix, who looks very competitively-handicapped judged on his recent all-the-way win in a good novice chase at Punchestown.
He should creep into the Grand Annual line-up towards the foot of the weights off a BHA mark of 143 and, although lack of experience is a slight worry, he looks well worth chancing at current odds of around 25/1. Phil Turner
Lynwood Gold – Pertemps Network Final, Thursday
Recent winners of the Pertemps Network Final have shared some common traits; the last five renewals have all been won by horses trained in Ireland, and with just a top-six finish required to meet the eligibility criteria for the race, ideally without revealing the full extent of the hand currently being held to the handicapper, Lynwood Gold’s recent Punchestown qualifying effort certainly fitted the bill.
He hadn’t been seen since finishing a staying-on eighth in the Cesarewitch last October, and was making his handicap debut over hurdles when creeping into sixth spot in what was the final qualifier of this long-established series.
Still unexposed, the demands of this race seem sure to suit, and he’s certainly one of the more interesting contenders. Paul Goodenough
Proschema – County Hurdle, Friday
The last six renewals of the County Hurdle have gone to either Dan Skelton or Willie Mullins, and while the latter is sure to be well represented again, it’s the Skelton-trained Proschema that really catches the eye at the weights.
A smart stayer on the Flat, he was third in a Northumberland Plate at Newcastle on the level and has warmed up for this with a couple of wins in jumpers’ bumpers at the same venue.
Proschema bombed out in the Greatwood Hurdle on his only previous visit to Cheltenham – when connections blamed the heavy ground – but this strong-travelling sort could prove a different proposition back under less testing conditions. Martin Rigg
Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide
Order your copy of the Cheltenham Bible, the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival 2021 Betting Guide, featuring contributions from our Ben Linfoot and Matt Brocklebank. GET £4 OFF THE BOOK: Sporting Life users can get £4 off the print, digital or print/digital bundle using the promo code: festival21
Next Off
Most Followed
MOST READ RACING
