Our columnist with five dark horses who skipped Christmas that remain firmly on his Cheltenham radar.
C’EST DIFFERENT – Pertemps Final
Good fortune was in short supply over the Festive period as far as Sam Thomas was concerned. The drying conditions compromised Jubilee Express’s chances in the Welsh National, Lump Sum was lame after finishing last in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton on the same day, and Katate Dori couldn’t have done any more when narrowly denied in a valuable handicap chase at Cheltenham on Thursday.
The stable’s progressive hurdler C’EST DIFFERENT was denied a run at Prestbury Park on New Year’s Day, too, due to the lack of rain. The former Gold Cup winning rider is aiming the six year old at the Pertemps Final in March but is keen to give him one more outing to ensure he is high enough in the ratings to guarantee his place in the line up.
Rated 121, the bottom weight in the last three renewals have raced off 121, 129 and 124, hence his handler’s reluctance to leave the Manatee gelding off until the spring. Unbeaten in three runs since going down the handicap route, the youngster scored twice in two days in February last year, registering wins at Carlisle and Chepstow off 92, appreciating the step up to middle distances in the process.
Raised 17 pounds, the Dai Walters owned runner looked even better on his seasonal return at Market Rasen in late November. Tackling two miles seven for the first time, Dylan Johnston’s mount raced handily before putting his stamp on the race early in the homestraight and stretching away for a clear cut win – the fourth has won a Listed hurdle since. Upped another dozen pounds for his eight and a half lengths victory, he is developing into a smart stayer who may still have a few pounds in hand.
