John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Friday.
Kingston Queen could be hard to pass in competitive opener
Cheltenham’s opening novice hurdle (12:05) might not be of the bigger such contests run at the track this season - it’s a qualifier in the EBF ‘National Hunt’ series - but it’s certainly competitive and full of potential. No fewer than eight of the ten declared runners were successful last time out, all of whom have a ‘p’ on their ratings denoting further improvement to come. Nicky Henderson has won this contest a couple of times in the recent past and his Kempton winner Old Park Star heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings after winning with a bit in hand on last month’s hurdling debut which was also his first start for the yard.
But he and the others might find David Pipe’s front-running mare Kingston Queen a tough one to pass. She had better form in bumpers than Old Park Star, winning a listed mares’ race at Market Rasen and finishing a good third in the Nickel Coin Mares’ Bumper at Aintree. The former Irish pointer again looked a useful prospect when making a successful debut over hurdles at Chepstow last month against male rivals, running out a comfortable seven-length winner and earning the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag.
That form is looking strong with both placed horses, Kripticjim and Modern Man, winning well since. Kingston Queen drops back in trip here, having given the impression she will stay three miles, but the combination of soft ground and the stiff finish should make this a sufficient test, especially if she ensures a good gallop, she too representing a stable that has won this race before with Make Me A Believer in 2020.
Henry’s Friend to follow up from Ascot
There’s no doubting who tops the bill on Cheltenham’s Friday card. That’s high-class chaser L’Homme Presse who carries top weight of 12-0, running from a BHA mark of 162, in the Turners Handicap Chase (13:50). While he has to give a minimum of 16 lb to all his rivals, four of whom are out of the handicap, he won from a still higher mark on his last appearance in a handicap which came in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle in 2022. L’Homme Presse’s only defeat in four starts at Cheltenham came when fourth in the 2024 Gold Cup, with his latest win coming in the Cotswold Chase here in January, while his record first time out is also an excellent one.
Henry’s Friend can’t boast such a good course record, but both his previous Cheltenham runs have come in Festival races and he shaped better than finishing a well-held eighth in the Ultima in March would suggest after making a big move to get into contention going to three out. However, last December’s winner of the Mandarin Handicap Chase at Newbury proved better than ever on his reappearance at Ascot last month when winning another good handicap, the Sodexo Gold Cup.
Having forced the pace, Henry’s Friend showed a very willing attitude when pressed in the straight, finding extra to run out a game winner by a length and three quarters from The Changing Man. Henry’s Friend earned the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag for that career-best effort and a 3 lb rise in the weights doesn’t handicap him out of things. He can win another good staying chase for ‘Hot Trainer’ Ben Pauling who won last weekend’s Becher with Twig.
Cross-channel form best in cross-country?
The ground was too firm for the cross-country course to be used at Cheltenham’s meeting last month but conditions have eased sufficiently for the cheese wedges and other assorted obstacles to be jumped in Friday’s handicap (15:00). The 2023 winner Latenightpass, also third last year and an excellent runner-up at the Festival, has the best course record but he finished well beaten in a tongue tie after another breathing operation at Cheltenham’s last meeting, so the twelve-year-old needs to bounce back.
In the absence of much other course form to go on, Henry de Bromhead’s top-weight Amirite enters calculations on his cross-country debut after finishing fourth in the Galway Plate last time. But it could pay to concentrate on the runners with French form. David Cottin has won this race before with the subsequent Festival winner Easysland and sends over two representatives this year. Iceo Madrik added to a mixed completion record when unseating early in this race last year but stablemate Placenet makes more appeal, heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings after a useful effort when finishing second in Belgium’s big chase at Waregem last time which he won in 2024.
A bit further down the weights is ex-French six-year-old J’Arrive de L’Est who makes his first start for connections who are always worth respecting, Emmet Mullins and owner Paul Byrne. J’Arrive de L’Est has winning cross-country form at Pau earlier in his career and has also been successful at Auteuil earlier this year for his previous trainer Daniela Mele. He looks an interesting prospect stepping up in trip for a stable which had a double at Kempton last month with its last two runners in Britain and is no stranger to success at Cheltenham.
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
