Trackside Live: Horses to Follow from Cheltenham and Warwick

Oykel Bridge (Alan King)

Warwick, December 11 - Whites Of Coventry and JiC Logistics National Hunt Flat Race

Sometimes you make assumptions in this game and sometimes they’re wrong. When a (very) tall, strapping chasing type wandered into the pre-parade ring with a Goodwin-sponsored rug on, we all made the assumption Chris Gordon had discovered another embryonic chaser-in-the-making. Except we hadn’t. It was, in fact, Alan King’s Oykel Bridge, by far some way the biggest horse he’s trained (his words, not ours) and was green to boot, taking it all in. He’s run a cracker, finishing a running-on third, and for all he has size, he didn’t look short of speed. He can only improve on this and it did look a good bumper on what we could see beforehand; there should be plenty of winners from this in the next few months.

Long Draw (Olly Murphy)

Cheltenham, December 12 - Citipost Handicap Hurdle

The assumption is that Long Draw’s progression has now finished after two down-the-field efforts here, but I’m not quite so convinced and am not ready to give up on him just yet. He looked well in skin first time up this year and his fourth to the bang-fit Ma Shantou in a Pertemps qualifier augured well for the rest of the year. But in two subsequent runs he’s not come on that much fitness-wise; indeed, if anything, I thought he looked in need of the run when the rug came off on Friday. A slowly-run race did nothing for his chances either, held up wide out the back and never dangerous. He’s qualified for the Pertemps already; maybe some sun on his back and we’ll see a different horse come the spring.

As The Fella Says (Nicky Henderson)

Cheltenham, December 13 - Michael Eakins Senior Novices Limited Handicap Chase

Two of Saturday’s winners, Carlenrig and Minella Study, have both had positive write-ups from previous editions of this column and I’d advise you still keep the pair very much onside - we were convinced Minella Study’s Wetherby win in the Wensleydale wasn’t a fluke, and we’d like to think I’ve been justified in that opinion, and so for a couple to follow we’ll turn to the handicaps on the card. This looked quite a strong event beforehand but when the rug came off As The Fella Says, I thought another run would just get him to peak fitness and his run suggested something similar. He travelled and jumped well, looking a threat turning in but the effort just flattened out coming to the last, and for all he stayed on, found the fast-finishing Zertakt (very fit for this) flying past him, and he could never quite get to Holokea for the runner-up spot. This should put him spot on, and should be up to winning a similar event soon. A very likeable individual.

Game Colours (Ben Clarke)

Cheltenham, December 13 - Download The Bet MGM Mares Handicap Hurdle

Likewise, we’re getting there with Game Colours now; she looked in good shape for the closing handicap hurdle, almost match-fit but again I thought the run would just bring her to the boil; she’s got plenty of size about her for this division and could give weight away to lessers, should connections decide to go that way, but in any case she stayed on strongly up the hill here and was closing in on runner-up Siog Gaol (was a bit busy beforehand) as the line approached. Lots to like about her, and given all ground seems to come alike to her, it keeps plenty of options over the next few weeks.

More from Sporting Life

• Free bets
• Racecards
• Fast results
• Full results and free video replays
• Horse racing news
• Horse racing tips
• Horse racing features
• Download our free iOS and Android app
• Football and other sports tips
• Podcasts and video content

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.