Cheltenham Sunday

SUNDAY’S card at Cheltenham was bolstered by the rearranged Cross-Country Chase, making for a seven-race card.

The Racing Post Arkle Trial looked a cracker on paper despite just four runners, and it didn’t disappoint, with Henry de Bromhead’s 6/1 outsider Put The Kettle On (Aidan Coleman) gaining her fifth win from six starts over fences.

She showed herself to be more than a summer jumper with an excellent display of agile jumping which saw her gain the day from Al Dancer (Nigel/Sam Twiston-Davies), who confirmed Showcase meeting form with Getaway Trump (Paul Nicholls/Harry Cobden), who once again fluffed the tricky second last.

There was no fluke about this performance from Put The Kettle On, even though neither the second nor third landed with momentum at the penultimate fence and she will always be seen to advantage around here, with her run style and neat fencing ideal attributes on the Old course in particular.

She lacks the hurdles class of a typical Arkle winner, but her positive attributes make up for that to a large degree, and she’s one to keep on side.

THE Grade 2 Shloer Chase was another race whose intrigue belied its small field, and it produced a finish worthy of the festival, with 11/8 favourite Defi Du Seuil (Philip Hobbs/Barry Geraghty) getting the better of Politologue from the last and marking himself down as a serious Champion Chase contender.

The winner has needed the run on his return in the past, and benefited from a couple of racecourse gallops before this, so won’t come on as much for the run as might be expected, but his novice form stacks up exceptionally well. This dual festival winner has the right credentials, for all it needs to be borne in mind that his owner also has the currently sidelined Le Richebourg for the Champion Chase, and there is a possibility of this fella being shunted up in trip.

Politologue ran a fine race in defeat, and although he’s never won at Cheltenham, he ran on well to be second to Altior in March, and is established at the top end of this division, and Simply Ned now has form figures in this race of 242423 after edging Saint Calvados in a photo for minor money.

Philip Hobbs almost added the Greatwood Hurdle to his weekend haul, but the game Gumball just failed to repel the challenge of Alan King’s Harambe (Tom Bellamy) in a three-way finish which also saw a sterling effort from Monsieur LeCoq, with a neck and the same separating the trio at the end of a stirring contest.

The winner returned at 16/1 and was paying a compliment to Thyme Hill, who had beaten him comprehensively in the Persian War at Chepstow.

Harambe clearly needed his return at Chepstow, and while he can do too much for his own good, he was well ridden by Bellamy who managed to get him to drop the bit better than he usually does, and that allowed him to see his race out well, coming from behind the pair he beat at the final hurdle.

Harambe is an unlikely type to develop into a Champion Hurdle contender as several previous winners have, but he is developing well physically, and appeals as the sort to thrive over fences in time.

THE Supreme Trial, registered as the Sharp Novices’ Hurdle, was not a deep race, but winner Hang In There (Emma Lavelle/Adam Wedge), from the Mags Mullins yard, looks a good prospect, and still showed residual signs of his inexperience.

Blameless for losing his rider on his debut for Lavelle, he made all to win at Exeter last month. The 6/1 shot again made most to beat the penalised Pacify by three lengths here. The form falls well short of championship standard, but the winner is raw and progressive.

Israel Champ (David Pipe/Tom Scudamore) was an expensive recruit from the pointing field, and made amends for flopping on his bumper debut with the aid of a hood and tongue tie, showing much improved form to beat Time Flies By by one and three-quarter lengths, and rewarding backers at a juicy 16/1.

The runner-up was an impressive winner at the Showcase, and the pair were two and a quarter lengths clear of Everglow. The pace was modest, but the best horses came to the fore. No doubt the Champion Bumper will be suggested for the principals, but I believe they would all benefit more from jumping a hurdle than from running in a championship National Hunt flat race.