Rory Delargy

CHELTENHAM SATURDAY

1.15 MALLARDJEWELLERS.COM NOVICES’ CHASE (3M80Y)

Vintage Vinnie would probably have finished in front of Vicente but for falling in a novice chase here at the Showcase Meeting, and he’s expected to gain his revenge, but those with experience look a little vulnerable, particularly if French Champion Hurdle winner Un Temps Pour Tout is primed for action on his chase debut though it’s virtually unknown for one from the Pipe yard to rock up to this meeting half-cooked.

The son of Robin Des Champs has the looks to go with his achievements, and while he’s yet to show quite the same brilliant form in England as he has in the land of his birth, that’s surely only a matter of time, and to my eye he looks one of the season’s most exciting recruits to fences in England.

1.50 MURPHY GROUP HANDICAP CHASE (3M3F71Y)

It was disappointing to see Sausalito Sunrise pulled up at Chepstow on his return, and I assumed that he’d broken down initially, so sharply did Richard Johnson manoeuvre him out of proceedings, but it transpired that he returned sound, and connections could offer no explanation for his odd capitulation.

He had looked poised to tackle race winner Drop Out Joe when disaster struck, and that one has since bagged the valuable Badger Ales Chase at Wincanton, so if we assume he is none the worse for his experience there, then he must be of interest now, with the step up in trip sure to suit given how he shaped as a novice. It’s to be hoped that he’s ignored by the public of his recent blip, and I fancy that he’d be a pretty short price if he’d come here without a prep run.

Audacious Plan is respected after warming up at the October fixture here, when also a selection in these pages, and he didn’t lose a great deal in defeat, briefly hitting the front at the last before either lack of fitness or making his move prematurely told.

He’ll strip fitter, and is proven over this sort of trip, so makes the shortlist, along with Shotgun Paddy, from the resurgent Emma Lavelle yard. Lavelle has yet to move to her new yard at Ogbourne Maizey, but she’s already put a forgettable 2014/15 season behind her, and her chasers in particular have been making hay. Shotgun Paddy, like many from the yard, had a poor time of things last season, but is a classy sort in these staying handicaps, and ought to bounce back to form. His absence since March is no concern, as many of the trainer’s runners perform best fresh. The one concern with him is that he can take the occasional fence by the roots, as when winning at Warwick two seasons ago, and these fences don’t forgive such liberties.

2.25 PADDY POWER GOLD CUP (2M4F78Y)

I made a case for backing Boondooma ante-post for this event prior to his reappearance over two miles in October, and he’s very much entered the public consciousness since, with his price contracting accordingly.

The only flaw in our plan was that he won so well last time, as I’d have been happy to pile in as long as he ran respectably on that return from absence. Some will crab his form, pointing out it’s come at the wrong trip and when bossing inferior animals, but he’s bred to excel at further, and if anything was disadvantaged by being on the front in a race run at a disputed pace, and those who tried to match him fell away at the business end. The fact that he cleared away from the closers up the hill indicates that he will actually improve again for the increased distance, and he looks a tremendously exciting prospect to my eye.

CHELTENHAM SUNDAY

1.35 RACING POST ARKLE TROPHY TRIAL NOVICES’ CHASE (1M7F199Y)

Garde La Victoire was a winner of the Greatwood last year, and he impressed when getting off the mark over fences at Uttoxeter, jumping low and quick in comparison to runner-up Bristol De Mai, and while the Arkle is a hard race to have a strong view about so early in the season, he looks well up to winning this trial. It’s a race won in the past by the likes of Best Mate, and like Henrietta Knight’s great chaser, Philip Hobbs’ charge is every inch a top-class chaser on looks. Handsome is as handsome does, of course, and he needs to prove himself by winning well if his dreams of glory are to be kept aflame, but he’s a confident choice to do just that. Calipto isn’t the most prepossessing type, and while he won well enough on his chase bow at Fontwell, he lacks the scope of the selection, while Fox Norton’s win over Golden Doyen at Market Rasen took a knock when the second, a stablemate of Garde La Victoire, had his colours lowered comprehensively at Sandown last weekend.

2.10 SHLOER CHASE (1M7F199Y)

It would be wonderful to believe that home reports of Sprinter Sacre’s well-being are true and that the former champion is genuinely back near his best, but that is hard to believe in light of his capitulation behind Dodging Bullets in March, and while he gained a stay of execution with a creditable second at Sandown on the final day of the season, the vultures will be circling again should he fail to deliver. This looks a fairly weak race for the money, with most of the field having something to prove, and the veteran Somersby is arguably the form pick on last season’s largely consistent efforts, including a fine second in the Queen Mother. He simply doesn’t win races, however, and is opposable.

Mr Mole is another who has his own ideas, but if there’s one day to back him it’s probably in this, where he ought to get the lead if jumping off on terms, a luxury denied him in the Champion Chase where he appeared to sulk. He needs to dominate to be sure of giving his running and it’s to be hoped that Barry Geraghty follows the script devised by Tony McCoy last term.

2.40 STANJAMES.COM GREATWOOD HURDLE (2M87Y)

We were with Nabucco when he won at Ascot two weeks ago, and John Ferguson’s exciting novice impressed with how well he won after making his only jumping error at the last flight. He was foot perfect to that point, and rallied splendidly to repel the finishers in a race which developed into a sprint from the home turn. He’s only 5lb higher than for that win, and I’m not sure this race is any more competitive, so with improvement on the cards, he’s expected to add to his impressive haul, possibly at the expense of Days Of Heaven. Nicky Henderson’s charge is still raw, and clearly capable of better, but he was often kept away from other rivals at the start of races last year, when he had a habit of plunging as the tapes rose.

That didn’t stop him winning, but it means he runs the risk of getting a poor position in a race where every inch counts. Old Guard impressed under Harry Cobden at the last meeting, but he lost his form after a good start last season, and that is a worry again, while the heavily gambled Mick Jazz found nothing off the bridle in two runs at Newbury as a juvenile, albeit looking like a classy horse until jumping the last both times. If that hole can be plugged, then he could be a handicap blot, but it’s a pretty serious “if”.

RECOMMENDED

SATURDAY

SAUSALITO SUNRISE 1.50 Cheltenham – 1pt win @ 8/1 (William Hill)

BOONDOOMA 2.25 Cheltenham - 1pt win @ 9/1 (Paddy Power)

SUNDAY

NABUCCO 2.40 Cheltenham - 1pt win @ 8/1 (Betfair Sports)

RECENT WINNER

Rory selected last week’s winner Irving (9/2)