THE positive is that we get to see Constitution Hill again. The negative is that we don’t get to see Lossiemouth.

Travel plans scuppered by Storm Éowyn before they got off the ground. Her stable companion Capodanno would have had a big chance too in the Cotswold Chase again this year, a race that he won last year, but he is also a non-traveller.

Trials Day at Cheltenham is the poorer for the absence of the two Willie Mullins-trained horses.

That said, the International Hurdle’s loss may be the Irish Champion Hurdle’s gain. It could be Lossiemouth, State Man, Brighterdaysahead at Leopardstown next Sunday, and that would be worth the trip, wherever you’re coming from.

(It’s ticket-only by the way.)

It’s still a really interesting day’s racing at Cheltenham today, with the Betfair Cleeve Hurdle up there among the more interesting contests.

Crambo has been at the top of the market since it opened, and there is no doubting that he goes into the race in good form, having battled on well to win his second Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot before Christmas.

Fergal O’Brien’s horse is obviously a highly-talented staying hurdler, but it may be that he is a better horse at Ascot than he is anywhere else.

He won his maiden hurdle at Ascot, and he has put up the two best performances of his career to date in the 2023 Long Walk Hurdle and the 2024 Long Walk Hurdle. He has raced at Ascot three times, and he has won there three times.

On the only occasion on which he has raced at Cheltenham, by contrast, in the Stayers’ Hurdle last March, he finished down the field behind Teahupoo.

Obviously, that doesn’t provide incontrovertible evidence that he doesn’t handle Cheltenham. It’s a small sample size, it may be that there was something else at play that caused him to under-perform. But he still has to prove that he can be as good at Cheltenham as he is at Ascot, and he is priced up on his Ascot runs.

Strong Leader could be under-priced too. Olly Murphy’s horse put up a good performance in this race last year to finish third behind Noble Yeats, but there was never a point in the race at which you thought that he would win.

He came under a ride at the top of the hill, he was last of the seven runners as they raced to the home turn. He did stay on admirably, but he was much better next time in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree, where he had won a novices’ hurdle and finished second to Inthepocket in the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle.

His record at Aintree now reads 121, and you suspect that the Liverpool Hurdle is again his primary objective this season.

He was good on his debut this season, in getting the better of Monmiral in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury. He was disappointing in the Long Walk Hurdle last time though, when sent off as favourite.

He has had a wind operation in the meantime, and there is a chance that he will leave that run well behind now, but there is also a chance that he will come on again for his run today.

Gowel Road has plenty to find on official ratings with the top two in the market, but he does receive 6lb from both, and there are reasons for believing that he can at least get close to them.

Get close

He goes into the race in good form, he loves Cheltenham, and there is a good chance that he will have the run of the race.

The excellent Sam Twiston-Davies was able to dictate the fractions to suit his horse last time in the Relkeel Hurdle, and he dictated a sedate pace, as evidenced by a finishing speed percentage of 109% of overall speed.

He almost got there too, he was just beaten by a progressive young stayer in Lucky Place, going down by a half a length in the end with the pair of them clear.

He should appreciate the step back up to three miles today.

It appears as if there is not a lot of pace in today’s race either, and it may be that Sam Twiston-Davies and Gowel Road will have it all to themselves up front.

If that situation does materialise, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ horse might be a difficult horse to pass in the final run up the hill at the end of three miles.

Monmiral could be his main danger. Paul Nicholls’ horse is one for one over hurdles at Cheltenham, he won the Pertemps Final in March on his only run over the smaller obstacles there, and he only just gave best to Strong Leader in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury in November.

But Gowel Road has finished second at each of the four Cheltenham meetings this season so far, and he might just be able to go one better today.

Great Yorkshire Chase

Forward Plan might be able to go one better too today in the Virgin Bet Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster.

Anthony Honeyball’s horse just missed out against Annual Invictus last year, staying on well and failing by a nose to catch Chris Gordon’s horse, who had led for most of the way.

Winner of the Coral Trophy next time at Kempton off a 4lb higher mark, he put up another good performance last time, back at Doncaster, over today’s course and distance, to finish third behind Charlie Uberalles.

The leaders just got away from him a little at the top of the home straight, but he stayed on well from the final fence to go down by just a length and a half in the end.

That brought his record at Doncaster to 123, and it wouldn’t be surprising if connections have had this race in mind for him again for a while.

He goes well on the good to soft ground that they should have again at Doncaster today, he is only 1lb higher in the handicap than he was last time, and Chad Bament is very good value for his significant claim.

Recommended:

Gowel Road, 3.35 Cheltenham, 7/2 (generally), 1pt win

Forward Plan, 3.15 Doncaster, 11/2 (generally), 1pt each-way