Weekend Racing - First Look

Crus Missile - Exciting novice Grands Crus is being
aimed at the Argento Chase at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Monday means the entries for Saturday’s Racing are revealed, and with a huge weekend ahead of us, it’d be wrong not to take a quick look at the mouth-watering clashes that potentially lie in front of us.

The two big meetings this Saturday originate from Cheltenham and Doncaster and it’s down at Prestbury Park where plenty of festival pointers will undoubtedly be picked up at the weekend.

The opening race, the Triumph Hurdle Trial, could see the three market leaders for that race square off against each other as Baby Mix, Hinterland and Grumeti are all slated to take part at this stage.

It’s later on in the card though where things get really tasty as the Argento looks set to be a real humdinger this year. My Gold Cup tip Grands Crus potentially faces the real acid test of his claims as he looks set to take on his elders over fences for the first time, but he loves Cheltenham (he won the Cleeve on this card last year) and travelled supremely well in the Feltham at Kempton on Boxing Day – if he wins here I don’t see any way that the Pipes can’t not run him in the Gold Cup.

It won’t be an easy task for the grey (currently the 9/4 favourite) however as his potential opposition reads like a collective who’s who of 3m stars – Captain Chris, Diamond Harry, Time For Rupert, Midnight Chase and Hennessy winner Carruthers all have entries as well and though I doubt they will all be lining up come 2.35pm on Saturday afternoon, if only a couple of them are there a hell of a race is in prospect.

The real superstar on show at Cheltenham on Saturday though is Big Buck’s who bids to bag an incredible fifteenth straight win in the Cleeve Hurdle at odds of 3/10 at present. Nothing is ever straight forward in Horse Racing but this should be a walk in the park for a horse that is nothing short of phenomenal.

The horse everyone was expecting to serve it up to him in the Long Walk, Dynaste reopposes as do last year’s World Hurdle third and fourth Mourad and Cross Kennon respectively, the latter of which I’m hoping can recapture something like his old form after an horrendous season to date, but realistically none of these are in the same league as Big Buck’s and he should annihilate them.

Up at Doncaster, their novice chase looks like being another race that will have huge Cheltenham implications with Arkle favourite Sprinter Sacre engaged to possibly lock horns with the likes of Menorah, Kumbeshwar & stable companion Kid Cassidy.

Sprinter Sacre’s performance to see off an admittedly below bar Peddlers Cross at Kempton over Christmas was hugely impressive and if he bolts up again here his favouritism going into the Arkle should be undisputed. He’s already won round Doncaster once and if taking his chance will no doubt be a hot favourite and be going in to many a Saturday coupon alongside Big Buck’s.

The big betting race of the day comes later in Donny’s card as several top handicappers look set to wage war with each other in the Skybet Chase. Alan King’s Hold on Julio is the current favourite; followed by Nicky Henderson’s Grand National bound Shakalakaboomboom. Any one of these horses could be catapulted to the head of the National market with an impressive display in this race and looking down the list there are any number with a great chance.

I’msingingtheblues, Calgary Bay, Aiteenthirtythree, Wayward Prince, Cape Tribulation, Wymott and Merigo are all big names in there meaning it should be a highly competitive affair.

Over in Ireland, at Leopardstown exciting novices Hidden Cyclone & Sir Des Champs clash before the focal point of the weekend across the Irish Sea – the Irish Champion Hurdle on Sunday.

Hurricane Fly is of course the favourite for that race (currently 4/6) and I’m sure every Racing fan is hoping that the Champion Hurdle favourite returns in the sort of form he finished last season in.