A new season of action got underway at Cheltenham on Friday and Saturday with the Showcase Meeting in the Cotswolds – and we’ve picked out 5 Cheltenham Horses to Follow for the rest of the season.
Cheltenham Horses to Follow: Showcase Meeting Eyecatchers 2024
There were doubles for Dan Skelton and Nigel Twiston-Davies on Friday, plus a decent selection of Irish winners and we’ve picked out our five eyecatchers from Cheltenham’s curtain raiser.
Cheltenham Horses to Follow: Calico
Dan Skelton has been installed as favourite to win a first ever trainers’ championship in Britain this season and he’ll have been thrilled to land a valuable success in the £100,000 squareintheair.com Handicap Chase at Cheltenham on Friday.
Skelton admitted the horse was best served coming out fresh for the race and that he had paid a price for going close in a good race at the November Meeting at Cheltenham last season. A sparing campaign is in store this time around, with the Desert Orchid at Kempton at Christmas identified as the possible next target.
Cheltenham Horses to Follow: Valgrand
It was to be a quick-fire double for Team Skelton when Harry powered home on Valgrand in the Grade 2 Novices’ Hurdle on Friday afternoon. He was allowed to dictate matters in front and left his rivals toiling off the home bend. Fourth in a Grade 2 Aintree bumper last season and unbeaten in two starts over hurdles in the spring, he had subsequently been given a mark of 118, but looked to be well ahead of the assessor as he powered clear to win by 17-lengths.
The winning trainer played down the success as much as he could but did suggest: “He’s got a fantastic attitude and loves jumping, so what’s not to like?” Valgrand is likely to have his sights raised soon and, at his current rate of progress, could be back in the Cotswolds come the Festival in March.
Cheltenham Horses to Follow: Potters Charm
Nigel Twiston-Davies likes to have something ready for this meeting and so it proved as his promising five-year-old Potters Charm won the Alastair Down Press Room Novices’ Hurdle. He remains unbeaten under Rules, having won a bumper at Ffos Las and now hurdles races at Worcester and Cheltenham this season.
There’s still plenty room for improvement in his hurdling technique, but the engine is in fine working order and the Naunton handler may soon be eyeing a graded race with him before long.
Cheltenham Horses to Follow: Intense Approach
John McConnell is another handler that typically does well at this meeting and so it proved again Intense Approach won the three-mile Novices’ Hurdle on day two in the hands of Britain’s champion rider Harry Cobden. He bucked out and made all and had main rivals Millforce and Fine Margin in trouble a long way from home.
The Irish handler may be plotting a return in the spring for the Albert Bartlett over the same trip.
Cheltenham Horses to Follow: Hyland
Nicky Henderson also got in on the act as Hyland won the Novices’ Chase over the extended three-miles on Saturday afternoon in the hands of Nico de Boinville. The seven-year-old is now 2-3 over the larger obstacles and certainly appeared to thrive for the step up in trip. He was consistent over hurdles, placed nine times in 15 starts with four wins.
The future now looks bright over fences for the Seven Barrows inmate and a handicap back here in March over a similar trip could be a long-term target.
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