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ITV Racing Preview Friday
CHELTENHAM IS BACK! No better feeling than having Cheltenham on our screens as The Open meeting gets underway live on ITV. Also racing from Doncaster on the Flat. Not to be missed!
Make sure you scroll right down to the bottom to see any multiples we are placing. These can be added direct to your bet365 bet slip.
ITV Racing Friday Schedule
1.50 Cheltenham Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (Class 2) 2m5f
2.25 Cheltenham Matchbook Better Way To Bet Novices’ Chase (Class 2) 3m1/2f
2.40 Doncaster Vertem Investing In The Future Handicap (Class 2) 6f
3.00 Cheltenham squareintheair.com Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) 2m5f
3.15 Doncaster vertem.co.uk Handicap (Class 2) 1m61/2f
3.35 Cheltenham Bentley Flying Spur Handicap Chase (Class 2) 2m
ITV Racing 4/1 Offer
Back a winner at 4/1 or more and get a risk free bet on the next live ITV race (up to £50) at bet365. Offer applies to first single bet placed.
Applies to Win and Each-Way Fixed Odds markets and Enhanced Place Terms markets only. Bet restrictions and T&Cs apply. New and eligible customers only.
Cheltenham 1.50 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle (Class 2) 2m5f
The market revolves around Ask For Glory here for Paul Nicholls. While he looks progressive himself he is up against quite a few unexposed types and I think he’s too short in the betting. MIDNIGHT RIVER catches the eye for Dan and Harry Skelton. The pair have been firing in the winners so come here with confidence high. This son of Midnight Legend placed in bumpers at Worcester and Wetherby before taking a big step forward up in trip tackling hurdles for the first time when winning at Uttoxeter earlier this month. He had subsequent 23-length winner Shantou Express trailing back in second so the form has some substance to it. He will enjoy this extra yardage and looks good value at around 15/2 (at the time of writing).
Global Fame has to enter the reckoning for Feral O’Brien and Paddy Brennan. He has had just 3 starts under Rules and has had a wind op since last seen. Finisk River was second to Fugitives Drift at Bangor and that winner has gone in again since and looked a smart prospect so he may end up emerging as the main danger.
Cheltenham 2.25 Matchbook Better Way To Bet Novices’ Chase (Class 2) 3m1/2f
Small field for this novice chase but a few have the potential to make very good chasers and be fighting it out as graded performers at the business end of the season. GALVIN is the prime example after winning his last 3 over fences and has a great chance of making in 4 in-a-row here. He has gone off at odds of 2/15, 2/9 and more recently 1/4 so will find this tougher but his Cheltenham form is as solid as it comes with his run at the festival in March behind Imperial Aura looking very good. If he runs to that sort of level he will be tough to beat and looks a deserved favourite with race-fitness on side. He will appreciate going a truer gallop with the likes of Soldier Of Love in here so has to be my selection.
The main danger for me is Mossy Fen who could be a very good chaser after he was last seen running behind Envoi Allen at the festival over hurdles. He strikes me as a horse with potential but could just be bumping into a horse more ready for this test so may end up using it as a stepping stone.
Doncaster 2.40 Vertem Investing In The Future Handicap (Class 2) 6f
Bielsa won this last year for Kevin Ryan and he’s back to try and defend his crown with Rathbone. He does come here out of sorts though and is on a long losing run so he is hard to fancy. I do think he’ll run better than he did in the Ayr Silver Cup as he had a tough draw that day but at 12/1 he doesn’t exactly look value. JONAH JONES gets one more chance for me. He continues to run well but hasn’t had much luck. He deserves to get his head in front and was finishing fast off this mark at Ascot last time so is handicapped to win. The market is speaking favourably about his chances again but 9/2 looks about right.
Given how competitive it is I’ve also backed APLOMB here. This Lope De Vega gelding won well at Ripon last month and I think you can forgive his effort at York as he had a sticky gate. He is clearly talented and could still have scope off a mark of 92 so has to be included. Main dangers include Tranchee and Tinto.
Cheltenham 3.00 squareintheair.com Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) 2m5f
A wide open handicap and it is hard to totally rule any of these out. WEATHER FRONT is one I quite like after going close last time I think he has a solid chance up just 2lb for that run. The form looks solid with Push The Tempo who was behind him at Kelso running well in a Grade 3 at Chepstow since. At 12/1 he looks to have a good each-way chance and should be fighting out the finish. Some firms have already trimmed him into 10’s so it might be worth taking the early odds with bet365 as he could end up being a market mover. Dale Irving keeps the ride and takes off a handy 3lb.
Nicky Henderson has two good chances in this with Fix Sun and Hijack with the latter looking the main danger. One down the bottom of the weights that could also run well is Captain Tom Cat but he needs to improve again to land his hat-trick.
Doncaster 3.15 vertem.co.uk Handicap (Class 2) 1m61/2f
We were with Ocean Wind when he dotted up again at Newmarket last month but he steps back in trip here and is up against a real promising young stayer in OPERA GIFT. The latter beat a good horse at Pontefract last month and backed that up asserting by 3 lengths at Yarmouth 11 days ago. He can go on improving under a penalty and looks sure to relish this extra yardage. He’s one I want to keep firmly on side even if that is against a horse as good as Ocean Wind. I do fancy the pair to battle it out so if you want to have some sort of a saver then I’d probably advise doing a reverse forecast or something similar.
Rhythmic Intent can look really good on occasions but he didn’t have many excuses behind Arctic Sound last time. It was by no means a bad run but he looks handicapped to the hilt now so is best watched for me while he may end up running on for third. Calculation and Stargazer are expected to fight out that spot with him.
Cheltenham 3.35 Bentley Flying Spur Handicap Chase (Class 2) 2m
Last years winning connections go for back-to-back wins in the race and have a great chance with ROUGE VIF. He was last seen when third in the Arkle. This looks much more up his street as the Arkle is always frantic. He won fresh last season as did the yards winner of this race last year Saint Calvados and I expect a big run. Quite a few like to race prominently so it could set up nicely for the selection. Daryl Jacob will look to get him settled and jumping well before hopefully picking rivals off one by one up the Cheltenham hill. This should be a good race!
On The Slopes would usually be the main danger but sometimes needs the run so Beat The Judge who is on a hat-trick and is going to be cherry ripe for this could put up the most resistance. Ballywood has a run under his belt behind the latter last month and is expected to improve on that.
ITV Racing Each Way Trixie
With 6 races live on ITV on Friday afternoon we’ve picked out our three most confident selections and combined them to make an Each Way Trixie.
ITV Racing Each Way Trixie
Cheltenham 2.25 Galvin
Doncaster 2.40 Jonah Jones
Doncaster 3.15 Opera Gift
Pays 50/1!
ITV Racing Each Way Double
With so much racing live on ITV on Friday we also have an Each Way Double for you which combines two horses we think are overpriced to try and land that big win.
