Nico de Boinville: “He must have a decent chance if reproducing the form of either of those Ascot wins”

Cheltenham

2.05pm

Mill Green

He showed last summer that he loved this ground and he has run two cracking races this spring too, running his best race yet when fourth in the EBF Final at Sandown last time.  That actually came on soft ground, but this quicker surface is clearly fine for him and he should be competitive here on that form, for all it is a good novices’ hurdle.

2.40pm

Wenyerreadyfreddie

We haven’t seen him since he disappointed at Newbury in December, so at least he comes here a fresh horse. And he tends to go well after a break, too. He really was very impressive at Ascot at the start of November, and then he went back to the same track and won for me three weeks later. He didn’t help himself by jumping left there, so his defeat of Kildisart is all the more meritorious, and we know what the winner did at Aintree. Going left-handed here on good ground should be fine for him, and he must have a very decent chance if reproducing the form of either of those Ascot wins in November. He is a horse we wanted to miss the worst of the winter ground with and he felt in good order when I schooled him last week.

How come I’m at right back, @sevenbarrows?! https://t.co/djf9HDtoC5

— Nico de Boinville (@NdeBoinville) April 10, 2019

3.15pm

Gowiththeflow

He was clearly a very good novice hurdler last season – that defeat of Paisley Park at Doncaster looks okay now, doesn’t it?  – and he ran well eighth in the Ballymore behind Samcro. His two chase starts didn’t go to plan earlier in the season but Ben has given him a wind op since and he returns to hurdling on what looks a decent enough mark of 132. Again, it’s a very competitive race but I can see him going well.

3.50pm

Duke Debarry

He obviously has questions to answer after his last two runs but it could simply have been the 3m6f trip at Huntingdon last month. The handicapper has only eased him 1lb for it, but it all helps, and he isn’t badly treated if returning to the form of his Catterick win on good ground on New Year’s Day.