Cheltenham & Clonmel – Thursday 14th April

It ended up being a case of even stevens yesterday from the three selections given, as a cozy win from Pull Again Green counteracted a few poor performances. These spring nights with jumps racing on are gold dust to somebody like myself, as we have the joy of watching jumps racing throughout the day – and I will be hopeful to find a decent run or two from both Cheltenham and Clonmel today. 

Starting off with Cheltenham, where I have just the one selection on this mares only day. That comes in the 3.50 race, which is the juvenile handicap hurdle over 2 miles and this looks like on the tricker handicaps on the day. Addosh is clearly a mare with plenty of ability, but she has not been the soundest of jumpers throughout her career thus far and one must wonder whether that could pay to her chances on a course such as this, with jumping carrying a decent premium – especially early on in the race. Instead, I am going to side with the Irish raider, Magic Word – who fell last time out when looking like she was about to collect on handicap debut at Naas last time out. Having come second to Champion Green on the start before that, this young filly has been improving with every start, and her handicap mark – albeit inflated over in England, is still workable given she would have risen up the weights if having won at Naas. As long as she has not been affected by that fall – she should have a great chance in this race. At a price of 13/2 with Sky Bet, who are offering 4 places – she should be backed each way.

Moving over to Clonmel, who are hosting some good jump racing this evening and I’m interested in having a play in the 5.20 race, which is the handicap chase over 2m7f. On returning to this type of ground, I am very interested in Carnet De Stage, for Eugene O’Sullivan. This horse has not been at his best the last few times, but they have not been his optimum conditions and he returns to something a lot more suitable on this occasion. His chase form last summer and into the autumn was progressive on this type of ground and if he is able to get back to that level of form, especially having had a pipe opener over hurdles, he should be able to run a big race in this. At a price of 16/1 with Paddy Power, who are offering 4 places on this handicap, he should be backed each way. 

The 6.50 race is the final selection of the day and this comes in the 2m4f handicap hurdle for horses rated between 80-95. In these races, it can often prove to be the right move to follow horses in some type of form, as there are a lot of question marks about a lot of these horses. I think one of the most solid in this race is Iridescent for the combination of Mikey and Jonathan Fogarty. This horse has been very well backed the last twice, with the idea that he would get his head in front sooner rather than later. He was an excellent second at Thurles on ground very similar to this, before finishing a slightly disappointed third at Limerick on heavy ground. He has been left unchanged off a mark of 89, and I think there is one of these handicaps in him off that mark, and this ground should suit him a lot better. With a lot of boxes being ticked, I am keen to back him at 11/2 with Bet365, who are paying out 5 places each way.