Citipost Handicap Hurdle – 3.35 Cheltenham – Friday 12th December

There’s a couple of horses worth supporting at overinflated prices at this midweek stage in Friday’s Citipost Handicap Hurdle at 3.35 at Cheltenham, both of whom will be 1-star * ante-post recommendations for WhichBookie.

Both selections have similar profiles in some respect, as they are looking to show the benefit of promising seasonal reappearances, having both been in good form over the last couple of seasons. They will both also enjoy the softer ground than they encountered on their respective seasonal pipe-openers.

At 8/1 each-way with William Hill, Unibet, BetMGM & VirginBet there is plenty of mileage in that price about Mel Rowley’s Kyntara, as he bids to show the benefit of an excellent run at Aintree, when just in behind subsequent Grade 2 winner Impose Toi.

Kyntara was hugely progressive two seasons ago when he was a close runner-up in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival over the same course and distance as he will encounter on Friday. Mel Rowley has had two winners in recent days who were having their second start of the season, and Val Dancer was an excellent bronze medallist in the Becher Chase on his second start also. As such, now could be the time to catch Kyntara at a generous price.

Generous price is also how you would describe the 14/1 each-way available with Bet365 about Robbie Llewellyn’s Titan Discovery. He also looks to step forward from a more-than-adequate run at Haydock Park three weeks ago, in the uber-competitive Stayer’s Handicap Hurdle on Betfair Chase day.

It was a day when those ridden prominently on the hurdle course at Haydock Park were heavily advantaged, and so the fact that Titan Discovery loomed up with a challenge wide and from the rear, (up until a mistake and a visual heave at the second last halted his momentum,) means that he marked himself down as being of real interest next time out.

Titan Discovery, much like Kyntara, has one piece of excellent course form to boast of too, when beaten only 2 lengths behind Doyen Quest in April 2024 on the same stiff New Course. There is more to come from Titan Discovery, and at 14/1 he has been overlooked by the opening ante-post prices.