Weekend review 28-29 December and Cheltenham 2020 betting
The weekend between Christmas and New Year provided the proper opportunity for some Gold Cup hopefuls to prove their credentials
Knowing what day of the week it’s can be some type of an achievement at this time of 12 months, but happy to confirm, this is Monday and a chance to evaluate some weekend performances with a view in the direction of Cheltenham in March.
Gordon Elliott enjoyed a Super Saturday at Leopardstown and now has a leading player out there with Delta Work, whereas Apple’s Jade proved that speak of her demise stays premature.
Delta back on track
The Gigginstown House-owned Delta Work was one of final season’s excellent novice chasers. He narrowly missed out in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham when a greater jump at the last may need gained it for him but he was peerless at Punchestown on his last start.
This season started with an underwhelming fourth in a five-runner Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal but he was right back to his best in a powerful renewal of the Savills Chase at Leopardstown.
Alongside the King George, the Savills is the one of many standout Christmas races and this one didn’t disappoint. Kemboy, Presenting Percy, Road To Respect and Monalee joined the likes of Bellshill, Anibale Fly and Jett in a stronger line-up than for the Kempton showpiece on Boxing Day.
It seemed as if Rachel Blackmore had bagged a 3rd Grade 1 win in three days when Monalee moved ahead jumping the final however Delta Work stayed on strongly to win by a head.
Runner-up Monalee seemed a shade unfortunate (Blackmore misplaced her irons on the flat) and at 25/1 for the Gold Cup, there should still be some worth in Henry De Bromhead’s charge.
Connections of Presenting Percy and Kemboy (seasonal reappearance) shall be content with their efforts too and nonetheless harbour dreams of success in the Cotswolds come the spring.
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All’s not Lost yet
A quick look back to Boxing Day and there’s no doubt Clan Des Obeaux was a deserving winner of the King George for Paul Nicholls.
Stablemate Cyrname didn’t run as anticipated and would maybe find 3m 2f at Cheltenham past him stamina range.
The winner was spectacular and is now 6/1 for the Gold Cup. He ran respectably in March and is a year older however the one to remove from the race may nonetheless be Lostintranslation.
Colin Tizzard’s cost was never comfy in the race, having to be jostled along by Robbie Power at varied phases. His jumping wasn’t at its normal degree and connections at the second are considering a wind operation.
That said, he closed up on the leaders menacingly earlier than diving at the fourth last fence and ending his likelihood instantly. That sort of error would surely have left him wanting breath and all is actually not lost for the Betfair Chase winner, who’s now as big as 7/1 to win the Gold Cup, but it’s worth noting that everything that would have gone wrong did go incorrect at Kempton and he still held each chance when making his mistake.
How do you like them Apple’s?
Apple’s Jade was in danger of being written off utterly previous to landing the eleventh Grade 1 success of her profession on Saturday at Leopardstown. She gained the massive three-mile Frank Ward Memorial Hurdle for the third year operating and did so with a nice front-running efficiency.
She poured on the pain for her rivals, with Unowhatimeanharry 17 lengths down in second spot and the likes of Penhill and Bacardys having no answer further down the line.
Gordon Elliott retained his faith within the celebrity mare and he was proved right. A overwhelmed favorite in the Mares’ Hurdle and Champion Hurdle on the Cheltenham Festival in the past two seasons, may Apple’s Jade finally tackle three miles round Prestbury Park in 2020?
If she does and brings her Leopardstown kind with her, she could probably be a large menace to Paisley Park within the.
Hobbs mulls greatest way to move Thyme
Thyme Hill was made to work hard by The Cashel Man to land the chances within the Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury earlier than touchdown the primary Grade 1 success of his career.
Third within the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham in March, he has made the perfect start to life over hurdles and is three from three now.
He might not have jumped in addition to Hobbs and champion jockey Richard Johnson had hoped, however he knuckled all the way down to get the win.
The Minehead trainer suggested Thyme Hill will go straight to the Festival in March, with both the Ballymore or the Albert Bartlett the target.
The floor is likely to show essential in deciding which race to target however the spectre of Envoi Allen could additionally be a mitigating issue.
Thyme Hill has won over 2m 5f on gentle going already at Cheltenham and the way he finishes his races suggests the three-mile trip in the Albert Bartlett could go nicely with him better.