After finding the winner of the Champion Bumper at 13/2, Timeform's Kris Hilliam is back to run the rule over the St. James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase.
Angels Dawn the best bet
The race still referred to by so many as the Foxhunters can understandably be a little overlooked by both punters and racing fans alike given its position on the card (follows the Gold Cup) and that a fair few of the horses, jockeys and trainers involved can be unfamiliar to many.
However, it frequently provides an excellent spectacle as well as a good betting medium and this year’s running looks set to be no different.
Beaten favourite of last year’s edition Its On The Line returns looking to follow in the footsteps of 2022 winner Billaway in making it third time lucky in the race, though he’s been below his best in both starts this season and is looking increasingly laboured in his races.
In theory, his running style is ideal for a race which is often run at a relentless gallop and he is still Timeform’s highest-rated runner of those who regularly ply their trade in the hunter chase sphere, though at the prices he’s easy enough to take on.
Shearer on target again!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 22, 2022
Shearer proves too strong for Twig after the last to strike in the @888sport Novices' Hurdle @CheltenhamRaces for @PFNicholls, @McNeill_Family and @adrianheskin 🏇 pic.twitter.com/pu5po6IIQI
Shearer looks the best of the British challengers for a yard that won the race in 2018 with Pacha du Polder, and he’s unbeaten in four starts over fences including in a pair of hunters this season following a lengthy absence.
There isn’t a great deal of substance to the form of those two successes, however, and it’s tricky to assess exactly how much he retains of the decidedly useful ability he showed as a novice.
Fairly Famous is unbeaten in two starts at Cheltenham and is another British-trained runner with a place chance. There will be fewer finishing to better effect than this dour stayer and the more attritional the race becomes the better for him.
The Kelly Morgan-trained Music Drive is another interesting runner for the home crowd. A useful prospect over hurdles when trained by Gordon Elliott, he’s been successful on both of his starts in point-to-points this season and should stay the longer trip.
It's the Irish-trained contingent who hold the strongest hand, however, with Willitgoahead, Ryehill and ANGELS DAWN all likely to be popular.
The first named of that trio has recently joined Gordon Elliott and looks open to further improvement having impressed with the style of his success at Thurles last time, though he’d be the first seven-year-old winner of this since Salsify in 2012 and his lack of experience is slightly off-putting.
Ryehill overcame a bad mistake to win a traditionally strong hunter at Naas last time (Its On The Line back in third) and wouldn’t need to find a great deal more to win an average running of this, though it’s Angels Dawn who makes by far the most appeal.
Angels Dawn - Kim Muir Chase 2023#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/igEF5k9vJL
— Cheltenham Festival Fans (@cheltfestfans) August 24, 2023
This mare landed the Kim Muir Chase at the Festival in 2023 from a mark of 131 and was in a share of second when falling at the second last in the same race from a mark 11 lb higher last year.
That piece of form is much better than any of her rivals here have achieved and she sits well clear at the head of the Timeform adjusted ratings.
She’s not raced under National Hunt Rules since that 2024 Kim Muir but has qualified for this having been successful on both of her starts in point-to-points during the winter, notably beating Ryehill by six lengths on the second of them.
Mr P A King, who was on board for each of her previous visits to Cheltenham, again takes the ride and a reproduction of the form of either of those runs will be more than good enough to land this prize.
Posted at 0720 GMT on 13/03/25
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