It may be a little close for obvious Cheltenham clues but Matt Brocklebank highlights three Festival-bound horses whose form received a small boost this weekend.
Intense Approach (John McConnell)
- Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle
John McConnell is a vastly underrated Irish trainer whose horses can occasionally fly under the radar at the big meetings and it’s worth noting his very respectable record in the Albert Bartlett, a race in which he’s had Bardenstown Lad (2021) and Streets Of Doyen (2020) hit the frame in recent years.
Intense Approach has followed a similar path this season, winning the same Cheltenham race as that pair at the Showcase meeting in October, and his more recent Musselburgh victory in the Scottish Stayers’ Novices’ Hurdle was well advertised by third Bold Light winning a handicap at Kelso on Saturday.
Intense Approach would be unlikely to run at all if the ground is testing but the long-range forecast appears favourable and he’s a 20/1 shot with Sky Bet (NRNB) at the time of writing. That looks a very fair price.
Click here to back Intense Approach for the Albert Bartlett
Springwell Bay (Jonjo O’Neill)
- Arkle Challenge Trophy
- Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase
- Grand Annual Handicap Chase
- Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
- Ryanair Chase
- Trustatrader Plate Handicap Chase
There may be one buried away somewhere but I’ve yet to find a horse with more Cheltenham Festival options than Springwell Bay and, wherever he shows up next week, the eight-year-old will need to be taken seriously.
His form has turned out very nicely all season in fairness, with the likes of Insurrection and Jango Baie doing their bit to enhance Springwell Bay’s overall body of work, and on Sunday his New Year’s Day win at Cheltenham also received a shot in the arm as the fourth home that day, Lounge Lizard, won the handicap chase at Huntingdon.
I’d love to see Springwell Bay pitched into what could be a strongly-run Arkle but the O’Neill-trained horse is shortest in the betting for the Trustatrader Plate, closely following by the (reinstated) Novices’ Handicap Chase, so it does look like an intermediate trip on the Thursday of the Festival is currently being favoured.
Click here to back Springwell Bay for the Trustatrader Plate
Jordans (Joseph O’Brien)
- Arkle Challenge Trophy
- Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
- Trustatrader Plate Handicap Chase
Joseph O’Brien is clearly more of a Flat-orientated trainer these days but his winter string over jumps are always worth considering closely and the French import Jordans could be a key player at the Festival.
The Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase looks his most likely port of call and although his BHA mark of 148 is hardly a gimme, he arrived with some classy French form and was last seen staying on in eyecatching fashion behind Impaire Et Passe in the Grade 1 Faugheen at Limerick over Christmas.
Going a little further back, Jordans beat Monbeg Park in a Punchestown Grade 3 in October so connections are sure to be buoyed after seeing that one win Sunday’s feature Listed handicap chase at Leopardstown.
Jordans has a touch of class and looks a likely springer in the market at a general 12/1 currently.
Click here to back Jordans for the Novices' Handicap Chase
Published at 1706 GMT on 02/03/25
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