David Ord with the horses who top his shortlist for the Paddy Power Gold Cup and Unibet Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham this weekend.
It doesn’t look like being the biggest field to ever face the starter for a Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday but it’s an intriguing renewal.
Grade One-winning novice chasers The Real Whacker and Stage Star top the weights and have chances. Then there’s Notlingtillmay who chased home the latter in the Turners in March lurking in there, along with Unexpected Party who is on the up and in very good hands.
But I’m concentrating on slightly more seasoned gunslingers and in Il Ridoto and FUGITIF we have two who fit the bill nicely.
The former came out on top when the pair clashed here in January, beating the selection by a length and is actually four pounds better off this weekend.
But that’s because Fugitif comfortably took his revenge when chasing home Seddon in the Magners Plate in March. Typically, he tanked through that race having been slowly away from a standing start and the likely strong gallop in the Paddy Power Gold Cup should really suit.
The handicapper has been following him closely but Richard Hobson’s charge has gone well fresh in the past and this is his obvious early-season target.
He’s a general 8/1 chance and looks a solid selection for an each-way double with GIN COCO in the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle.
The key to this race could be the Dragonbet Welsh Champion Hurdle last month, in which the progressive Nemean Lion got the better of Anyharminasking.
The winner is clearly a leading player but is up five pounds at the weekend and now finds himself at the top of the weights and just about the head of the betting.
The runner-up is gunning for revenge from his own four pounds higher perch but scroll further back the Ffos Las feature and you’ll find Gin Coco in fifth.
It was interesting, given his good record fresh, that connections opted to give him a run before the Greatwood this season and he very much shaped as if needing it, travelling sweetly for a long way before tiring after the second-last.
He was eventually 11 lengths and change adrift of the winner, but has been dropped two pounds as a result so gets a nice weight swing.
He’s also only two pounds above the mark from which he finished second in this very race last season, pulling well clear of the remainder when beaten only by the very smart I Like To Move It.
Harry Fry has started the current campaign well and will no doubt have had this date ringed on his calendar for Gin Coco for around... well, 12 months.
It’s a race that could be blown open with Onlyamatteroftime at the foot of the weights for new trainer Willie Mullins.
He’s joined the Closutton juggernaut from Nial Madden for whom he showed plenty of ability – and a flash of temperament in a light career to date – notably when ducking out approaching the last at Cork in August when looking to throw down his challenge.
He could be any price by the weekend but Gin Coco has a far more solid profile and, at 10/1 with four places, he looks a solid second leg to our each-way double.
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