Good morning/evening everyone, the Cheltenham countdown is currently ticking away at the 11 day marker and Cheltenham Fever is in full flow. Last week was a bit of a damp squib with Herdsman never looking likely to land a blow and Easter Day pulled up early at Kempton. But this week we go on full of hope and will look to boost our pockets ahead of Cheltenham with a couple of selections.
As always @OnTheOtherHoof have a preview for you guys as we cover all of the afternoon action on Channel 4 this saturday. It is just myself (@Lukeelder13) and @Adamwebb121 to mark your card and answer all your questions regarding the day's racing and any Cheltenham Festival questions you may have. As well as our weekly video we have also recorded two Cheltenham previews to continue the countdown to the main event.
Our first video was recorded alongside top jockeys Nick Scholfield and Sam Twiston-Davies as they gave us their best chances of the meeting. You can watch that show via the link below:
Championship Races Preview
Our second video was recorded with special guest Tom Stanley who is a regular on your TV screens with Racing UK. He talked us through his thoughts for the main three novice chases at Festival. You can watch that show via the link below:
Novice Chase Previews
After all that if you still want a bit more OnTheOtherHoof then you can watch our Saturday preview via the link below:
Link to be added later, live show at 8pm!
Now onto the all important selections!!
1:45 Newbury - Bothy
Bothy has been a star name round the Brian Ellison yard for a few years now and has come back from a long injury in seemingly good heart. That injury kept him off the racecourse for the best part of two years and it took him a while to refind his feet on the racecourse, but his last two efforts have been encouraging.
We last saw him in action on Cheltenham Trials day at Musselburgh when tackling three miles for the second time in his career, it was clear that he doesn't stay though and the drop in trip looks sensible. He has been tried over this trip of two miles and five furlongs before without success, but in fairness to him he has been tackling far higher company than this including a second in the Coral Cup off a sixteen pound higher mark. If he returns to anywhere that form today then he will take some beating, but he still has a lot to prove on his comeback from injury.
Over the years Bothy has built up a good rapport with Danny Cook but he seemed to get on well with Jamie Moore on New Years Day at Cheltenham. The pair were third on that occasion when finding three miles up the Cheltenham Hill a bit too much in a hot race, but that is no disgrace after the seventh in the race won next time out. As mentioned Bothy will need to keep on improving to land this contest but on ground that will be nearly ideal for him he can give a bold show once more. (8/1)
3:10 Doncaster - Kelvingrove
Kelvingrove is one that remains very lightly raced after only running over hurdles five times but has looked full of promise on each occasion. You may remember that he was a selection on the blog last time out when tackling three miles for the first time in his first real test over hurdles.
After a promising fifth at Haydock he tackles three miles once again with Maurice Linehan in the saddle claiming three valuable pounds. He never really travelled on that occasion and was off the bridle for most of the race and took plenty of riding along, but he has the cheek pieces fitted for the first time here which should help him travel more fluently. To his credit he stayed on really strongly to grab fifth last time out which proved that he does stay this longer trip and is a half brother to Cavalryman who is a top class stayer on the flat.
This race looks decidedly easier and if he has any Cheltenham aspirations then he must be winning or going very close here this afternoon. (10/1)
NAP - Kelvingrove
Nb - Bothy
As always good luck and if you are having a bet, happy punting!
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