Ginger Joe’s Cheltenham October Meeting Day 1 Best Bets

13:15 Cheltenham – William Hill Handicap Hurdle – 2m4f Odds and Prediction

The opener at Cheltenham is always a competitive 2m4f handicap hurdle, and last year it was won by the really progressive French Ship. There are a bunch of horses in the lineup you can make a case for this year too. John Barbour, Frontier Price, Crooked Path and Handlethekettle all have nice claims.

I’m going to side with the Irish raider here, though, in Sunny South West, because his mark of 121 does look to have him very well treated. He beat a horse called Teofil last time out, who I rate quite highly. He did it from the front and was strong through the line, winning by over three lengths with Teofil clear best of the rest. Teofil finished second in the Punchestown Bumper before winning his next two starts, so that form looks particularly strong.

The one concern is the trip. He’s had two efforts over this distance and hasn’t quite seen it out as you’d hope, but his pedigree suggests he should have the stamina. He’s by Valiran, who also sired Lecky Watson and other stayers.

The reason I’m willing to overlook that concern is twofold. Firstly, as mentioned, he’s bred to stay. Secondly, and this is important for me, the Irish horses often travel so much stronger than ours when they come over here. Perhaps he can sit on the bridle, nice and quietly, until the home straight before building up speed up the hill.

Michael Kenneally takes the ride, claiming 3lb, and he’s now had a spin around Cheltenham after finishing fourth in the Martin Pipe on Kel Histoire, which can only be a positive.

So, even though I part-own one in here and fancy a few others to go very well, including Crooked Path, who is due to go up 5lb, I do think Sunny South West could just have that slight touch of class to get it done.

Importantly, the four places available give us some comfort, too. I’m confident he’ll run a big race, and I think he could be the one to beat.

15:00 Cheltenham – Oddschecker Novices’ Hurdle Grade 2 – 2m Odds and Prediction

The Grade 2 Novice Hurdle looks a decent enough race on paper. Plenty of attention likely to be drawn to the unbeaten Henderson gelding Planter’s Punch and Cooltobecareless, who bolted up for the Skeltons on his hurdles debut.

However, I think there’s a case to be made for Eternal Angel for the Tom Lacey team, and at 20/1, I’ve been roped in. He’s a really straightforward horse who has been on the go plenty this season, but he has the form to suggest he deserves his place in the lineup.

On his penultimate start, he finished just a head behind Loriko for the Skelton team off level weights. Loriko has since gone up to a mark of 134, which gives that form a solid look. Eternal Angel now runs off a mark of 122, and I think there’s enough in the book to suggest he can be competitive here, and he likely has higher potential than his rating suggests.

Planter’s Punch is making his first start of the season and will likely improve for the run, while Cooltobecareless faces a proper test this time around. He’s also making just his second start since a wind operation, so he still needs to prove he can back up that impressive debut. Both could well be more talented than Eternal Angel, but at this stage of the season, and with the form on offer, I think the latter is worth a squeak at the price.

Connections had him entered in the handicap hurdle and the conditional jockeys’ handicap, where he could have benefited from a 3lb claim from Cameron Isles, but instead they’ve opted for the Grade 2. He’s a decent type, and the fact connections are happy to take this route has caught my attention too. At 20/1, I think he’s a generous enough price to have a small interest each way.

16:10 Cheltenham – McCoy’s Novices’ Hurdle 2m4f Odds and Prediction

My final selection on the day comes in the two and a half miles novices hurdle, and again, it’s an interesting enough race looking at the line up.

Kingstonian represents the Joseph O’Brien team who can do no wrong this year, and he has bits and pieces of form to suggest he can go well. However, I’d be surprised if he was good enough to win this, and at 3/1, he looks far too short in the market.

Cosmos D’Ainay is a lovely horse for the KTDA Racing team and Gordon Elliott, and this is a horse that may well appreciate the step up to this trip. He is going to go close you’d imagine.

Still, it’s hard not to side with Mr Hollywood here though for Willie Mullins. He has some very strong form in the book recently on the flat, finishing third behind Illinois, and then just six lengths back of Caballo De Mar in the Group 1 at Longchamp.

That reads very well, and I think ultimately, as long as he jumps well, I think he may have too much speed for his rivals.