Jets has Some Scope to land Nicholls tenth Greatwood gold
AS WE march relentlessly towards the Cheltenham Festival there are only a couple of weekends left to fill the coffers before the greatest four days on turf.
With jumps action from Newbury, Doncaster and Kelso, there’s plenty to get our teeth into this Saturday and I think I’ve spotted a few nice ante-post propositions.
Trainers are creatures of habit and they typically have races they target in any given season, and Newbury’s Greatwood Gold Cup (3.45pm) is always on Paul Nicholls’ radar.
The Ditcheat trainer has won this valuable handicap chase more times than any other – nine in total – and looks to have strong claims of making it double figures with TWINJETS.
This nine-year-old unseated on his most recent start at Cheltenham but before that was an easy 10-length winner over this course and distance in November.
His best form is on a good-to-soft surface, so he could do with the ground drying out a bit, but with not much rain around, the going shouldn’t be terrible come Saturday.
He looks to be on an upward curve and is likely to be given a positive ride from the front by Harry Cobden.
While 4/1 isn’t a massive price, he looks just the type for the race and could be tough to beat.
Doncaster’s Grimthorpe Handicap Chase (2.30pm) is typically competitive and, at the prices, is a race I’m keen to be double handed in.
SOME SCOPE was second in this race two years ago off a mark of 125 and is now off three pounds lower, without factoring in Charlie Maggs’ three-pound claim.
It’s worth putting a line through his run on the cross country course at Cheltenham last time, but before that he was a good winner over three miles at Doncaster.
That was his second win at the course from four starts, so it’s clearly somewhere he shows his best form.
His trainer Richard Hobson has his team in great form too and I think his eight-year-old looks a big each-way price at 12/1.
Another trainer that has hit form recently is Charlie Longsdon, with a couple of winners in the last week, and his NEW ORDER is of each-way interest at 10/1.
We were on him when he finished a good second in the Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster in January and he looks set to line up here off an unchanged handicap mark.
He’s been a model of consistency in his last three runs, finishing second, third and second, and looks to be due a change of luck, so is worth chancing again.
The Morebattle Hurdle (3.30pm) at Kelso is another very valuable handicap, worth a total of £120,000.
Locally trained Cracking Rhapsody has won this race for the last two years and looks to have a great chance of landing the hat-trick, however, I think HAMLET’S NIGHT might offer a bit more value.
This son of Invincible Spirit was a winner on the Flat last time out and before that ran a very good yardstick in Rubaud to within a neck in the Grade Two Elite Hurdle at Wincanton.
That’s excellent form, and this novice looks like he could have more to come on handicap debut off a mark of 134.
James Owen has booked Sean Bowen, who has won on him twice in the past, and at around the 10/1 mark, there’s plenty to suggest this improving five-year-old can run a big race.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Some Scope e/w 2.30pm Doncaster
New Order e/w 2.30pm Doncaster
Hamlet’s Night e/w 3.30pm Kelso
Twinjets 3.45pm Newbury