Racing
Cheltenham Festival 2021 early contenders
With the Cheltenham Showcase Meeting now behind us and really kicking the 2020/21 jumps season into life there were a number of taking performances across both of the days from both winners and losers. Across Friday and Saturday we some real early-season quality and a few early Cheltenham Festival 2021 contenders emerge and here are five to have caught the eye in defeat which might be worth following in Cheltenham Festival 2021 races.
Cheltenham Festival 2021 contenders
OUR POWER (6th, squareintheair.com Handicap Hurdle)
Nigel Twiston-Davies’ charge ran on Friday, Our Power, at the Showcase Meeting and turned in a very promising performance despite it being his first run of the campaign.
Shouldering a big weight, the Power gelding was always travelling well in midfield before going second turning into the home straight and facing the climb to the line.
Jockey Sam Twiston-Davies steered his mount towards the stands’ rail, jumping the final hurdle a little over one length down behind the eventual winner. Landing a little awkwardly over the last he wandered back into the centre of the track as he faded on the climb to the line to eventually finish sixth although it is perhaps worth noting that the quintet who finished ahead of him all had the benefit of a prior run.
It was perhaps just a case of a lack of fitness that cost him finishing any closer given he had travelled well into the race and the five-year old will surely come on for that reappearance. A current rating of 136 looks very workable on that performance and there’s surely more to come.
WHATSUPWITHYOU (7th, squareintheair.com Handicap Hurdle)
Representing the Ben Pauling yard, the six-year old Shantou gelding was perhaps undone by experience on what was his seasonal bow, but he caught the eye finishing well from off the pace having been under the cosh from some way out.
Ridden by 7lbs claimer Luca Morgan he was racing in around eighth when turning in and he had several lengths to make up on the winner. However he stayed on nicely and despite jumping the last hurdle a little big he finished well under the stands’ rail to finish just behind the aforementioned Our Power.
Like that one he’ll surely come on for that effort and the extra experience and there’s certainly a race in him where he could prove even better over a stiffer test. His Cheltenham run was also his handicap debut and on his Friday performance he might prove well-treated from his current 132 rating.
PRESENTANDCOUNTING (3rd, Catesby Estates Maiden Hurdle)
Donald McCain’s charge only managed to finish third and was beaten a fair way out by the impressive Faivoir; but the Presenting gelding shaped better than the bare result having perhaps gone off too hard in a first-time hood, while his jumping was less than foot-perfect and he made a number of mistakes on the way round.
Having only his third hurdles start, he took a keen hold from flag-fall and quickly went on under Brian Hughes. Mistakes at the first two flights brought him back to the field and following another error three from home the writing looked on the wall as his exertions and mistakes began to tell.
He was beginning to struggle when left second two out but he weakened after the last to eventually lose out on the silver medal berth although he was clear of the remainder in finishing third. Possibly lit up by the headgear and despite making numerous errors at his obstacles he did well to finish where he did, beaten around twelve lengths and he could be worth another chance when next turned out perhaps over a less stiff track.
COOLE CODY (2nd, Best Odds At Matchbook Novices’ Chase)
Evan Williams’ charge was sent off as the outsider of the quartet who went to post for this race, but he looked a chaser on the up as he found only Southfield Stone too strong in finishing runner-up.
The Dubai Destination gelding had proven a useful hurdler for his previous handler Michael Blake, but having been switched to fences by his new yard the move looks like paying dividends and he was a debut winner over fences at Newton Abbot before possibly finding the trip stretching him back there next time in finishing runner-up.
Racing back over shorter at Cheltenham the nine-year old split a pair who had considerably more chasing experience than the Williams runner who was only having his third start over fences. But he jumped well in the main and took the third last holding a slender advantage over his rivals before giving way on the run to the final fence.
Despite hanging left on the run-in he kept on well although was always held by the winner who is rated 9lbs superior so to finish just over one length adrift from level weights was a very solid run and there’s races to be won with him over the larger obstacles this term as he gains further experience of chasing.
MY DROGO (2nd, Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race)
The finale to the two-day Cheltenham fixture looked a very useful contest with several contestants arriving on the back of previous wins; however Dan Skelton’s charge is perhaps the one to take from the race where he was making his debut.
It is perhaps testament to the Milan gelding’s regard that he found only one too good having drifted like the proverbial barge from 12/1 overnight to his starting odds of 50/1; but his run certainly made a mockery of his starting price and he could be seen travelling well at the rear of the field under Dan Skelton.
The pair made steady headway and turning into the straight and climb for home they were only a couple of lengths adrift of the leader as they swung off the final bend. They battled on well to the line but couldn’t quite match the winner who was always holding him off and pulled away again close home; but with several lengths back to the rest it was a very pleasing debut effort and he’ll surely come on for that experience.
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