Jaysella’s Cheltenham Festival Racecard for Friday 14th March 2025

Jaysella’s Cheltenham Festival Racecard for Friday 14th March

JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) 1.20
East India Dock (nb)
One for the home team to get things under way on Friday, and I like the way James Owen goes about his business, so it’s East India Dock for me. He’s on the rise in the training ranks is James, and he deserves some Festival success to reward all that hard work. East India Dock has won both Triumph Trials here, at the November meeting and on the January Trials card, so all he should have to do, in theory, is the same again. However, it’s a hugely competitive opener, with a strong Irish hand including the exciting Hello Neighbour, not to mention Nicky Henderson’s French recruit, Lulamba. All three line with up with unblemished records, but that perfect form isn’t going to survive this race for all three, so East India Dock is the one to come out on top for me.

William Hill County Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 2.00
Kargese
This red hot Handicap can go to Willie Mullins with Kargese, who Paul Townend has picked to ride ahead of last year’s winner, Absurde. That’s a switch to take note of, considering how well Absurde has been going over the last year, including a brilliant fifth in the Melbourne Cup, so Kargese, who won the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival, is fascinating to me dropped into a Handicap. With Irish dominance at the top of the betting, the best one for the home team is likely to be Dan Skelton’s Valgrand, who I think is worth a second look, but Kargese is going to be hard to beat.

Mrs Paddy Power Mares’ Chase (Grade 2) 2.40
Allegorie De Vassy (nap)
Another of the Pattern races where the Irish should be dominant, and what depth they have got here. I do think, and it’s becoming a bit repetitive to say this, that Willie Mullins holds all the aces, but for this Mares’ Chase that really is true. So, which one to pick….I’m going to plump for Allegorie De Vassy over her stablemate Dinoblue. The thinking…. well Dinoblue has to carry a penalty for a Grade One win, and she has been kept to around the two mile mark since being runner-up in this race last year, while Allegorie De Vassy took a big step forward at Fairyhouse on New Year’s Day, giving Limerick Lace a top beating in a Mares Grade 3. This trip should be just the ticket for her, so she’s going to serve it up to Dinoblue, with Gavin Cromwell’s Brides Hill making a race of it.

Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 3.20
Jet Blue
Possibly coming here slightly under the radar, I’ll bet that David Cottin’s Jet Blue repeats his course and distance win in December, while everyone’s looking at the Irish runners. James Reveley gave Jet Blue a super ride for that Grade 2 win, switching him off at the back of the field, before making smooth progress to lead from two out. A very different approach from what he does on Il Est Francais, and for me, that shows just how good James Reveley is when he makes the trip across the Channel. There’s lots to like about Hendry de Bromhead’s The Big Westerner, the mare who’s getting weight all round, but Jet Blue’s my pick.

Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) 4.00
Galopin Des Champs
Well, I see that the bookies are taking no chances with Galopin Des Champs, and that is no surprise either. He’s won it for the last two years, and he’s going to win it again unless there’s some disaster on the way round. This will make Galopin Des Champs just the fifth horse to win the Gold Cup three times, and a place in the history books for the biggest race of them all is his for the taking. The Irish as always have a strong presence in this, so strong this year it’s a stranglehold, but Banbridge and Corbetts Cross are very, very good in their own right, and can make a race of it. Galopin De Champs to do it for a third time, and I for one can’t wait to see Paul Townend’s smile when he gets into the winner’s enclosure.

St James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase 4.40
Angels Dawn
Sam Curling has a fantastic chance of getting a second win at Cheltenham with Angels Dawn. She won the Kim Muir here under Patrick King in 2023, and was about to take on Inothewayurthinkin to defend that title when falling two out last year. Now she’s in an Open Hunters’ Chase, so arguably less on her plate here, but the other Irish raiders Its On The Line and Willitgoahead will be making her work for it. For all that, Angels Dawn gets 7lbs from the boys, and with her course experience has to be in with a big shout.

Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle 5.20
Wodhooh
The last race of the 2025 Festival can go to Gordon Elliott’s Wodhooh. Six from six since going to the Cullentra stable, and with a course and distance win in December, she might well have been wrapped up in cotton wool especially for this race. Danny Gilligan has stepped up most assuredly since Jack Kennedy’s injury handed down plenty of rides to him and Sam Ewing, and one of the benefits to Danny was getting the leg-up on Wodhooh in that December race. Nicky Henderson has a good each-way chance with East India Express, as does Gordon Elliott with The Enabler, and that’s my three, so take your pick.

Jaysella