The home of jumps racing opens its doors once again as Cheltenham returns for a new season, while Doncaster also gets the TV treatment.
FRIDAY’S ITV RACING TIPS
- 13:15 Cheltenham – Sunny South West
- 13:35 Doncaster – Bulletsnap
- 13:50 Cheltenham – Bowensonfire
- 14:10 Doncaster – Goldmoyne
- 14:25 Cheltenham – Wild Goose
- 14:45 Doncaster – Palladas
- 15:00 Cheltenham – Planters Punch
- 15:35 Cheltenham – Sky Lord
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13:15 2m4f (2m3f200y) (Old Course) Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-140)
A competitive opener to action at Cheltenham on Friday afternoon, and the Irish raider SUNNY SOUTH WEST catches the eye for the team of Edward Power and Michael Kenneally. A recent winner on the level at Thurles, when he beat Teofil by 3 ½ lengths, he has shown some decent form over hurdles too. Teofil franked the form by winning at Navan on Wednesday. Four hurdle starts have yielded one win and one second, and he looks nicely weighted off a mark of 121.
Selection: Sunny South West
13:35 6f (6f2y) Nursery Handicap (Class 3) (2yo 0-95)
William Haggas and Cieren Fallon team up with BULLETSNAP, who is on nursery debut and will take plenty of beating following an impressive victory last time out. The son of Minzaal took four starts to get off the mark but made all and won easily at Ripon on September 26. He could be the type to improve with racing, and while the ground will be a small question mark, he seemed to handle it well enough on debut.
Selection: Bulletsnap
13:50 2m (1m7f199y) (Old Course) Catesby Estates “Chasing Excellence” Novices’ Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+)
It could be a quick double on the card for the Irish raiders, as BOWENSONFIRE represents Gordon Elliott & Jack Kennedy. A five-time hurdle winner from 18 starts, this horse has had three chase starts of late, finishing second to Frankie John at Galway, third to Daddy Long Legs at Killarney and then third to Frankie John at Gowran Park when last seen. He is the highest-rated runner in the field, rated 143, and while the trip might be a slight negative, he did win a competitive two-mile handicap at the DRF, seeing off I Started A Joke off a mark of 140.
Selection: Bowensonfire
14:10 6f (6f2y) Handicap (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105)
A chance here for GOLDMOYNE to reverse the form with Station X, whom he finished second to in the Ayr Silver Cup on heavy ground in early September. He followed that up with a victory on good to firm ground at Ascot, but with softer ground no issue, he looks like one of the main players here. While he has only won three times from thirty on the turf and is more efficient on the all-weather, he comes here in consistent form. The mark of 95 will be a career high, but a high draw might be in his favour; Stall 12 won this race last year.
Selection: Goldmoyne
14:25 2m½f (2m87y) (Old Course) Foundation Developments Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle (Challenger 2m Hurdle Series Qualifier) (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-140)
The booking of Fern O’Brien aboard WILD GOOSE looks notable for the team of Kim Bailey & Mat Nicholls. This will be her first mount for this stable on a runner who was a very tidy winner last time out. Stamina was in abundance at Southwell last time when winning in the hands of Aamilah Aswat off 121, and he is now up to a mark of 125. Aamilah took ten pounds off his back last time, so he is effectively a stone higher in the handicap. The horse stuck to his task well last time out, and with luck in running, you would expect him to be involved in the finish here.
Selection: Wild Goose
14:45 7f (7f6y) Handicap (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105)
PALLADAS will represent William Buick and Charlie Appleby and arrives here lightly raced and unbeaten after two starts. Both victories came on the all-weather at Kempton and Southwell, and if he can handle the soft ground, he should go close. The sire, Lope De Vega, did win a Group 1 on soft ground, suggesting that the progeny may appreciate it. If he can step up on what he has shown so far, then he could maintain his unbeaten run.
Selection: Palladas
15:00 2m½f (2m87y) (Old Course) Oddschecker Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The Sharp Novices’ Hurdle) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)
The first graded race of the weekend meeting and the Nicky Henderson-trained PLANTERS PUNCH could be the one to follow with Nico De Boinville in the saddle. A fifteen-length winner at Bangor on March 31, he then followed up at Chepstow in April when winning by seven lengths off 128. The RPR from Bangor looked the standout performance when rated 115, which was a higher RPR than Cooltobecareless produced last time out.
Selection: Planters Punch
15:35 2m (1m7f199y) (Old Course) Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+)
Calico has won this race for the last two years, but three years ago Henry De Bromhead brought over Dancing On My Own to come home in front, and the Knockeen handler looks to hold the aces here. SKY LORD will be his representative, who was a 70-length winner at Wexford over fences two starts back before finishing third to Ocastle Des Mottes at Listowel last time out. The trip looked to catch him out in the closing stages, and a fast run two miles here will be right up his street. He had some smart hurdle form, and the last time he was seen at Cheltenham, he ran eighth in the Supreme Novice Hurdle of 2025 behind Kopek Des Bordes.
Selection: Sky Lord
ITV RACING TIPS
- 13:15 Cheltenham – Sunny South West
- 13:35 Doncaster – Bulletsnap
- 13:50 Cheltenham – Bowensonfire
- 14:10 Doncaster – Goldmoyne
- 14:25 Cheltenham – Wild Goose
- 14:45 Doncaster – Palladas
- 15:00 Cheltenham – Planters Punch
- 15:35 Cheltenham – Sky Lord
