A busy day on Friday courtesy of meetings at Cheltenham & Dundalk.
FRIDAY’S CHELTENHAM & DUNDALK TIPS
- 13:10 Glancing Jack
- 13:45 D Art D Art
- 14:20 Jonbon
- 14:55 Glengouly
- 15:30 Ferocimo (NAP)
- 16:00 Eben Zabeel
- 17:30 Normanton
- 18:00 Daamberdiplomat
- 18:30 Shenata
- 19:00 Magna Gee Gee
- 19:30 Kashala (NAP)
- 20:00 Xirivella
- 20:30 Wild Berries
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13:10 2m5f (Old Course) Ais Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (Challenger Stayers’ Hurdle Series Qualifier) (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-125)
The opening race of three excellent days of National Hunt racing at Prestbury Park and the Dan Skelton team could get off to a flyer. GLANCING JACK will be having its first start for the team here, with Harry Atkins in the saddle taking off a very valuable three pounds. This horse was formerly trained by Tom Symonds and is a two-time winner from five starts. He was second to subsequent Grade 1-winning hurdler Storming George when he was last seen 237 days ago, and a repeat would be more than enough to see him off the mark for his new team.
Selection: Glancing Jack
13:45 3m1f (Old Course) Novices Chase (Listed Race) (Registered As The Doctor Fothergill)(GBB) (Class 1) (4yo+)
Irish raider D ART D ART is of interest here for the Tom Cooper team based on a victory at Wexford at the start of May. He dropped back in trip last time to run in the Like A Butterfly Novice Chase at Gowran Park and disappointed to finish last of the five runners. While he has won over shorter trips in the past, he looked like he needed every yard of the extended trip at Wexford. He could bounce back here with a big run.
Selection: D Art D Art
14:20 2m (1m7f199y) (Old Course) Shloer Chase (Registered As The Cheltenham Chase) (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)
Harry Cobden will get aboard JONBON for the first time, and he should go very close to landing the Shloer Chase for the third time. The last time he was seen, he was second to Heart Wood in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham. He has never finished outside the top two in 28 starts, which is remarkable, and the small field here should suit him to a T. The eight times he has run in a four-horse race, he has won them all, and that trend should continue here.
Selection: Jonbon
14:55 2m4f (2m4f44y) (Old Course) Jilly Cooper Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Class 2) (9yo+ 0-150)
The former Closutton inmate GLENGOULY looks interesting here for the combination of Faye Bramley and Ben Jones. He finished second in the Thyestes at Gowran back in 2024 and then landed a nice pot for this yard when coming home in front in the December Gold Cup at this venue. Both his wins have come off a mark of 128, and he is five pounds higher off a mark of 133. There is a chance he comes back to form here.
Selection: Glengouly
15:30 2m5f (Old Course) Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The Hyde) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+)
FEROCIMO will represent the team of Sam, Nigel and Willy Twiston Davies and made a big impression when winning on debut for this team at Fontwell in early October. He was a P2P winner at Ballycrystal before joining this yard, and there could be plenty more to come on his second start. His dam, Miss Cave, is an unraced half-sister to winners Ferny Hollow and Mirazur West, suggesting that there is potential for improvement to come over time. He looks like one to follow for the rest of the season.
Selection: Ferocimo
16:00 2m½f (2m87y) (Old Course) Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-125)
A very interesting Irish raider will contend the final race on the card for Tony Martin. EBEN ZABEEL arrives here after finishing down the field on the level in the Beggars End handicap at Naas, but prior to that he was eye-catching at Fontwell in the hands of Sean Bowen. He broke his maiden over obstacles at Downpatrick but travelled like a dream at Fontwell only to be outbattled close home. There could be plenty more to come on handicap debut, and the market will likely tell us plenty.
Selection: Eben Zabeel
17:30 6f Irish Stallion Farms EBF Race (2yo)
The MRC International colours are popular at Dundalk over the autumn/winter series, and NORMANTON looks an interesting runner here with Robbie Colgan in the saddle. He was fourth on heavy ground on his debut and stepped up on that on second start when second to Crayons In The Sky. He is drawn wide in stall eleven but should slot in and come home with a late run.
Selection: Normanton
18:00 6f Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Stadium Handicap (3yo+)
Adrian McGuinness and Adam Caffrey team up with DAAMBERDIPLOMAT, who will be having its first start for the team. He was formerly trained by Johnny Murtagh and owned by Dublin footballer Ciaran Kilkenny. He was last seen winning at this venue off a mark of 88 in October 2025 and is only a pound higher on his first start for new connections. He has had eleven starts at this venue, and with four victories here, it shows he has a liking for the surface.
Selection: Daamberdiplomat
18:30 1m View Restaurant At Dundalk Stadium Nursery Handicap (2yo)
Ben Coen and Johnny Murtagh have had a good time of it this season and look to have one of the main contenders here in SHENATA. She ran a very encouraging race on debut when she was only beaten a little over eight lengths by subsequent listed winner Maire Rua. This surface should bring out a little more improvement from this filly, and she has a nice draw in stall three.
Selection: Shenata
19:00 1m4f Book Online At DundalkStadium.com Apprentice Handicap (3yo+ 0-60)
Robyn Donaghue-Leahy and Pat Flynn have had a remarkable couple of weeks at this venue and could be in line for another winner with MAGNA GEE GEE. He was last seen in maiden hurdle company at Punchestown but was a recent winner on the level at Limerick in July. He has run five times at Dundalk and has only been placed once, but with the stable in form, better could be expected here.
Selection: Magna Gee Gee
19:30 1m2½f (1m2f150y) BAR 1 Betting ‘Proud Supporter Of Irish Racing’ Maiden (3yo+)
A race with very little form to take note of, but KASHALA for Chris Hayes and Dermot Weld looks an interesting runner. She caught the eye on debut behind Arrietty and then disappointed at the Curragh last time out. She has a nice draw here in stall three and could come back to form here. Her dam appreciated a trip, and in time her daughter could be similar, but a drop back to 1m 2 ½ furlongs here could be ideal.
Selection: Kashala
20:00 1m2½f (1m2f150y) BAR 1 Betting ‘Best Odds Guaranteed Overnight’ Handicap (3yo+)
Colin Keane and Noel Meade team up with XIRIVELLA, and this filly will be looking to go back-to-back following victory at Killarney last time out. She has a nice draw in stall three, and if she improves from maiden to handicap company, she could go close here with luck in running. Colin Keane rode the winner of this race last year aboard Quatre Bras for trainer Richard O’Brien, so he will be looking to win it for a second year.
Selection: Xirivella
20:30 1m2½f (1m2f150y) Now Racing Every Wednesday At Dundalk Handicap (3yo)
Ross O’Sullivan has his team in good form, and he will team up with Champion Jockey Billy Lee here. WILD BERRIES was a winner at this venue two starts back off a mark of 55 and then disappointed last time when slightly hampered on the rail close home. There is a chance that this filly can bounce back to form here with an encouraging jockey booking.
Selection: Wild Berries
FRIDAY’S CHELTENHAM & DUNDALK TIPS
- 13:10 Glancing Jack
- 13:45 D Art D Art
- 14:20 Jonbon
- 14:55 Glengouly
- 15:30 Ferocimo (NAP)
- 16:00 Eben Zabeel
- 17:30 Normanton
- 18:00 Daamberdiplomat
- 18:30 Shenata
- 19:00 Magna Gee Gee
- 19:30 Kashala (NAP)
- 20:00 Xirivella
- 20:30 Wild Berries
