General / Andrew Hughes / 30 January 2010 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet View Market

As we enter February, Cheltenham looms large and many horses will be having their final pre-Festival prep races over the next few days. Andrew Hughes brings us the highlights of an interesting racing week that takes in high class cards at Punchestown, Sandown and Doncaster

Sunday January 31

Punchestown

1:30 Punchestown Pavillion Tied Cottage Chase
A two mile Grade Two event that is a useful trial for the Queen Mother Champion Chase. This year's renewal is all about the clash between Golden Silver, currently [11.0] for Champion Chase glory and Big Zeb, [12.0] for the same race, although it also includes last year's winner here, Mansony.

2:30 Grand National Trial Handicap Chase
Three-and-a-half-miles in the likely bottomless going will ask a lot of these chasers and this Grade C event is likely to go to an out and out stayers. Top of the weights is Parsons Pistol, winner of a similar contest at Punchestown in November

3:00 Festival Party Pack Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle
The Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle has gone to some great horses in recent years including Kicking King and subsequent Ballymore Properties winner Mikael D'Haguenet. Saludos and Hollo Ladies reoppose one another after their stirring battle in the Future Champions Novice Hurdle over Christmas.

Kempton

3:55 Betdaq.co.uk Conditions Stakes
An interesting Class Two race over six furlongs for which a small field has assembled, but it includes some useful horses, most notably the busy Aeroplane, having his seventh race of 2010 who has a big advantage at the weights.

Thursday February 4

Clonmel

2:45 Surehaul Mercedes Novice Hurdle
A Listed event over two-miles-and-six-furlongs, there are three entries from the Willie Mullins yard, most notably For The Staff, winner of his last two races though the highest rated horse in the race is Glenstal Abbey from the Charlie Swan stable.

Saturday February 6

Sandown

2:05 toteswinger Contenders Hurdle
A decent Listed event over two miles, often used by trainers to give their Champion Hurdle contenders a last run out before the big day. Rooster Booster won this race in 2003 en route to Cheltenham glory and though none have done since, Celestial Halo came close last year. It will be interesting to see which of the contenders for the big one turn up for this.

2:35 Scilly Isles Novices Chase
This two-and-a-half-mile contest doesn't have a great record for producing Cheltenham winners. Usually run at a crawl, it can produce surprise winners and false results. Providing they are not thrashed out of sight, beaten horses who's Festival odds lengthen after this could be worth nibbling at in the antepost market.

3:10 totescoop6 Heroes Handicap Hurdle
Nothing especially classy about this Grade Three, but it is solid Saturday afternoon fare with a large field going to post. As ever, look out for the well-handicapped springers in the market and make sure your selection definitely stays the two-miles-and-six-furlongs.

Doncaster

2:55 Pick A Winner With Blue Square icard Handicap Hurdle
At just short of two-and-a-half-miles, this should be a typically competitive betting event with a decent sized field for punters to scrutinize.

3:25 Blue Square Handicap Chase
A two-mile-and-half-a-furlong contest that has attracted some top class entries, including the seasonal return of last year's Arkle runner-up, Kalahari King and a typically strong hand from Paul Nicholls, including several horses with lofty Cheltenham entries, such as Take The Breeze, Chapoturgeon and Free World.

4:00 bluesquare.com Handicap Chase
A real slog for the ultra stayers, this is a Class Two handicap marathon run over four miles and is sure to feature one or two horses being aimed at the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival or even the Grand National itself.

Wetherby

2:50 totepool Towton Novices Chase
At three miles and a furlong, this is a real stayers' event for the younger animals. In its short five year history has already been won by such top class animals as Ollie Magern and Halcon Genelardais and is a rare opportunity for those novices with abundant stamina to strut their stuff.

Tags: Champion Hurdle 2010, Cheltenham Festival 2010, Free World, horseracing betting briefing