Timeform Weekend Review: Plenty of punting pointers for Cheltenham after an action-packed weekend of jumps action

Weekend Review / Timeform / 16 February 2009 / Leave a Comment

Voy Por Ustedes, Kasbah Bliss and Neptune Collonges are among the horses to impress.

There were plenty of Cheltenham Festival contenders on show at Ascot on Saturday and although Carruthers' participation at Prestbury Park in March has yet to be confirmed, he turned in a first-rate trial for the Royal and SunAlliance Chase and clearly merits serious consideration should he take his chance.

Last year's winner of the Ascot Chase, Kauto Star, is being kept fresh for the Gold Cup by Paul Nicholls, and Voy Por Ustedes triumphed in the Grade 1 contest in his absence when beating Gwanako by 14 lengths, in the process looking the one to beat in the Ryanair Chase.

Elsewhere on the card the popular Lough Derg narrowly failed in a bid for his third win of the season, when beaten a nose by Serabad in the valuable Betfair Handicap Hurdle whilst Consigliere registered his fourth win in five starts when winning the Servo Computers Handicap Chase.

At Haydock Kasbah Bliss proved his well-being when easily accounting for his five rivals in the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle and later Synchronised defied an 18 lb higher BHA mark when beating Tazbar a neck in the Pertemps Qualifier Handicap Hurdle.

Rambling Minster was cut for the Grand National following his success in the Grade 3 Blue Square Gold Cup Handicap Chase and Venetia Williams' Stow provided a further boost to Zaynar's Triumph Hurdle chances when winning the juvenile hurdle.

At Wincanton Ashkazar put a disappointing effort in the Ladbroke effort behind him when winning the Grade 2 Kingwell Tyres Hurdle by a length-and-a-half from Whiteoak, with Punjabi a below-form third.

Irish action on Sunday saw Neptune Collonges further his Gold Cup claims when winning the Grade 1 Irish Hennessy whilst Pandorama took advantage of Cousin Vinny's final flight mishap to win the Grade 1 Deloitte Novices' Hurdle.