Cheltenham Placepot: Saturday December 13

Timeform
13 December 2014

It could be a good day for Nigel Twiston-Davies at Cheltenham

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There may not be many runners at Cheltenham, but there's an interesting card nevertheless, and that is where we head for Saturday's attempt at the Placepot...

The New One is a cut above the other British Champion Hurdle candidates and he can prove as much by retaining his International Hurdle Crown...

12:15- Hargam would have gone into plenty of notebooks following an encouraging effort behind Golden Doyen at the Open meeting, but there's a fair chance he'll be carrying more Placepot units than the bare form of that performance merits, and it could be worth instead siding with Karezak and Stars Over The Sea in the hope of a Placepot-busting result. Karezak beat Golden Doyen at Chepstow, so it was perhaps a bit disappointing he failed to preserve his unbeaten record over hurdles when narrowly going down at Newbury. He finished to great effect on that occasion, though, so this stiff track should suit, while the application of a visor may sharpen him up. Stars Over The Sea could do with brushing up on his jumping, but he certainly possesses ability and has looked an exciting prospect, so could yet rise to this stiffer challenge.

12:50- Only a win will suffice, but it's difficult to oppose Champagne West as he made the perfect start to life over fences when winning at the Open meeting, beating some useful rivals with plenty in hand. He is a real chaser on looks and can take high rank among this season's novices.

13:25- Solar Impulse has gone up 5lb for finishing second at Newbury last month, but time may show that he had a difficult task up against the unexposed Monetaire, and a repeat of that sort of performance could suffice here. Solar Impulse is only a four-year-old and is in excellent hands, so it is expected that he will continue to improve for a while yet. A bold bid looks on the cards.

14:00- Paddy Power Gold Cup winner Caid du Berlais remains unexposed as a chaser, but so too does Barrakilla and Evan Williams' charge looks primed to launch a career-best effort. Barrakilla has been patiently handled, and he arrives here on the back of his best performance to date having shaped well when finishing third in a contest that has proven to be strong form. He is joined in the permutation by Attaglance who has run a number of good races in big-field handicaps without managing to win. He still appeals as being fairly treated and looks sure to be on the premises.

14:35- Blaklion would have benefited from having more use made of him when finishing runner-up here last month, but it was still a creditable performance and he remains a likeable, talented novice. The step up to three miles can see him to great effect and he should bounce back to winning ways.

15:10- The New One is a cut above the other British Champion Hurdle candidates and he can prove as much by retaining his International Hurdle Crown. The New One has completed two simple tasks already this term and, though Vaniteux will provide the stiffest opposition yet, it would be a surprise were Nigel Twiston-Davies' stable star unable to extend his winning sequence.

Recommendations:
12:15- 1, 2
12:50- 1
13:25- 5
14:00- 6, 12
14:35- 1
15:10- 1
= 4 lines

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