Cheltenham Festival Tips: Katie Midwinter's four ante-post Handicap selections

• Katie Midwinter picks out four horses to note in the handicaps

• This unexposed filly is the stand-out juvenile in the field

• Reliable gelding can be competitive from a hefty weight

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Ultima Handicap Chase - Henry's Friend @ 10/111.00 NRNB

Henry's Friend has been improving with each run this season from finishing a well beaten fourth on his reappearance, to finishing fifth in a competitive handicap at odds of 14/115.00 in November, before recording a comfortable success over Hymac at the end of the calendar year.

Now 7lb above his last winning mark, he's capable of showing further improvement in his first campaign in open company, having won three of his first four starts over fences in his novice season, before failing to enjoy the challenge of the National Hunt Chase here last year. This is only his eighth start over fences and he comes into the race fresh, which has proved successful in the past.

The Ben Pauling yard are currently in exceptional form, as is jockey Ben Jones, which is a huge positive with the Festival imminent. Henry's Friend could be ready to peak at Prestbury Park, having enjoyed a nice preparation and having run well during the latter part of the season in the past, too. 

A Grade Two winner of the Reynoldstown Novices' Chase, Henry's Friend beat the talented, sadly ill-fated Kilbeg King, who was rated 8lb superior, from level weights that day, with useful mare Apple Away in third. That formline, as well as his Newbury performance when finishing around the likes of Victtorino and Senior Chief, wouldn't suggest a mark of 145 isn't beyond him, and the ceiling of his ability is yet to be reached.

A progressive type, who will be staying on strongly having proven his stamina credentials over further, Henry's Friend makes plenty of appeal in this contest for a yard worth keeping on side.

Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle - Beyond Your Dreams @ 10/111.00 NRNB

After the Dublin Racing Festival, Wendrock represented some value for this handicap on the form he had shown so far, prior to the weights announcement. His form with Total Look and Beyond Your Dreams in a Navan maiden at the beginning of the season in particular made him one to note, and he was able to build on that third-placed effort with success over Galileo Dame at Leopardstown.

Galileo Dame went on to finish second to Hello Neighbour in the juvenile Grade One at the Dublin Racing Festival, significantly franking that form which Wendrock himself let down, finishing seventh of eight and beaten almost fourteen-lengths.

On the basis of that effort, it appeared unlikely that the Gordon Elliott-trained runner would be harshly judged by the handicapper, yet he has been given a mark of 136 whilst Lady Vega Allen, who was third in the same race, only three-quarters-of-a-length behind Galileo Dame, is on the same mark should she run here, and Willy De Houelle, in fourth that day, is on 140.

The aforementioned Total Look will run from a mark of 132, whilst Beyond Your Dreams, who was four-lengths ahead of Wendrock at Navan, has been given a rating of 123.

The Galileo Dame formline appears to have been taken into consideration, but it's worth noting the progressive filly did take a step forward from her run against Wendrock when finishing second in a Grade One, and whilst Wendrock could be capable of showing plenty of further improvement as well, he hasn't shown the same level of form in Graded company yet.

The formline remains worth following, and Galileo Dame could be a lively contender in the Triumph Hurdle later on in the week, but Wendrock now makes little appeal at the weights, and, whilst he could still be able to put in a competitive effort, it's hard to envisage a scenario in which there isn't a better handicapped juvenile in the field.

Beyond Your Dreams from a lenient mark is the eye-catcher at the weights for a Joseph O'Brien yard who can be hugely successful when campaigning a horse for a handicap. The four-year-old filly, who has won on the Flat, has shown plenty of talent thus far over obstacles, finishing second in her first two hurdling starts, before beating Slurricane, who has been given a 3lb higher mark for this contest, in a Fairyhouse maiden in December.

Absent since, the daughter of Fastnet Rock will be coming into this race fresh and completely unexposed, with the scope for further improvement. Considering she is on much better terms with some of the rivals she has been competitive against previously, Beyond Your Dreams stands out at a price of 10/111.00.

Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle - Pied Piper @ 16/117.00 NRNB

Hat-trick seeking reigning champion Langer Dan looks set to head to the Stayers' Hurdle at this stage, which would give Pied Piper top weight to carry in the Coral Cup should he line up here rather than in the County Hurdle.

Pied Piper is currently a 16/117.00 chance in the NRNB market for this, in comparison with a price of 25/126.00 for the handicap later on in the week, which would suggest he's most likely to step up in trip for the first time over obstacles. 

At this stage in his career, that could be a positive for the seven-year-old, who has shown to possess enough stamina to see out 2m1f well at the track in heavy conditions under a hefty weight, as demonstrated at this meeting last year.

A sounder surface would likely be preferred, but given he has put in a number of creditable efforts in softer conditions, Pied Piper has proved himself to be a versatile horse, who doesn't need to run solely over the minimum trip or just on good ground.

On hurdling debut in 2021, Pied Piper beat Vauban by half-a-length then landed the Grade Two Triumph Hurdle Trial. He finished a creditable third in the Triumph Hurdle, before being demoted to second when a dead-heat winner of the Aintree Juvenile Hurdle Grade One alongside Knight Salute. 

Having shown great promise and plenty of class as a juvenile, Pied Piper won a modest Grade Two at odds of 1/81.12 at Down Royal, before failing to show the level of ability needed to compete with the likes of State Man in Grade One contests.

Despite falling short at Grade One level, he has been able to finish second in a Cesarewitch, as well as placing three times at the Cheltenham Festival. In all of his runs at the course he has performed well, winning twice, and he can be counted on to put in a competitive effort, regardless of weight. 

Last year, he gave away plenty of weight to Absurde and L'Eau du Sud, the only two horses to finish ahead of him in the County Hurdle, when on a mark of 156, with 3lb claiming Danny Gilligan aboard. The year prior, he was narrowly beaten by Faivoir, when unfortunate in the closing stages, from a mark of 154. On both occasions, Pied Piper was sent off at double-figure odds and was able to make the frame, and he can do so again from a mark of 154.

Although this trip is an unknown, Pied Piper has shown enough over a shorter distance to suggest he can handle the step up here. Only a seven-year-old, who has been lightly campaigned in recent seasons, he has plenty of great attributes, including his attitude and toughness, which should hold him in good stead on his return to the track.

The likeable gelding can be competitive once again, with proven form in big field, competitive handicaps at the Festival, and warrants consideration in whichever race he appears.

Jack Richards Handicap Chase - Back Nurburgring @ 7/18.00 NRNB

Joseph O'Brien appears to hold a strong hand in this contest, saddling two lively chances in Jordans at 16/117.00 and Nurburgring at 7/18.00. The latter makes the most appeal at the weights having been given a mark of 143, and can build on the promise he has shown so far over fences this term.

The son of Zoffany showed some good form over hurdles earlier in his career as a three-year-old, beating Thats Jet in a Killarney maiden before finishing first past the post ahead of Wodhooh at Listowel, before being demoted to second. He beat Kala Conti in a Fairyhouse Grade Three, before the talented filly reversed that form in Grade Two company at Leopardstown. 

Nurburgring was sent off at odds of 6/17.00 for the Triumph Hurdle last year, given plenty of work to do from the rear but staying on well to finish fourth behind Majborough. He improved on that effort when a two-length third to Kargese in first-time cheekpieces at Punchestown, before winning the Galway Hurdle convincingly from a mark of 139.

Since switching to chasing, the five-year-old is yet to win, but has shaped well behind the likes of Down Memory Lane and Touch Me Not, and this step up in trip should suit. He has been able to stay on well at Navan and in Grade Two company at Punchestown, gaining valuable experience over fences against older rivals.

At the weights, he should hold an excellent chance of being competitive, given he's only a five-year-old who has already shown to possess plenty of talent, and remains open to further improvement on only his fourth chasing start.

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