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Kevin Blake gives his Big Race Verdict on the Betfair Cotswold Chase
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Six runners go to post in Cheltenham feature
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L'Homme Presse to prove his class
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Timeform Superboost
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*Please Note: This superboost is provided by the Betfair Sportsbook and not by any of our writers or tipsters.
Back Ginny's Destiny to Finish Top 3 in the 13:50 Cheltenham
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Betfair Cotswold Chase the betting feature on Trials Day
Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham can usually be relied upon to be an informative day of racing and this Saturday promises to be no different. Constitution Hill may well be the star attraction in the Unibet Hurdle, but the Betfair Cotswold Chase (14:25) is a far more attractive betting race and has the shape of a very interesting content.
The race has been the stage for some epic scenes in recent times. It has proven to be a good opportunity for many of the stronger stayers in the division to showcase their talents with the likes of Smad Place, Santini, Native River and Ahoy Senor having won the race in the last decade. The race was also the scene of one of the sadder events in recent years in National Hunt racing in 2017 when the mighty Many Clouds gave absolutely everything he had to beat Thistlecrack by a head in a sensational contest only to collapse and die of a severe pulmonary haemorrhage soon after the winning line. That was a day that has stayed with a lot of National Hunt supporters and this race always brings back memories of the gallant Many Clouds.
Betfair Cotswold Chase pace map
This year's renewal has attracted six runners and four of them can have a cogent case made for them. In terms of the likely pace, we find a somewhat uncertain picture.
Stage Star has been a regular front runner in his chasing career, but this will be his first time racing beyond two-and-a-half miles and his connections may not want to be as positive with him given his unproven stamina. L'Homme Presse often races prominently and can occasionally help push the pace.
Gentlemansgame helped push the pace a couple of times early in his chasing career and he returned to a prominent ride when running well in the Savills Chase last time, sitting second behind Galopin Des Champs for much of the race.
Tommie Beau was a regular front runner, but he hasn't been racing as forwardly or travelling all that generously in his last two starts. Delta Work can often race prominently, but might not be overly forward here given that he is working back from the cross-country handicap at the Cheltenham Festival.
While the pace picture may have an uncertain look about it, that will impact the assessment of some runners less than others.
Gentlemansgame an interesting runner
One of the two main contenders for the race is an Irish raider in the shape of the Mouse Morris-trained Gentlemansgame. The nine-year-old has been quite lightly-raced since being sent over fences just over two years ago, but he has shown on a couple of occasions that he has the ability to be a serious player at this level.
He first came to wider attention when lowering the colours of Bravemansgame in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in November 2023 and looked a potential Gold Cup contender based on that performance. However, training setbacks held up his preparation and he ended up going straight to the Gold Cup in which he was pulled up. Better performances followed in the Bowl Chase at Aintree and the Punchestown Gold Cup with him not being beaten all that far in either.
Gentlemansgame made a solid return to action when 12½ lengths third to Galopin Des Champs and Fact To File in the Savills Chase, a performance that he can be expected to come on from. However, for all his fine performances, the suspicion is that his official rating of 160 might well be a good summation of him, which would leave him vulnerable to a genuinely top-class chaser. Unfortunately for him, he might well be facing one in this contest in the shape of L'Homme Presse.
L'Homme Presse to be a class above rivals at Cheltenham
Trained by Venetia Williams, L'Homme Presse made an immediate impact when sent novice chasing in 2021/22, winning his first five starts over fences including the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown and the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. He hasn't had the smoothest of passages since that wonderful novice chase campaign, as he has been restricted to just two and three starts in each of the two seasons that followed it. However, he has shown seriously strong form within those restricted campaigns.
In 2022/23 he won the Rehearsal Handicap Chase at Newcastle off a rating of 164 and was running a huge race in the King George VI Chase at Kempton despite having jumped notably left all the way until he unseated his rider at the final fence when set to finish second. He returned last season to beat Protektorat in the Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield and went on to finish a fine fourth in the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival under what was perhaps an overly-positive ride.
He made his return to action this season in the King George VI Chase at Kempton and shaped well to finish third behind Banbridge, again jumping out to his left. He is entitled to come on from that run and this represents a drop in class for him. As much as anything, the return to a left-handed track is sure to suit him. He looks to have an excellent chance of returning to winning ways in this contest.
Back L'Homme Presse in the 14:25 Cheltenham