Cheltenham Festival Racing Tips: Four with clear claims on Timeform ratings

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Novice/juvenile division

East India Dock - Triumph Hurdle

East India Dock has already run to a level good enough to win a typical edition of the Triumph Hurdle so stands out as the one to beat.

The average Timeform performance rating of a Triumph Hurdle winner in the last decade is around 145, but East India Dock achieved a rating of 147p for his wide-margin win on Trials Day which took his record over hurdles to three from three.

He is 7lb clear of Hello Neighbour on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings for the Triumph Hurdle so sets a good standard for his opponents to aim at.

Open chase division

Jonbon - Champion Chase

This looks like the year that Jonbon will deliver a long-awaited Cheltenham Festival success. Jonbon had to settle for second in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Arkle, but he was beaten by top-class performers on each occasion in the shape of Constitution Hill and El Fabiolo, while last year he was a late withdrawal from the Champion Chase due to his stable's poor form.

He has won twice at Cheltenham, though, showing top-class form when winning the Shloer Chase last season. He didn't have to run to the same level to win this season's Shloer Chase but was then a decisive winner of the Tingle Creek and proved better than ever in the Clarence House Chase. His Timeform rating of 177 puts him 9lb clear of his closest Champion Chase rival.

Handicap division

No Ordinary Joe - Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle

The handicaps at Cheltenham are understandably tightly-knit affairs so there aren't ratings standouts in the same way there are in some of the graded races. However, No Ordinary Joe looks like a well-handicapped horse and will be worth noting in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle which he has contested for the past two seasons.

He was runner-up to Iroko in 2023 and shouldn't be judged too harshly on last year's seventh given the ground went against him and his stable was out of form. He's off a BHA mark of 138 this time, which is 1lb lower than when runner-up to Iroko, and it looks like he retains all his ability.

Best of the rest

Angels Dawn - Hunter Chase

Angels Dawn can make her class count in the hunter chase. She has won both starts in points and stands out on her form under Rules, notably her two efforts at Cheltenham.

She won the Kim Muir Handicap Chase at the Festival two seasons ago and was in the process of running to a similar level of form, looking likely to finish placed behind the impressive winner Inothewayurthinkin, when she fell at the second last in the same race 12 months ago.

Even a very conservative reading of her handicap form places her 8lb clear on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings. 

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