COTSWOLD CHASE
Saturday 27th January, 1:50pm
Stay Away Fay @ 5/2
Royale Pagaille @ 10/3
The Real Whacker @ 9/2
Ahoy Senor @ 11/2
view odds
*prices correct at time of writing.
RACE
Cheltenham’s Cotswold Chase (1-50) has been a significant beacon on the road to the spring festivals since first run in 1980, when a fledgling trainer named Nicky Henderson was successful with Raffi Nelson.
The subsequent roll of honour includes same-season Gold Cup winners Little Owl and Master Oats and steeplechasing favourite Many Clouds. 2024’s staging looks as intriguing as ever.
MARKET
When Royale Pagaille defeated Bravemansgame to add a Grade One victory to his CV in November, some put it down to the ten-year-old’s well-known liking for Haydock. But there’s also a theory that actually, even at his advancing years, he is better than ever, so today is big at a venue where he hasn’t previously excelled.
Stay Away Fay has taken to fences well enough to be rated a topnotcher in the making, winning both starts, but novices have a poor record. The Real Whacker’s fourth in the King George was an improvement, and he relishes the Cheltenham challenge.
Ahoy Senor, last year’s winner, has been pulled up in both starts of late, and appears to have work to do to regain our affections. Datsalrightgino races for the first time since victory when upped in distance in the old Hennessy (carrying 10 stone 7), and his form on this track includes a decent second on this programme twelve months ago.
Capodanno receives weight from all; he hasn’t won for a long time, but nearly beat Gerri Colombe to second place in Galopin Des Champs’ Leopardstown rout at Christmas.
CORNELIUS’ QUARTET
Cheltenham and Doncaster provide one of those super-hectic Saturday afternoons which demand concentration all the way, and when not everyone can be mentioned in a preview on The Racing App – apologies in advance to Jonbon, Lossiemouth, Love Envoi, Burdett Road, Gala Marceau etc. (see what I mean?!).
But, despite going up in the weights for success on Boxing Day at Kempton, there’s a shoutout for Blow Your Wad (Cheltenham, 12-40) which looks progressive for the increasingly potent Tom Lacey/Stan Sheppard combo. And the nicely-handicapped Bill Baxter (1-15) deserves reference as he is reunited with Sam Twiston Davies who was on board when the eight-year-old won the Topham, and the stable is in good heart.
The Cleeve Hurdle at 3-35 is packed with long-term friends, none bigger than three-time winner Paisley Park, and there seems no real reason why he shouldn’t confirm Ascot form with Dashel Drasher, Champ and Botox Has, but Noble Yeats, en route to trying to regain the Grand National trophies, and outsider Flight Deck, a horse apparently rejuvenated for a change of stable scenery, do thicken the plot.
At Doncaster, in a fabulous Great Yorkshire Chase (3-15) there’d be enthusiasm for the well-handicapped Cap Du Nord but for the form of the stable, and I think that Latitude’s odds are probably overly-generous, but Doncaster regular Erne River, competitively weighted and with cheekpieces retained, is the one that is almost sure to perform well.
THE WINNER
Royale Pagaille to be king of the Cotswolds.
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