The pick of the prices at Cheltenham & Musselburgh....

Sunday, 31st December 2023

The pick of the prices at Cheltenham & Musselburgh….

The handicap action at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day is disappointing….

…. and something of a kick in the teeth for the BHA on what is the first of 170 rebranded ‘Premier’ race days….

A field of five goes to post for the £50k Paddy Power Handicap Chase….

…. and just six turn out for the feature handicap – the Paddy Power New Year's Day Handicap Chase – where there’s a prize fund of £100k up for grabs….

Too much racing? Too few horses? A cleverer man than me might be able to provide the answers….

…. but one thing is for sure – those small fields at Cheltenham tomorrow can’t be about a lack of decent prize money….

Anyway, that’s a topic for the powers that be to chew over. I can do no other than work with what is put in front of me….

• Onto the action….

Stage Star is the odds-on jolly for the Paddy Power New Year's Day Handicap Chase (2.05)….

…. and rightly so – on form in the book he’s a stone superior (and more) to tomorrow’s opposition….

But up at 166 on the official scale he carries 12-00 and must concede weight all round on ground that promises to be very testing….

I’m taking him on with RICHMOND PARK at the general 9/2….

He’s a young horse, he’s unbeaten in his last four, he’s improving, there’s plenty more to come yet….

…. and he handles heavy ground as he showed when winning last time out off 142 at Aintree….

He’s up to 150 for that win and will likely need to improve again….

…. but with just six chase runs to his name he’s likely to do just that (if not tomorrow then at some point in the future)….

…. and he’s the one for my money that Stage Star could struggle with at the weights tomorrow….

Lucinda Russell’s CORRIGEEN ROCK at the general 9s & 8s is my other bet tomorrow – in the Auld Reekie Handicap Chase at Musselburgh (2.20)….

He went up to 139 following his win in a 2m2f handicap at Kempton in October….

The time after that at Ascot in a much more valuable handicap he wasn’t disgraced – chasing Boothill home in fourth….

Also ahead of him that day (to the tune of 5-lengths) was Dan Skelton’s Frere D’Armes who reopposes tomorrow….

Harry Skelton takes over from a 5lb claimer on Frere D’Armes whilst Derek Fox takes over from a 3lb claimer Corrigeen Rock …. 

That represents a 2lb swing in the lead for Corrigeen Rock….

…. and with the Skelton horse going up a pound in the rankings and the Russell horse coming down a pound….

…. there’s a 4lb swing (theoretical) in the weights in Corrigeen Rock’s favour….

Both horse are 6yos – the youngest two participants in the field tomorrow – and both are open to more improvement for the step up in trip….

I get Frere D’Armes’s status as favourite at the top of the market….

…. I just wonder if he should be four times the price of Corrigeen Rock on ground that might just suit the Russell horse a little better….

• Finally….

That’s all for today….

I’ll be back in the New Year….

Meantime – Contact me direct at nick.pullen@oxonpress.co.uk  

And remember – win, lose or draw – enjoy the racing….

Stay tuned….

Against the Crowd