Playing the handicaps at Cheltenham on Friday....

Thursday, 11th December 2025

Playing the handicaps at Cheltenham on Friday….

A future winner on the Watch List….

In ATC today….

…. I bring you my best picks in Friday afternoon’s biggest betting heats at Cheltenham….

I’m on HENRY’S FRIEND in the 1.50 – up at 9s & 8s….

…. I’m on KEL DU LARGE at 8s in the 1.15….

…. and I’m on KYNTARA at 13/2 in the 3.35….

That’s the summary….

…. you’ll find all my reasoning below – as per usual….

Oh…. and if you’re looking for the standout place terms on offer – you’ll find them in the Bet Box below….

Read on….

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HENRY’S FRIEND won the Sodexo Live! Gold Cup at Ascot last month….

…. posting a career-best performance….

…. holding off the challenge of The Changing Man – who subsequently ran deep in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury….

…. and – in the process – earning himself a mark that could see him contest the Grand National in April….

The interesting aspect of all that is that trainer Ben Pauling suggested post-race that Henry’s Friend wasn’t even fit….

…. and that his appearance at Ascot was a prep for the 8yo’s own tilt at the Coral Gold Cup….

Ultimately, he didn’t take up that assignment and turns out instead tomorrow in tomorrow’s Turners Handicap Chase at Cheltenham (1.50)….

He’s run twice before at the track and hasn’t quite proven himself suited….

…. but the ground was against him in the 2024 renewal of the National Hunt Challenge Cup….

…. and he wasn’t on-song in last season’s edition of the Ultima….

Pauling had reckoned his charge had a good chance in that last race off a mark of 145….

…. so, what looks like an easier assignment tomorrow off his revised mark of 146 looks to be doable….

…. and we know he can handle the heat in these big handicaps – because he’s shown up well at some big dances over the last 12-months….

The forecast doesn’t suggest a heap more rain – that’s in his favour – and he’s a fair bet at the general 9s & 8s….

I’m going to chance handicap debutant KEL DU LARGE at 8s in the Catesby Estates Handicap Hurdle (1.15)….

He got beaten in a novice event last time at Exeter – having been well-backed….

…. but he was entitled to need his first run following a 621-day absence from the track….

He’s probably a chaser in the making – but there’s hurdling business to take care of first….

…. and he looked a smart prospect before his long lay-off – winning a brace of bumpers, one of them at Listed level….

…. and beating Don Virginia – now rated 127 – in a juvenile hurdle at Hereford….

On that evidence a starting mark of 114 over timber seems pretty fair….

…. he gets weight from everything tomorrow – some of the opposition exposed and others out-of-form….

…. and the track should suit – he won the Listed bumper here and stayed on strong up the straight that day….

KYNTARA at 13/2 is the pick in the Citipost Handicap Hurdle (3.35)….

The way he drifted in the market at Aintree last time – from 7/2 to 25s in a 7-runner race – you might think he’s missing a leg….

…. but he ran with plenty of credit – beaten fair enough by subsequent winner Impose Toi – but very much on par with the second and third….

There’s every chance he needed that seasonal debut….

…. he’s improved for his reappearance in each of the last two seasons….

…. and the last time he ran over course and distance off tomorrow’s mark of 131 he was second in the 2024 edition of the Pertemps Final on ground not too dissimilar from what he’ll get tomorrow….

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Now, just to recap….

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That’s all for today….

I’ll be back with more tomorrow….

Meantime – contact me at – nick.pullen@spapublishinggroup.co.uk

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

Stay tuned….

Against the Crowd