CHELTENHAM returns this week with the two-day Showcase Meeting signalling that the jumps season is getting into gear.
It looks like there could be plenty of rain around, and the going may change dramatically from the current description of good, so it’s worth keeping a close eye on the forecast.
There’s plenty of interest across both Friday and Saturday at Cheltenham, but at the moment the first day looks to present the best chance of an ante-post bet.
That opportunity comes in the squareintheair.com Handicap Chase (3.35pm), a race that the Dan Skelton-trained CALICO has won for the last two years.
Skelton is a brilliant target trainer and in both the last two renewals of this valuable prize, he has primed Calico to be at his best.
Last year, he was an impressive seven-length winner off a mark of 142, and he comes into this contest six pounds higher in the weights.
He won a big handicap off a higher mark than this at Ascot last season, though, so it might not be enough to derail his hat-trick bid.
The thing that stands out about this 10-year-old is he is best when fresh.
He has a record of 82211 on his seasonal return and this race will have been his long-term target.
The Skelton yard is flying along, having already passed the 100-winner mark for the season, and their horses look to hold a fitness edge over many of their rivals at this stage of the campaign.
There is clearly plenty in Calico’s favour, and while he is best on good ground, he was a winner last year on good-to-soft, so will hopefully be fine if the worst of the rain misses Prestbury Park.
The 4/1 on offer looks fair at this stage as I can see him going off nearly half that price on the day.
There’s also some competitive action on the flat at Doncaster on Friday.
In the opening six-furlong nursery (1.35pm), Bulletsnap and Captaincy look the pair to beat and they head the betting.
However, there could be something lurking at a bigger price here and MIND THOSE STEPS looks like an interesting prospect.
Tim Easterby’s colt has shown form on soft and heavy going, so it won’t be a worry if the rain gets into the ground on Town Moor.
His close-up third on handicap debut at Ayr last month was a good effort, as was his sixth-place finish in the Listed Redcar Two-Year-Old Trophy behind Satellite Of Love last time.
If running to a similar level, he looks a big price at 16/1, now that he drops in class, and he is worth supporting each-way.
INVICTUS GOLD is another worthy of a second look in the seven-furlong handicap (2.45pm).
Tom Clover’s four-year-old hasn’t got his head in front since May last year, but he definitely suffered at the hands of the handicapper after being put up 11 pounds for that impressive success.
Several of his runs this season have been good efforts, most notably an excellent second to the progressive Sondad at Epsom in June off a mark of 99.
Now three pounds lower in the weights, he looks to be dropping to a mark he can strike off, and conditions at Doncaster promise to suit.
He handles soft ground well so any rain that falls would be welcome, while this step up to seven furlongs for the first time might help eke out a bit more improvement.
At 16/1, he’s another each-way pick that should outrun his odds.
POINTERS FRIDAY
Mind Those Steps e/w 1.35pm Doncaster
Invictus Gold e/w 2.45pm Doncaster
Calico 3.35pm Cheltenham