Friday ITV Cheltenham And Bangor On Dee Preview

A very interesting event on the Cheltenham card is the Class 3 Mares Handicap Chase over 2m 4 1/2f and we are siding with Rose Of Arcadia who makes her chase debut.

The Colin Tizzard trained mare was a bright hurdler last term, taking out a good Novices' Hurdle at Wincanton in February and then backing that up at Newbury in Grade Two Mares Hurdle when a close fifth.

Kept over hurdles for her seasonal debut this term, she looked to need the run but was a solid third of seven behind two nice types for Alan King.

Always bought by Cheveley Park Stud to be a chaser, she makes her debut over fences in this event and having has the prep run over hurdles, she looks to have a big chance if being a natural over the bigger obstacles.

Extremely interesting runner.

The only race on the ITV show on Friday from Bangor is the Class 4 Handicap Hurdle and we think the value lies with the top weighted Paricolor.

The David Pipe trained animal loves soft ground and should handle the conditions better than most when it comes to Friday.

A Largely consistent gelding, winning off a mark of 125 and 122 in 2021, he has also been seen placing in his last two events off similar marks.

Having needed his seasonal return at Newton Abbot, he then went to Cheltenham in November and was a good second of 20 behind the smart Art Approval.

Up 4lb for that run he again finished second at Doncaster last time out on ground that did not suit him and off the same mark for this event, in conditions he prefers, he looks to have a big chance.

The feature race of the afternoon at Prestbury Park on Friday is the Grade Three Handicap Chase over 3m2f and it sees many familiar fences.

We are siding with the Paul Nicholls trained Enrilo who was set to run a big race in the Ladbroke Trophy a few weeks back before taking a tumble.

Having been a fair hurdler, the seven year was sent chasing and on his second start got off the mark in a nice race at Exeter.

Shipped into Grade One company at Kempton he was pulled up with nothing going right, but after a few months off he returned in rude health to win at Newbury.

His big season target was the Grade Three bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown and in a dramatic race he finished first past the post but in the end was demoted to third.

Staying is his main attribute, which made the Ladbrokes Trophy such an appealing target off a mark of 147 and with Nicholls saying he was spot on for that he may have gone close if not for falling.

If able to get round on Friday he poses a huge threat.

The penultimate event of the afternoon at jumps racing HQ is the Cross Country Handicap Chase and the horse who looks to have a big each way chance is Plan Of Attack for Henry De Bromhead.

The eight year old has been an up and down horse for the yard, always primed to run a big race but sometimes never fulfilling his promise.

One of his most promising runs to date came at the 2021 Cheltenham festival when travelling the best in the Kim Muir Handicap Chase to only fall at the third last.

This season he has been switched to Cross Country events and made his seasonal debut at the November meeting over the same course and distance and he was a pleasing fourth of 13.

He takes on three of the horses ahead of him that day, but he will be sure to come on for that run, especially racing off the same mark of 138, which looks well within himself.

Big player at the weights and prices.

The final event of the afternoon is the Class 2 Handicap Hurdle over three miles and although giving weight away to the entire field, Sporting John will be very tough to beat.

The six year old gelding has had a very up and down career, always looking to be something special but then always throwing in some poor performances along the way.

Having been a very smart novice hurdler when winning his first three events in taking style, he was then poor at the Cheltenham festival.

Sent chasing last season he needed his comeback run but then got off the mark in the Grade One Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown.

However, he was seen twice more over fences that term, falling at the festival and then being pulled up at the Grand National meeting.

Back this season he has been reverted to hurdles and made an impressive seasonal return when winning a Listed event over three miles at Prestbury Park, giving weight away all round.

He will do the same again on Friday and should be much fitter for his first event.

Still only six he has improvement left in him.