National Hunt season gets into full swing at Cheltenham

Today marks the unofficial start of the 2023/24 National Hunt season proper as Cheltenham’s October meeting gets underway.

This two day mini-festival may not be glittered with the star names of the big meeting in March, but the racing is very competitive and there is a strong contingent of Irish runners with their connections eager to add a Cheltenham victory to their CV.

Leading online bookmaker bet365 will be enhancing the odds of a leading contender in each race at Cheltenham today with their Bet Boost and are also offering extra places on selected races across the weekend at Cheltenham.

The opening Foundation Developments Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle at 1.35pm sees three Irish-trained contenders among a field of 18 runners. Gordon Elliott saddles the ultra-consistent Royal Eagle who arrives here looking to complete a hat-trick of handicap hurdle wins after recent victories at Tramore and Tipperary.

Henry de Bromhead’s Great Bear switches back to hurdles after a couple of recent spins over fences while Peter Fahey’s Bukhill arrives at the top of his game having scored at Downpatrick earlier in the month.

All three will have their work cut out however to catch Shetland Tony who made an impressive debut for Nigel Twiston-Davies two weeks ago. This former Gordon Elliott-trained horse bolted up in a novice event at Stratford and represents a yard in sparkling form.

The second race on the card is a four runner Novice Chase that sees Gavin Cromwell’s My Mate Mozzie fly the flag for Ireland. My Mate Mozzie won his sole point-to-point, but was a little disappointing on his chase debut at Fairyhouse earlier this month where he finished second at odds of 8/15. A tongue strap is added today and on his best form, which includes an eighth place finish in the 2022 County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, he will take all the beating.

Cromwell is also represented in the TrustATrader Novices’ Hurdle at 2.45pm where he runs Encanto Bruno. This five-year-old won a bumper at this fixture last year before finishing in mid-division in the Champion Bumper here in March. He made the perfect start to his hurdles career with a wide-margin win at Bellewstown in July, but was clearly amiss when stopping quickly and pulled up on his most recent assignment at Galway in August.

Encanto Bruno is a serious contender today along with another Irish raider, Tag Man. This de Bromhead representative took seven attempts to win over hurdles, but faced some stiff opposition along the way and is more than capable of having a say in the outcome of today’s race.

De Bromhead’s Downtown Queen looks potentially well handicapped off a British rating of 117 in the Novices’ Handicap Chase at 3.20pm. She is a sound jumper and as a daughter of Presenting may have found the ground too testing when third at Roscommon last month and is better judged on her all the way success at Wexford on her prior start. Regular rider Conor McNamara is again aboard for today’s assignment and the pair can at least make the frame in a wide-open renewal.

Peter Fahey supplies the sole Irish representation in the feature event of the day, the Grade 2 Novices’ Hurdle at 3.55pm where he runs Toto Too. Surprisingly, the Irish-raider is one of only two horses in this eight runner line up that didn’t begin their careers by competing in Irish point-to-points. Toto Too has looked above average in winning his bumper and maiden hurdle and will not be out of place stepped up in grade here.

The Amateur Jockeys Handicap Chase at 4.30pm is packed full of Irish interest with a host of Irish-trained challengers along with a number of our top amateur riders travelling over to partner British-trained runners.

David Christie’s Menindee would look the safest option in this competitive heat. Her fitness is assured following a productive summer campaign which has yielded three victories and despite her career high mark she will be hard to keep out of the frame.

Plenty more Irish runners in the concluding handicap hurdle at 5.05pm, but it may pay to side with Keiran Burke’s runner Soul Icon. This prolific winner landed a gamble in the opening race on this card last year and looks primed for another big effort following a winning return to action at Fontwell earlier this month.