Ridoto can strike Accord in warm up for Cheltenham
PUNTERS around the country have been starved of real top-quality racing for a couple of weeks now.
Freezing temperatures put paid to the fixtures at Ascot and Haydock last weekend, but with the mercury rising gradually, we should have no issues at Cheltenham and Doncaster on Saturday.
I’ll start at Prestbury Park where the eight-race card looks a belter.
First up is IDALKO BIHOUE who looks a big price at 12/1 in the novices’ handicap chase (12.40pm) for the Twiston-Davies team.
I was really impressed with his seven-length win here in October and while he didn’t fire at Kempton last time, I’m prepared to give him another chance.
He’s been dropped a pound for that meaning he’s only seven pounds higher than at Cheltenham, and I still think a mark of 134 is workable.
If he hadn’t run at Kempton, he’d be half the price, so he represents great each-way value.
Harry Cobden is slowly reeling in Sean Bowen in the jockeys’ title race, and he should go close on IL RIDOTO in the following race, the 2m4f premier handicap (1.15pm).
Paul Nicholls’ charge loves the New Course and is always a big player in these handicaps.
He’s 10 pounds higher than when winning this race 12 months ago, but he’s only seven and I think he’s still improving.
He really should have won last time and was unfortunate to be nabbed on the line by the reopposing Fugitif.
A five-pound rise isn’t ideal, but they pulled nearly 10 lengths clear of the third and Il Ridoto is rock solid at 5/1 with Grosvenor Sport.
I’ll also be keeping a close eye on Harry Fry’s Gidleigh Park, who runs in the SSS Super Alloys Novices’ Hurdle (4.10pm).
He’s been impressive on both starts over hurdles and I could easily see him going off odds-on.
The Irish look to have a stranglehold on the Ballymore, but Gidleigh Park could easily emerge as the best of the English and he’ll need to be winning this to prove it.
We’ve also got some cracking action at Doncaster, with the Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase (3.15pm) the highlight.
There’s only been one winning favourite of this race in the last 10 years, with the last three winners going off at 16/1, 40/1 and 40/1, so this is a contest that has a habit of throwing up some shock results.
With that in mind, I’m going to put up two at big prices.
The first is LORD ACCORD, who is really well-handicapped on some of his old form.
He’s now four pounds lower than his last winning mark, while he’s nine pounds lower than when second to Frodon in the 2022 Badger Beer.
Good ground is key to him and while he’s been badly out of form recently, a return to a more suitable surface will really help and he’s worth a few quid at 33/1 with Grosvenor Sport.
The other I like is Mel Rowley’s LATITUDE.
He’s got bits and pieces of solid form which entitle him to go well here, and I also thought a return to a left-handed track would help too.
He jumped left when third to Flegmatik at Kempton last time and off a reasonable mark, I thought he was interesting at 25/1.
POINTERS SATURDAY
Idalko Bihoue e/w 12.40pm Cheltenham
Il Ridoto 1.15pm Cheltenham
Lord Accord e/w 3.15pm Doncaster
Latitude e/w 3.15pm Doncaster