Newsboy is backing Calico to win the squareintheair.com Handicap Chase at Cheltenham and he fancies Alnilam to score in the Holland Cooper Novices’ Chase, both races live on ITV
CALICO is fancied to repeat his victory of 12 months ago in the squareintheair.com Handicap Chase (3.35) at Cheltenham on Friday. Dan Skelton’s nine-year-old denied Matata by a neck in this race last October and meets that rival on 9lb better terms.
Calico invariably goes well fresh and is sure to have aimed at his title defence by his trainer. Skelton’s Country Mile finished second to ALNILAM at Uttoxeter at the beginning of the month but it’s the winner who is taken to confirm his superiority in the Holland Cooper ‘Chasing Excellence’ Novices’ Chase (1.50). After impressing on his debut over timber at Market Rasen 10 days ago, UN SENS A LA VIE looks ripe for a step up in class for the Grade 2 Oddschecker Novices’ Hurdle (3.00). Paul Nicholls’ team are ticking over nicely for Cheltenham’s return and ZAOCHEN ENKI brings an improving profile to the Foundation Developments Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle (2.25), and Freddie Keighley’s 8lb claim will come in very handy. The home of National Hunt racing’s season opens with the William Hill Each Way Extra Handicap Hurdle (1.15), in which EAST INDIA EXPRESS looks capable of giving his rivals weight and a beating.
At Doncaster, heavy ground won’t be a problem for MIRABEAU in the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap (3.18). The frustrating KORKER gets a last chance in the William Hill Each Way Extra Handicap (1.33), while AFFETTUOSO is the choice for a winning debut in the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes (2.08).
FRIDAY’S SELECTIONS
CHELTENHAM 1.15 EAST INDIA EXPRESS (NB) 1.50 ALNILAM 2.25 ZAOCHEN ENKI 3.00 UN SENS A LA VIE 3.35 CALICO 4.10 DON VIRGINIA 4.45 ROCKINASTORM DONCASTER 1.33 KORKER 2.08 AFFETTUOSO 2.43 POETS PRAISE 3.18 MIRABEAU 3.53 RISING POWER 4.28 ABERAMA GOLD 5.03 CROESO CYMRAEG NEWBURY 1.06 AIGHEAR 1.41 MERTOUN 2.16 GALBA 2.51 MILLER SPIRIT 3.26 CONCERT PARTY 4.01 ALMA DE FUEGO 4.35 ECHALAR 5.10 SERGEANT PEP SOUTHWELL 4.15 COMIC STRIP 4.50 RUM DIAMOND 5.20 MONARCH’S GOLD 5.55 ACCRUAL (NAP) 6.30 BELLE AMIE 7.00 REPUTATION 7.30 HERETIC 8.00 STAR OF MALI 8.30 ANGEL’S CALL DOUBLE: ACCRUAL and EAST INDIA EXPRESS
