Alan Thomson, the former Racing Editor at the Daily Record, puts up five tips at Cheltenham and Lingfield on Saturday. View selections below.
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BALLYALTON (2.25) could be the answer to a fascinating BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
A previous winner of a novices’ handicap chase at the 2016 Cheltenham festival, Ballyalton made a satisfactory return from a massive 569-day absence to run sixth to Bags Groove in a hurdle contest at Aintree which is working out exceptionally well.
Of course, there is the dreaded ‘bounce’ factor to consider on his second run following such a lengthy spell on the sidelines but Ian Williams has become a big ‘Saturday’ trainer with a growing reputation.
I’ll be having a saver on Paul Nicholls’ Romain De Senam. Still only a five-year-old, Romain De Senam has accumulated plenty of racing experience, running stablemate Diego Du Charmil to a head in the 2016 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
He has looked a natural over the bigger obstacles, easily accounting for Double Shuffle at Chepstow and reappearing only six days later to account for Burtons Well at Stratford.
THOMAS CAMPBELL (3.00) justified heavy market support here at the October meeting, running out a comfortable winner.
He had subsequent Newbury scorer Dell’ Arca more than five lengths adrift in fourth and with James Bowen taking off 7lb, Thomas Campbell is very well treated with that rival. Nicky Henderson’s son of Yeats looks a steadily improving staying hurdler and should be followed with confidence.
Nick Williams’s DIABLE DE SIVOLA (3.30) has run two of his best races at Cheltenham, finishing fifth to stablemate Flying Tiger in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle in March, and chasing home Defi Du Seuil in the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial at this meeting 12 months ago.
Diable De Sivola will strip sharper for his comeback run at Fontwell when chasing home Dashing Oscar following a 206-day break.
At Lingfield, VICTORY BOND (2.45) wins a solid vote in the Betway Churchill Stakes to confirm recent Chelmsford City placings with Boynton. He looks an improving type on the all-weather.
CERTIFICATE (2.10) has his first start for Conor Dore having switched from the Roger Varian yard. The six-year-old ran fourth to Aclaim in a Group 2 contest at Newmarket last October off a mark of 110 and is down to 102. The yard had a big-priced winner at Southwell this week and Certificate could well outrun his generous odds.
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Tally Ho
Alan
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