FESTIVAL TRIALS DAY 2025 - RACE-BY-RACE PREVIEW & TIPS

Festival Fans
January 25, 2025

Trials day at Cheltenham today is the last meeting at the home of racing before the Festival begins in less than 50 days’ time.

It will also be the last time some of the key players in those Festival races see a racecourse before their date with destiny in March and there will be plenty of nervous connections at Prestbury Park this afternoon who will be hoping their dreams are still alive at the end of what promises to be a great day’s racing.

There are trials for blue riband events such as the Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and Stayers’ Hurdle, as well as for novice contests like the Triumph Hurdle and the Turners.

COTSWOLD CHASE

The feature contest is the Cotswold Chase at 2.25pm, which features Gold Cup contenders L’Homme Presse and GENTLEMANSGAME. Preference today is for the latter, who chased home the imperious Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown last time out.

That was his first run of the season and he is entitled to show some improvement here, even though that Leopardstown effort was probably his best performance to date.

Considering Mouse Morris’ yard struggled for winners for much of last season, it is noticeable that this horse still managed to win a Charlie Hall Chase and finish a close fourth at Punchestown in their Gold Cup in May.

Chantry House bounced back to form when sent back over fences last time out and could give the selection most to do.

UNIBET HURDLE

Unfortunately, the Unibet Hurdle at 3.00pm is a bit of a non-event for punters now that Lossiemouth waits for the Dublin Racing Festival, although racegoers will at least get another chance to see Constitution Hill in action.

Despite the negative publicity that has surrounded the horse at times over the last couple of seasons he remains one of the best hurdlers ever to grace the sport and it can only be hoped that he makes it to the Festival in one piece and has the chance to show his true class against the likes of Lossiemouth and State Man.

CLEEVE HURDLE

The Cleeve Hurdle at 3.35pm is more competitive and Crambo and Strong Leader will both be hoping to use this as a stepping stone to Stayers’ Hurdle glory.

Neither looks entirely convincing and it would be no surprise to see them both beaten here. As a result, a chance is taken on KERRYHILL.

He was pulled up on his reappearance at Haydock in November and so also has plenty to prove, but he was well backed that day and clearly had a problem as he has had wind surgery since.

His small yard have had a few top class horses over the years and it is interesting that they have decided to pitch Kerryhill in at the deep end here.

Also keep Transmission in your notebooks. He is a young staying chaser to follow and the suspicion is that this return to hurdles could be a prep run for a valuable handicap over the larger obstacles.

AIS NOVICES’ HURDLE

Potters Charm is a horse we really like and he heads the market for the Ais Novices’ Hurdle at 4.10pm.

It would be good to see him run well here before tackling the Turners and a host of top Irish raiders, but the value may lie with GAMESTERS GUY who should relish a further step up in trip.

TIMEFORM NOVICES’ HANDICAP CHASE

In terms of other bets on the card, BILLYTHEREALBIGRED can take the opener.

His yard have two serious chances in this race, but preferences is for this five year old gelding who should improve again for a step up in trip and going left handed.

JCB TRIUMPH TRIAL JUVENILE HURDLE

That race is followed by an excellent Triumph Hurdle trial at 1.15pm where there looks to be plenty of each way value on offer.

Any of Quantock Hills, Teriferma and MAMBONUMBERFIVE could make the frame at a decent price, with slight preference for the latter given his yard’s excellent form and record with novices.

BETFAIR EXCHANGE HANDICAP CHASE

Finally, the card’s big handicap, the Betfair Exchange Handicap at 1.50pm can go the way of either MOON D’ORANGE or SOME SCOPE.

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