Gavin Cromwell’s William Hill blog: Hartur d’Arc can light up Cheltenham

William Hill ambassador Gavin Cromwell previews his runners at this year’s Cheltenham November meeting and Navan Racing Festival.

Fame aiming for Glory on Friday

We just have one runner at Cheltenham on Friday, due to the ground still being a little too firm for a lot of our horses. Stumptown and Vanillier were entered in the Cross-Country Handicap Chase but they won’t as the ground won’t suit them, and they also have the option of going to Punchestown next weekend for the Risk Of Thunder (X-Country) Chase.

We do run Fameaftertheglory in the race (2.55pm), however, and he goes there with a chance. He ran a good race at Punchestown the last day and the step up in trip here on good ground should suit him. Hopefully he can run another good race and he should have an each-way chance.

Hartur d’Arc going for Gold

We had a few horses entered in Saturday’s Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Cheltenham (2.20pm) but it’s Hartur D’Arc who will get his chance there. The trip and ground make him our most suitable horse for the race and we’ll go elsewhere with the others.

He’s working very well at home, the ground shouldn’t be an issue, and the step back to two-and-a-half miles should be just fine. He’s shown plenty of speed at home so hopefully this race should be perfect for him.

We’ll follow that up with Noble Birth in the Handicap Hurdle (2.55pm). He had a decent run the last day at Cork and if he can build on that then hopefully he’ll have a good chance.

The Other Mozzie will be our only runner at Cheltenham on Sunday as he goes in the Handicap Chase (1.45pm). He was running a good race at Galway the last day, before unseating at the last. On better ground we don’t think the step up to two-and-a-half miles will be a problem, given he also stayed that trip last year over hurdles.

It remains to be seen but his mark is slightly on the higher side of what we were hoping for. Time will tell, but hopefully it is a workable mark.

Kicker the pick of my Troytown quartet

We have a fair few entered at Navan on Sunday and one to keep an eye on before the big race of the day is Total Look in the 3-Y-O Maiden Hurdle (11.35am). He’s had a couple of really nice runs on the Flat and looks like a lovely horse to go hurdling with. He schools well and we’re hopeful of a big run. Based on his work at home and the way he schools, I’d be disappointed if he doesn’t run a really nice race.

He was entered at Cheltenham on Saturday but given it’s his first run over hurdles, I thought that might just be pitching him in a bit deep. They’ll probably go very quick there and there are some fancied horses in the race, so it might not have been the best experience for him on his first run.

The big one is the Troytown Handicap Chase (2.30pm) and we’ve got four horses running in this renewal. Tyre Kicker needed a few to come out at the weights and we’re glad that he’s made it into the race as the bottom weight.

Yeah Man, Perceval Legallois, and Ask Anything will also get their chance and all four of our potential runners are in good form. As expected, it’s a very competitive handicap, but I’d be hoping all of them run well and they’ve all got a chance.

I like the look of Tyre Kicker with a light weight. He had a really nice run at Galway on his first run back from a year off, which he’s come out of well.

Yeah Man ran really well a few times last year before he was a little bit disappointing in the Irish Grand National. He came out of the race fine and he’s ready to go again this year. He’s had a couple of entries which we haven’t taken up because of the ground, so we’re hoping the ground will be nice for him on Sunday.  He’s in great form and I’d be hopeful of a big run from him as well.