Nick Luck’s William Hill blog: Cheltenham Trials Day Preview

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck previews action on Cheltenham Trials Day, also tipping at Doncaster.

Cheltenham, Saturday

QUANTOCK HILLS would be a small each-way recommendation in the Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham Saturday (1.15 ITV). East India Dock sets a pretty high bar here, but next few in the market are either relative unknown quantities or a bit thin form-wise. By contrast, Quantock Hills ran to a very fair figure when dead-heating here with Teriferma (should have won by a clear margin), while the two horses that have run from the ruck have both won. The likely brisk pace will suit.

MOON D’ORANGE might land on a nice prize slightly by default (1.50). This is a sharp enough test for the classy Iroko, while Ginny’s Destiny hasn’t shown up this season and the handicapper might be catching Aintree specialist Imperial Saint. The selection has run well all year, has no weight, and will appreciate the return to this slightly sharper test on relatively decent ground. The booking of Sean Bowen is clearly a plus.

L’HOMME PRESSE should be quite hard to beat in the Cotswold Chase (2.25). I think Gentlemansgame will land on a really nice prize at some point, and ran very well at Leopardstown, giving six pounds to a higher rated in-form rival will be tough at a track the favourite enjoys very much.

CONSTITUTION HILL should potter round at his leisure in the International Hurdle (3.00), but this is clearly one to watch only.

GA LAW is fancied to reward the enterprise of connections and earn himself a tilt at the Stayers’ by winning the Cleeve (3.35). It is inescapable how badly Crambo ran on his only try here, while Strong Leader ran deplorably last time. Gowel Road aside (price has gone), there’s not much pace to aim at, so Gavin Sheehan might feel emboldened to let Ga Law play his natural game and hope that stamina holds. He loves this track over fences, and will be right in the mix if translating most of his form.

Doncaster, Saturday

GENERAL MEDRANO can get back on the winning trail in the TV opener at Donny (1.30). He might have been trying to back up too quickly last time, prior to which he’d looked super-progressive. There is confirmed pace here from Nells Son and particularly Stormin Crossgales, and the strong travelling selection could get the perfect set-up.

JIG’S FORGE is the pick in the River Don (2.05). The ground is less testing than he’s faced so far, but this will be a proper test and he looks as though he wants one. Some progeny of Westerner can be very tough and bloody minded in front, and he looked that way on his only rules start, grinding on remorselessly from more than one subsequent winner. He holds the Cheltenham entries and can go very well.

DELLA CASA LUNGA is the overpriced one in the Yorkshire Rose (2.40), and I make her one of the better bets of the day at the current odds. Strictly on their meeting at Kempton (same terms), she shouldn’t beat Kateira, but I remain unconvinced that the favourite wants three miles, whereas the selection evidently does. In addition, the wind-op has clearly worked, and her freewheeling style will be well suited by a small field around this track.

WALKING ON AIR is a highly speculative play in the Great Yorkshire Chase (3.15). He was a smart, but mercurial horse for Nicky Henderson, and you only have to go back a year and three runs to find him going very close in a decent chase at Newbury off nearly a stone higher. He’s been rubbish in three starts this season, but there was definitely a hint more life in his most recent run, and he might be significantly more effective up in trip on better ground, smuggling his way through horses. The trainer doesn’t have many, but he knows what he’s doing and has had a few flat winners lately.