Nigel Twiston-Davies’ William Hill Blog: Push The Button for a winner

Friday, Cheltenham

Shetland Tony (1.35pm) is up first in the 2m½f handicap hurdle. He won very impressively last time out, so he really must have a good chance again here. He came from Gordon Elliott’s and we’ve found him fine to train here. He may have grown up a bit since his time in Ireland and his form has improved as a result. We’re very pleased with him and he’s a lovely addition to the yard.

Push The Button (2.45pm) is next in the 2m4f novices’ hurdle. This might be hard work for him as there are probably better horses in the race, but I see no reason why he wont run well having won last time at Worcester. He’s done very well so far, but this is a hot race, so we’ll just have to see what we’ve got. I imagine that he’ll keep on improving, and what he’ll go on to do I don’t know, but we couldn’t be happier with what he’s done so far.

Idalko Bihoue (3.20pm) follows in the 2m4f novices’ handicap chase. He’s a lovely horse – we do love him at home. He had an unlucky fall last time, but he’s a really classy animal and I hope that it’ll show here. It’s a competitive race, but he’s very well handicapped and that fall last time out, when he was just a bit flippant with the fence, will have taught him a lesson from which he can improve.

One True King (4.30pm) is last on Friday in the 3m1f Amateur Jockey’s handicap chase. He ran a really nice race in his reappearance at Market Rasen over 2m5f and this extra distance will help him. It sounds like I’m repeating myself but, again, he should have a good chance!

Saturday, Cheltenham

Guy (1.15pm) starts us off in the two-mile William Hill handicap chase. He’s won his last two races, so dropping back to two miles seems to have made more of a man of him. He seems to be better off going with a bit more pace. For a Cheltenham race, it’s not as strong as it might be, so we’re looking forward to running him.

Mr Mackay (1.50pm) is next in the 2m½f  hurdle. He’s probably a bit outclassed here and I thought that the race was going to cut up a lot more than it has, so a place is probably as much as we can hope for so, if we’re in the first four, I’ll be delighted. The mark that he’s been given – 113 – seems about right and, hopefully, he can improve on it in time.

Undersupervision (2.25pm) is in the 3m1f William Hill handicap chase. He always runs very well at Cheltenham and he has always run well on his first outing of the season in the past, so he ought to run well. We’ve been very happy with his work at home since he’s come back in, and we’re hoping that, after this, he’ll go to the Coral Cup or the Becher Chase.

Jet Of Magic (3.00pm) follows in the three-mile handicap hurdle. He won back in July and, as long as it doesn’t get too soft, he should be able to go really well. He ran a few times through the summer, but the plan with him will be to continue through the winter, as long as he can handle the ground.

Weveallbeencaught and Broadway Boy (4.10pm) both go in the 3m½f novices’ chase. Weveallbeencaught is a great horse and we’re looking forward to him, and both the horses jump really well. We’ve two other runners to beat, including the eight-year-old Flooring Porter, but how well he’ll convert to chasing, we’ll have to wait and find out. Ours are both novices who are on the way up, whereas he’s been going for a long time. They might have the advantage of youth over the Irish raider, and we’re looking forward to it.