The eight stars who can get your pulse racing on a super Saturday at Cheltenham and Doncaster
Cheltenham's Trials day feast is the big meeting on Saturday and Doncaster's Great Yorkshire Chase card is also sure to provide plenty of festival clues. Here we pick out the eight most high-profile horses in action on a sensational day's racing . . .
Burdett Road
Race: 12.05 Cheltenham – JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2)
Royal Ascot winner Burdett Road is 2-2 over hurdles and heads the Triumph Hurdle betting at 4-1 with bet365 and Coral.
The James Owen-trained four-year-old faces his stiffest task yet in taking on Triumph Hurdle 6-1 second-favourite Sir Gino, who made a successful debut for Nicky Henderson at Kempton last month and won a Listed hurdle last year when trained in France.
It is a fascinating clash that will provide the biggest pre-festival pointer to the Grade 1 in March.
Jeriko Du Reponet
Race: 1.30 Doncaster – SBK Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2)
5-1 Supreme second-favourite Jeriko Du Reponet has his final start before the Cheltenham Festival in this rearranged Grade 2 and anything but victory would be a huge dent to his credentials.
The JP McManus-owned five-year-old has won easily on both outings at Newbury for Henderson. He is partnered by Mark Walsh and faces some promising rivals in this five-runner event, with Fiercely Proud and Lump Sum arriving with 2-2 records over hurdles.
Stay Away Fay
Race: 1.50 Cheltenham – Paddy Power Cotswold Chase (Grade 2)
High-class novice chaser Stay Away Fay takes on much more experienced rivals in this £125,000 race, most notably Betfair Chase winner Royale Pagaille.
The Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old is a best-priced 13-2 for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase with Sky Bet and will be notably shorter if accounting for this opposition, which also includes last year's Brown Advisory winner The Real Whacker and Coral Gold Cup scorer Datsalrightgino.
Gala Marceau
Race: 2.05 Doncaster – SBK Yorkshire Rose Mares' Hurdle (Grade 2)
Gala Marceau has her first start since winning the French Triumph Hurdle at Auteuil in May and bids to strengthen her Mares' Hurdle claims in this Grade 2.
Her trainer Willie Mullins landed this race with Annie Power and Vroum Vroum Mag in the past decade and Gala Marceau's biggest rival appears to be stablemate Ashroe Diamond, who has the benefit of a recent run following her third to Teahupoo in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse last month.
Jonbon
Race: 2.25 Cheltenham – My Pension Expert Clarence House Chase (Grade 1)
James Bowen rides Jonbon for the first time in the Clarence House Chase due to Nico de Boinville experiencing soreness from a previous collarbone injury.
There is no big clash with El Fabiolo and on official ratings he has 8lb in hand over last year's winner Editeur Du Gite. It will take a hugely impressive performance to result in his best-priced 11-4 odds for the Champion Chase being majorly cut.
Lossiemouth
Race: 3.00 Cheltenham – Unibet Hurdle (Grade 2)
The Unibet Hurdle has attracted a clash between two top-quality mares with Lossiemouth returning against Love Envoi.
Lossiemouth won four of her five starts for Mullins last season, including Grade 1 triumphs at Cheltenham and Punchestown, and is the 9-4 favourite with bet365 and Coral for the Mares' Hurdle.
Love Envoi finished second to Honeysuckle in the Mares' Hurdle last March and filled the same spot when eight lengths behind Not So Sleepy in the rearranged Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Sandown on her return. Christmas Hurdle runner-up Rubaud could be overpriced at 5-1 in this five-runner race.
Paisley Park
Race: 3.35 Cheltenham – McCoy Contractors Cleeve Hurdle (Grade 2)
There is little doubt over the most popular horse in action on Saturday. Paisley Park is still plying his trade in the best staying hurdles at the age of 12 and bids to win this race for a record fourth time.
Emma Lavelle's stable star has finished second on both starts this season, beaten a head by the reopposing Dashel Drasher in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury and a short head by Crambo in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.
The 2022 Grand National winner Noble Yeats is an intriguing runner under Harry Cobden and has been well supported in recent days.
Gidleigh Park
Race: 4.10 Cheltenham – Sss Super Alloys Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2)
Gidleigh Park, the Harry Fry-trained six-year-old, is one of the smarter novice hurdlers in Britain and he is odds on to maintain his unbeaten record before the festival in this Grade 2.
Jonathan Burke's mount has entries in the Baring Bingham and Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdles and the former looks more likely given he is single-figure odds with most firms and a best-price 10-1 with Coral.
Johnnywho looks his biggest threat on the back of a promising fourth in the Challow at Newbury.
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