Cheltenham International Meeting Preview

The Cheltenham International meeting takes place this weekend with the best of the action coming on Saturday afternoon. Headlining is the International Hurdle but there is also the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup to look forward to and more races of note.

Here is a look at the best three races on the card on Saturday.

1:50pm Caspian Caviar Gold Cup

A race in which we have a few of the main contenders from the Paddy Power Gold Cup in November going up against each other. Coole Cody won that race, but a 6lb rise in the weights should be enough to stop him.

Of those in behind, Al Dancer is the one that catches the eye. He ran a good race to finish 3rd, and has an unchanged mark so is 6lb better with the winner, that should help to reverse placings.

There has been a lot of talk about Master Tommytucker, but Al Dancer beat him off level weights in October, and gets weight from him here, so they certainly favour the Twiston-Davies trained runner.

With plenty in his favour, Al Dancer is the pick, and worth an each way bet with the bookmakers that are paying four or more places.

2:25pm Albert Bartlett Hurdle

A few nice types here, so not a huge betting race but one that could be informative in the future. However, Ashtown Lad has done very well to win his last two starts with ease and appears to be a horse that is improving with every run.

He was beaten by Ask A Honey Bee when they met earlier this season, but Ashtown Lad is a different horse now and can reverse the placings.

It’s not a race to get too involved with, but Ashtown Lad is a horse on the up, and could well progress enough to take this.

3:00pm International Hurdle

The big race of the day and the most fascinating with Goshen in the line up. Can he repeat his Triumph Hurdle run from last season, minus the fall at the last? Or was that a flash in the pan, once in a lifetime run that went wrong? The latter seems more likely, and this horse may never look that good again, with that in mind he is vulnerable here.

Sceau Royal has won twice nicely this season but was slammed by Epatante at Newcastle and this uphill finish won’t suit him either.

Further down the list of runners, Song For Someone has been forgotten by a few but put up a great performance to win at Ascot on seasonal debut. He is expected to come on from that and has solid enough form from last season already in the book.

He may not be the most fashionable of these or the one grabbing the headlines but he is a genuine contender here, and could spring into the limelight with a win.

Had he been trained elsewhere, he would be half the price that he is and represents great value in the big race.

Cheltenham Saturday Tips

• 1:50pm Al Dancer 6/1 EW 5 Places (Betfair)
• 2:25pm Ashtown Lad 5/2 Win (Ladbrokes)
• 3:00pm Song For Someone 6/1 Win (bet365)