Cheltenham Friday: Trump and Dancer can serve up a corker

Cheltenham hosts its first race meeting of the 2019/20 jumps season on Friday, and there is plenty of depth to the seven-race card. The likes of future Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander and The New One have been unearthed at this Showcase meeting – as it is now known – while the Olly Murphy-trained Thomas Darby, a good prospect for novice chases this season, made a winning debut over hurdles 12 months ago.

One of the standout races on this year’s card is the two-mile novice chase (14:35). Only four runners are set to go to post, but there is plenty of quality on show, and it says plenty that Caius Marcius, winner of four of his five novice chases this season and the most experienced of the bunch, is the outsider of the field. He has to concede 8 lb to his rivals, however, and now comes up against two of last season’s leading novice hurdlers in Al Dancer and Getaway Trump.

Al Dancer won his first four starts in 2018/19, including a handicap on the New Course which he turned into a procession. He confirmed himself a smart type when following up from a 12 lb higher mark in the Betfair Hurdle – which was run at Ascot last season – on his next start. However, he proved to be a disappointment when sent off favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival when last seen (he wore earplugs instead of the usual hood). A well-made gelding, who is related to chase winners in his native France, Al Dancer seems sure to make his mark in this sphere, and the form of the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard is also encouraging.

Race analysis: @samtwiston talks us through the finish of the Betfair Hurdle, which he won yesterday on the very classy Al Dancer ...and the truth about @willy_twiston called him "the best horse we've had" #LuckOnSunday pic.twitter.com/CGl5K8lvmA

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 17, 2019

Getaway Trump was busier in his first season over hurdles, but he seemingly thrived on a demanding campaign. He was put in his place by Al Dancer the only time the two met, in the Betfair Hurdle, but the bare result of that race doesn’t tell the full story as Getaway Trump was caught further back than ideal in a race where it paid to be prominent. Getaway Trump would go on to finish the season strongly, winning a novice at Ayr before defying a BHA mark of 147 at Sandown on his final start, a performance good enough to win a Grade 1 novice. An Irish point winner, who is very much a chasing type on looks, he is another exciting recruit to fences, and sets up an intriguing race which is sure to have a bearing on events later in the season.

What a performance - the exciting Getaway Trump defies top-weight in the bet365 Novices' Championship Final for @PFNicholls and @CobdenHarry at @Sandownpark pic.twitter.com/hW5VcSrmic

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 27, 2019

The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Wholestone is another novice chaser to follow this season and he goes in the three-mile novice later on the card (15:45). He had a fantastic record at this course over hurdles, winning four times, including the Relkeel Hurdle in 2017/18, and he also finished third in the 2018 Stayers’ Hurdle. The eight-year-old completed a simple task on chasing debut when winning a two-runner event at Perth last month, tending to jump left (but didn’t look a major issue) and he was in full control when left in front four out. This race has much more depth with the likes of Dinons and Boyhood both bringing a better level of form to the table, but whether they have the scope to improve as much as Wholestone remains to be seen. But, either way, it is another race to keep a close eye on with a view to the future.

Wholestone's glittering CV:

🏆 Three-time G2 scorer
💷 Over £258,000 in prize money
🥉 Dual Stayers' Hurdle third

He makes a winning chasing debut & provides Nigel Twiston-Davies with a sixth success in the Jewellers Novices' Chase in 10 years @PerthRacecourse pic.twitter.com/ryGe1SRi6O

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 26, 2019

The handicaps look typically competitive, but one horse who is likely still ahead of his mark is Tedham (15:10). He shaped very well in three maiden/novice hurdles prior to making his first start in a handicap a winning one at Wincanton last season. He was suited by the step up to two and a half miles (as expected) whilst promising to stay further still. He was well backed after three months off when below par at Aintree on his final start, but the combination of arriving short of match practice, allied with a serious error, are good enough reasons to forgive him that run. Tedham has undergone a breathing operation since, hails from a yard that are in good form at present and appeals as the type that could develop into a smart performer this season.