GO ROUGE Harry’s star to fly at Cheltenham
ROUGE VIF makes plenty of appeal in the Bentley Flying Spur Handicap Chase ( 3.35) as racing returns to Cheltenham this afternoon.
The Harry Whittington six- year- old returned from wind surgery to run second to Global Citizen in the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton Park last Christmas, going one better by seven lengths in the same- level Kingmaker Novices’ ces’
Chas e a t Winca n t o n i n February.
Rouge Vif rounded off his campaign with a third to
Put The Kettle On in the
Arkle Trophy at the National l
Hunt Festival in March, and d a
Briti sh Horseracing Authority mark of 156 looks within range on his handicap debut.
The squareintheair. com Handicap Hurdle ( 3.00) looks wide open, but expect a bold show from OUR POWER.
The five- year- old marked his third start for Nigel Twiston- Davies with a victor y on Kempton’s Cheltenham consolation card . Ridden by the trainer’s son Sam, Our Power has a 6lb rise in the weights to contend with – but is taken to prove up to the task.
Gordon Elliott ( below) sends GALVIN over from Ireland for the Matchbook Better Way To Bet Novices’ Chase ( 2.25), and the r unner- up i n l ast season’s Northern Trust Company Novices’ Handicap Chase is unbeaten in three outings since.
Paul Nicholl s has hi s t eam at con concert pitch now that the j u umps season moves up a g gear, and that points to the chance of ASK FOR GLORY in the opening Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle ( 1.50).
The ITV cameras are also ro rolling at Doncaster, where DANZ DANZAN deserves a change of luck in the Vertem Investing In The Future Handicap ( 2.40), and OPERA GIFT l ooks well t reat ed under a penalty in the vertem. co. uk Handicap ( 3.15).
■ COLIN KEANE is 1- 6 with Paddy Power to replace Ryan Moore as stable jockey to Aidan O’brien for the 2021 Flat season.