FRODO’S QUEST
Popular chaser to make it six wins at Cheltenham
FRODON can maintain Paul Nicholls’s red-hot streak by giving his rivals weight and a beating in the Matchbook Betting Exchange Handicap Chase (3.50) at Cheltenham today.
The eight- year- old and Bryony Frost stole the headlines across the sporting world when landing the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March 2019.
The pair managed one success from four attempts last season – in the Grade 2 Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton Park in January – rounding off the truncated campaign with a fourth to Min when trying to defend his Ryanair Chase title.
The handicapper has shown some leniency by dropping Frodon 4lb in the weights and, back at a venue where he has won five times over fences – and with his trainer firing on all cylinders – a bold comeback is on the cards.
He is unbeaten in two starts this season, and NEVILLE’S CROSS gets the vote to rack up the hat-trick in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (3.15).
The Tom Lacey five-year-old made a winning handicap hurdles debut at Uttoxeter last month, and then laughed at a 9lb rise – to a new BHA mark rk of 118 – with a 20- length supremacy at Hereford 11 days ago.
A further 12lb ascent makes life tougher, but it’s anyone’s guess when the son of Stowaway’s form will plateau.
Father and son Gary ( below) and Josh Moore combine with BOTOX HAS, who can beat five opponents for the Masterson Holdings Hurdle (2.05).
The ex-French four-yearold had three starts for his new trainer last winter, scoring at Fontwell Park and Cheltenham either side of a defeat by Allmankind at the home of jump racing in November.
A 4lb pull in the weights will help the son of Dream Well’s bid for revenge.
The Best Odds At Matchbook book Novices’ Chase (2.40) is a good od opportunity for PILEON to make a successful debut over fences.
Philip Hobbs’s six-year-old ix year old made great strides s over timber during the 2019-20 campaign – which he ended with h an agonising shorthead defeat in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle e here in March – and a
5lb concession from m his three foes tilts the scales cales in Pileon’s favour.
The ability to handle hock-deep mud will be at a premium at
Newbury – and that points to the chance of EUCHEN GLEN in th the Group 3 Prav Pravha Stakes (4.10). Lane Laneqash heads the market for the Group 3 Molson Coors Beverage Company Stakes (3.35), but he is unproven under the conditions and preference is for NASTASE.
At Doncaster, after a near-miss in the same grade at Redcar three weeks ago, ZAMAANI holds the aces in the Listed vertem.co.uk Doncaster Stakes (1.45), while WRENTHORPE has plenty going for him in the Vertem Very Different Stockbrokers Handicap (2.20).