Prices are correct at time of dispatch to our members.
FORTUNE DE MER 7/2 Bet 365, 10/3 overall – 1.25 POINTS WIN
I have been keeping an eye on FORTUNE DE MER for a while now as I know he is targeting the County Hurdle. Since winning at Cheltenham in October, Dan Skelton has said ‘we will be working backwards towards the County Hurdle’. Now FORTUNE DE MER must run 5 times to qualify for the County Hurdle and this is his 4th start over hurdles. He’ll need one more run after this race and I’m sure Dan Skelton won’t want to get to the bottom of the horse on his next start. By that I mean he needs to win his next start to raise his handicap mark as he currently stands at 127. He will not participate in the race. I’m confident the plan here will be to win this race, get his handicap to 132-136 and then give him a lung opener ahead of the County Hurdle in March. If he doesn’t win here, it all comes down to his next start and that’s not a risk you want to take.
The trainer clearly thinks he still has a lot to improve, is potentially very well handicapped and is a talented horse. FORTUNE DE MER is still learning, he is still a bit babyish, but he is traveling so strong through his races. There is so much more to come and I am sure he will wait until after the last hurdle and try to win the uphill race. I don’t think he will win much as he seems to be the type of horse that needs to be delivered late.
Cheltenham is the perfect track for a strong traveler as horses tire up the hill and those who travel better generally ride up the hill. I have every confidence that FORTUNE DE MER can win this race and give us a blast. WIN.
1:50 Cheltenham
L,HOMME PRESSE 9/2 overall – 1 POINT WIN
L’HOMME PRESSE is all about carrying top weight. We know he’s head and shoulders above the field, but if anything can beat him, it’s the weight. That said, I still think he can win by throwing the weight together. This is not the strongest race in the world and it is a class 1 horse against handicappers. L’HOMME PRESSE loves it around Cheltenham and is 3 of 4 on the track. The only race he has lost at Cheltenham was in the 2024 Gold Cup, when he came home a close 4th of 11 for Galopin Des Champs.
He also does very well when fresh, winning 3 of his 4 runs on his first start of the season. The only time he was beaten first time was last year and he still finished third in the King George Chase.
It’s also nice to see Venetia Williams’ horses starting to get into shape and I think she’s going to have a great December because when they get into shape they’re absolutely flying.
I expect L’HOMME PRESSE to make it and given how well he can keep galloping, it will be very difficult to land him. He has a handicap score of 162 and although he is now 10 years old, he has won handicaps higher than 164 in the past.
Because £56,000 goes to the winner and L’HOMME PRESSE is just short of Category 1 (placed horse), they will try to pick up these types of races. WIN.
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