Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham: the key clashes

Race: 12.05 - JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) 

Britain has the first two in the betting for the Triumph Hurdle and they are on course to clash in Saturday’s Trial. 

Royal Ascot winner Burdett Road has won each of his two races over hurdles, impressing when swooping from off the pace to beat An Bradan Feasa (winner since) and Milan Tino (who could reoppose) at Cheltenham’s November Meeting. Sir Gino is also 2/2 over jumps and the French recruit created a deep impression when winning by 14 lengths on his British bow at Kempton. 

Peace And Co (2015) and Defi Du Seuil (2017) have scooped this prize en route to Triumph glory in recent years.

Race:  1.50: Paddy Power Cotswold Chase 

Stay Away Fay didn’t have his first race under Rules until late November 2022. Royal Pagaille had already had 21 races by that time, when up against the best on many occasions. Now, intriguingly, their paths cross for the first time. 

Royale Pagaille arrives on the back of his defeat of Bravemansgame in the Betfair Chase at Haydock but has never previously been at his best at Cheltenham, being a supporting act in the past three editions of the Gold Cup. 

Stay Away Fay, a stablemate of Bravemansgame, showed an abundance of stamina when landing the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival in March and is 2/2 over fences. The official ratings suggest he has about a stone to find with Royale Pagaille but it may not be that straightforward. 

Race:  2.25: Clarence House Chase 

Jonbon will be a hot favourite with El Fabiolo staying at home and here’s the good news for his Fan Club: he’s been a market leader on a dozen occasions and won every time. 

His only defeats have been when runner-up at the Festival for the past two years, with ConstitutionHill and El Fabiolo being the only horses to lower his colours. 

He’s got outstanding form claims but Editeur Du Gite is used to springing surprises. He upstaged Edwardstone and Energumene in this race 12 months ago, when it was also rescheduled at Cheltenham, and got back on track when defying top weight in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton over Christmas. 

Race:  3.35: McCoy Contractors Cleeve Hurdle 

These three veterans have become part of the National Hunt furniture and might easily again put younger rivals in their place. 

Paisley Park seeks a fourth triumph in this race, having gone close to landing a fourth victory in the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot last month. 

He had Dashel Drasher (third) and Champ (fourth) behind that day, but that pair  have also enjoyed verdicts over him. 

For instance, Dashel Drasher beat Paisley Park by a head in this season’s Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury, while Champ defeated him by a neck in the 2022 edition of that race. Between them, they’ve won 34 of their 82 races and £1.6 million in prize money.