"One of my bets of the week" - Five horses to watch at Cheltenham
By Alex Scott
Last Updated: Mon 19 Oct 2026
Alex Scott highlights some key names to look out for as racing returns to Cheltenham for the Showcase Meeting on Friday and Saturday. Watch all the action and analysis live on Racing TV.
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Frankie John
Friday 1.50 - Catesby Estates "Chasing Excellence" Novices' Chase
An Irish winner looks very likely in the second race of the meeting but Gordon Elliott’s and Willie Mullins’s runners will have to go some to get the better of the Denis Hogan-trained Frankie John.
Though he was fourth in the Sefton at Aintree in April, the son of Walk In The Park only won once over hurdles, but he looks to have improved for fences this season. A three-length winner over the re-opposing Bowensonfire at Galway in July, he made it two from two over the bigger obstacles with a Grade Three win over that same rival and the well-regarded Vicar Street at Gowran three weeks ago.
This would be the shortest distance he has run over since his bumper days and he will need to show plenty of speed to beat Manoir De Mirande, Gore Point and Ice Jet, who all arrive at Cheltenham off the back of two-mile chase victories, plus the Willie Mullins-trained Jarrive De Mee, who should be suited by the return to the minimum trip.
Eternal Angel
Friday 2.25 - Foundation Developments Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle
Tom Lacey: trainer of Eternal Angel, who could still be favourably treated. (Pic: focusonracing.com)
This is a wide-open race according to the market, but Eternal Angel looks one to watch in the third race on the card.
Tom Lacey’s six-year-old has been gradually improving over hurdles, especially in the jumping department having posted RaceiQ Jump Index scores of 9.0 and 9.2 in his two most recent races.
The Authorized gelding clearly likes good ground and finished just a head behind Dan Skelton’s re-opposing Loriko in August off level weights. Eternal Angel meets that rival on better terms here and has subsequently posted a stylish win up in class over this trip, with both the second and fourth-placed horses having won next time out.
Now three from six for his yard, he races off just 2lb higher here. He is one of my best bets of the week.
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Calico
Friday 3.35 – squareintheair.com Handicap Chase
Dan Skelton’s ten-year-old has form figures at the Showcase Meeting that read 2211, with his two wins have come in this race for the past two years.
An emphatic seven-length winner 12 months ago, he is likely to face similar ground conditions and, although he is now 6lb higher, he is still 1lb below the mark he won off at Ascot last November.
The German recruit goes well fresh and his yard continue to be in excellent form, though he could face some classy rivals, headed by Joe Tizzard’s 158-rated JPR One, last seen finishing a head second to Edwardstone in the Celebration Chase at Sandown. The nine-year-old is another that goes well fresh, but would have to concede upwards of 10lb to all of his rivals.
Diamond Dealer
Saturday 2.55 - William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase
The Champion Trainer has another chance of adding more valuable prize money in his pursuit of a second championship in Saturday’s feature handicap chase.
Diamond Dealer is three from five over fences and his jumping could be a huge asset on the Old Course. He has gained more jumping than all bar one of his rivals over the bigger obstacles so far, including when gaining over 20 lengths in the air when pulling up at Kelso with a respiratory noise in December.
He has since resumed his progress and looks a chaser on the up, but this could be his biggest test up against seasoned chasers Myretown and Mt Fugi Park, plus Henry de Bromhead’s The Short Go, who was fourth in this last year but is falling down the handicap.
La Luna Artista
Saturday 3.30 - Masterson Holdings Hurdle
A potentially strong race with some strong form on offer. Jane Williams has been lucky over the past week, with several placed runners, and she holds her filly by Spanish Moon in high regard.
She has plenty to find on ratings should she take her chance in this race but is thoroughly unexposed with just three starts over obstacles.
A comfortable winner of the Grade Two Adonis at Kempton in February, connections bypassed Cheltenham and Aintree and instead ran her at Sandown in a Premier Handicap in April where she made the running and finished a solid third.
Decent ground looks key to her and, although the jury is out to whether or not Cheltenham is her track, she has plenty of size and scope and shapes as if she is one to keep on side this year.
Indian River, an excellent third in the Grade One Anniversary Four-Year-Old Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree in April, warrants huge respect here, whilst Punchestown runner-up Lord Byron and the progressive Scott's Legacy also have strong claims.
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