Richard Hoiles' top tips for Tuesday: James Street on the right road

Two standout performances this week – one either side of the Irish Sea.

Pat Kelly may have an unorthodox preparation in terms of race choice for Presenting Percy but he certainly knows how to get him ready for his chosen day.

Landing back-to-back Galmoy Hurdles may still leave a question of his fencing experience for a Gold Cup but his performance left little doubt as to his ability.

Having got to the front approaching the last, the prick of the ears and look around suggested he was for from at the bottom of the barrel, as did the way he picked up when pressed up the run in.

Presumably Davy Russell’s tongue was as firmly in his cheek when suggesting the Stayers’ Hurdle rather than the Gold Cup could be the objective as it must have been when he complained about Presenting Percy’s handicap mark of 146 before he romped away with the Pertemps two seasons ago!

In a year where some of the Irish star horses have failed to fire, Presenting Percy will go to the Festival with a major chance of landing a third consecutive victory.

Saturday saw a particularly strong renewal of the Cleeve Hurdle with virtually all the leading UK staying contenders in opposition.

This was largely due to the fact that the pecking order this side of the Irish Sea had been pretty difficult to establish but Paisley Park changed all that with a dominant victory.

He has a little flat spot in his races, rather like Big Buck’s before him, but as usual he responded well to pressure and was strong at the finish.

Full marks to Emma Lavelle for running the horse as it would have been more in keeping with the current ‘cotton wool’ vogue of waiting for Cheltenham.

Instead, he will go there having already had a season to remember for his connections whereas for others their whole campaign will potentially hinge of their performance (and the prevailing ground) in March.

Impressive though those victories were, the boat has sailed for the pair as regards betting opportunities so here are a couple of lower profile horses who enhanced their Festival prospects last week and may still be more under the radar.

Cilaos Emery was ridden with great confidence by Ruby Walsh when making a successful chasing debut having been off for more than a year at Gowran Park last Thursday.

This may in part have been due to the fact that if he had been beaten his novice status could have been preserved for next season. Instead he looks committed to going for the Arkle and there was no hiding the glint in Ruby’s eye when interviewed afterwards.

The other, and far more speculative one, was Allysson Monterg, who lasted long enough in the Cotswold Chase to suggest he may be of interest in one of the Festival handicaps, probably the Ultima on the first day.

Transferring Graded form to handicaps can be fraught with danger but based on Saturday a mark of 141 – assuming he is left on that mark - looks workable wherever connections decide to head.

Tuesday’s selections commence with:

A smart bumper horse who has clearly had issues but stuck to task well at Ayr last time and should appreciate the return to 2m 6f.

Over that trip at Kelso he blotted his copybook by running out when in front but Newcastle will represent a stiffer test and Danny Cook will hopefully will be wise to any potential errant tendencies.

Can give Ciaran Gethings his 100th career success by giving weight away in a race where there looks to be a lot of dead wood. The likely sticky ground will hold no fears and he can gain his first career success in the lowest grade race he has contested so far.

He is 6lb higher than when scoring here over slightly this month and is again partnered by Brian Hughes, who is 5-18 at Newcastle this season.

Nicky Richards is himself operating at a 33 per cent strike rate this month and Petite Ganache can add another success to the tally.

Got outpaced a shade down the hill at Lingfield before staying on well. That was his first run in handicap company and showed the initial mark of 88 to be a workable one. Just 1lb higher here he can prove himself more progressive than his rivals if able to be kept in closer touch.