Harry Cobden’s Planet Sport Bet blog: Burdett Road very sharp and more improvement to come from Stay Away Fay

12:05 (Cheltenham) Burdett Road

I’m really looking forward to getting back on Burdett Road. He was very good last time at Cheltenham and I managed to get him settled on what was pretty bad ground.

He’s going to have a much sounder surface this time and that will certainly help. Sir Gino looks a worthy adversary and it will be good to test ourselves against a classy rival.
 
He’s probably one of the best juveniles I’ve ever sat on. Whether he trains on to be a Champion Hurdle horse, who knows, but he’s a proper juvenile. He’s very sharp and does everything really impressively.

 

12:40 (Cheltenham) Ginny's Destiny

I then ride Ginny’s Destiny. He’s about as consistent as they come and he loves Cheltenham.

The handicapper has probably had his say but he’s still improving. Paul Nicholls said he schooled very well on Thursday and he’s another who would have a good chance.

13:15 (Cheltenham) Il Ridoto

Il Ridoto is another who loves Cheltenham. He probably should have won last time and unfortunately the handicapper has bumped him up again which doesn’t make his life any easier. He rarely runs a bad race, though, and I expect another very solid showing.
 
It wasn’t too tricky a decision to ride him over Hitman. He was quite disappointing on his first start of the season and needs to bounce back from that.
 

13:50 (Cheltenham) Stay Away Fay

The Cotswold Chase looks a cracker and I ride Stay Away Fay. He’s a novice running in open company, but we like him a lot and he’s been brilliant on his two starts over fences.

The form with Grey Dawning looks very solid now and we don’t really know how good he is. He’s hard to get to the bottom of and I’m pretty sure there’s more improvement to come.
 
The Gold Cup is very unlikely but if he does win this well, it’s something we’d have to at least consider. You can’t run if you’re not in the race at the end of the day!
 

15:00 (Cheltenham) Rubaud

Rubaud runs in the International. He’s a horse who doesn’t ever run a bad race and we just bumped into a bit of a freak last time in Constitution Hill.

He should go nicely, but my only concern is that he does veer a little right, so going left-handed isn’t ideal.

He wasn’t too bad at Ayr last year, so hopefully it’s not too much of a worry. 
 

15:35 (Cheltenham) Noble Yeats

Next up is Noble Yeats in the Cleeve Hurdle and he’s a cracking ride to pick up.

Being a former Grand National winner, he needs no introduction and, while his first run over hurdles this season was a bit underwhelming, he’s very classy and connections wouldn’t be running here if they didn’t think he had a chance.

The staying hurdle division is wide open; a win here and he’s a serious Stayers’ Hurdle contender.

16:10 (Cheltenham) Isaac Des Obeaux

I close out the day with Isaac Des Obeaux. He’s an improving horse who has won his last two with his head in his chest, so is clearly on the upgrade.

He hasn’t beaten much and this is a step up in grade, but he’s a horse that we like and wouldn’t rule him out.