YOU BET: King's Grumeti aiming to pass Cheltenham trial (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

YOU BET: King's Grumeti aiming to pass Cheltenham trial

11:50am Thursday 26th January 2012 in Ray Burroughs Racing Column By Ray Burroughs

WITH the Cheltenham Festival meeting on the horizon, jumping fans will have notebooks at the ready for the trials meeting at Cheltenham this weekend.

The JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial, a Juvenile Hurdle over two miles one furlong kicks off the meeting with Barbury Castle trainer Alan King looking for a good run from Grumeti.

He looked sure to be heading for the winners enclosure before falling two hurdles out at Newbury last time.

Despite that, Grumeti retained his position as favourite for the Triumph Hurdle although he will face stiff opposition from a couple of Paul Nicholls runners and the Cotswold-trained Baby Mix, the mount of Paddy Brennan.

The selection however is for Grumeti to put in a clear round and justify his place at the head of the Triumph ante-post market.

The Argento Chase field is headed by the Paul Webber-trained Time For Rupert, the mount of Denis O’Regan and the Philip Hobbs-trained Captain Chris.

David Pipe has his exciting novice Grand Crus entered and the Nicholls-trained Tidal Bay, second last year, is also expected to go to post.

Time For Rupert could build on his last winning outing.

The Cleeve Hurdle, over three miles, is headed by Nicholls’ Big Bucks, who bids for his 15th victory in a row.

The Neptune Investment Management Novices Hurdle could be at the mercy of the Nicky Henderson-trained Broadbackbob and Barry Geraghty while King’s Batonnier and Knight Pass are worth considering.

Doncaster has two feature races, the Listed Sky Bet Chase and the Grade Two Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle.

The Nicholls-trained Aiteen Thirtythree is entered for the Sky Bet but perhaps an each way interest on the Timmy Murphy-ridden Wayward Prince could provide a profit.

In the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle, the Emma Lavelle-trained Gullinbursti could be the answer.

Uttoxeter stages the other Saturday jumping card with the all-weather meeting at Lingfield, where the best bets could be Titan Triumph in the mile handicap, Junoob in the Lingfieldpark.co.uk Handicap and rider Joe Fanning could send backers home happy by winning the final race on the card with Southern State, trained by Mark Johnston.

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