Cheltenham Festival: Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Tips

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The final race of the Cheltenham Festival is up there for being one of the most competitive. This is a total mess of the head trying to find the winner of this race. Usually in this conditionals’ jockey race you can get an idea of what’s got a good chance, as trainers will book the best condition jockey, but not real stand-out jockey in the weighing room under this category anymore, it’s difficult to go for that angle. In the past we had Jonjo Jr, Rex Dingle, JJ Slevin etc.

There are quite a few in this race who are on the border of being Grade 2/1 horses, so you can either go for the class angle or you try and find one which might be ahead of the handicapper. The problem is, there could be a few who are ahead of the handicapper, so you need to find the correct one.

LANGER DAN runs in this race again and runs off a 2lb higher than last year where he finished 2^nd. He has only been seen once since, which was at Taunton in February, which was clearly a prep run at another crack at this race, he has to be a threat based on his near miss and connections looking for revenge.

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FIVE O’CLOCK is an interesting runner in this. He had a troubled run in this race back in 2020, and from his 7^th in the race, you’d have thought his career could’ve kicked on and he would’ve potentially turned into a Graded horse. That hasn’t gone to plan, and he hasn’t been seen since that run in this race, which is 735 days off the track. It would be some training performance if Willie Mullins could pull it off, but if any man can, he is the man. Watch the market on this horse.

My first play in this race is going to be BANBRIDGE, trained by Joseph O’Brien, who has had a quiet week at Cheltenham, coming into the week with no standout chances. This horse is priced up similarly to the rest, but I think he has an EW chance. This trip should be what he wants, and he looked comfortable when they put him over this trip at certain post last summer, where he beat some okay horses, including The Little Yank, who has improved 20lbs since they met. Banbridge was beating that horse by 4.75L and giving away 12lbs to him.

The way he won at Navan was better than what might appear, and it got a decent RPR for a novice hurdle. He beat Au Fleuron convincingly, who reopposes him in this race today. That race has been won by some nice types in the past including, Galvin, Thedevilscoachman, Floueur and Riders Onthe Storm. Now they’re returning to this trip, there’s more to come. The owner, Ronny Bartlett has a good record with his horses at Cheltenham, with 22 of his horses winning or being in the top 4 from 33 runs, including 7 wins.

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DECIMATION is my second play in this race, and he could be very well handicapped off his form shown from last year. His second in a Grade 2 last April behind Ashdale bob looks bombproof. The winner is easily a 150+ rated horse, and consistent Grade 2 performer. He ran a belter in the Coral Cup to finish 3^rd behind Commander Of Fleet earlier in the week off a big weight, and has ran some nice races since he met Decimation. Also in that race was Gentlemansgame, who finished runner-up in a Grade 1 behind Galopin Des Champs, he was well beaten, but came ahead of some big names like, Stattler and Tellmesomethinggirl. Since then, Decimation finished 3^rd, which at the time looked to be a pretty poor run, but in hindsight it was a blinder.

The winner, Lifetime Ambition has proven to be a decent chaser. In behind was Fastorslow, who recently finished 2^nd in the Coral Cup this week, Winter Fog was back in 4^th, he finished 4^th in yesterday’s Pertemps. And you have a few others in behind who have franked the form as well. His only run so far this season came at Fairyhouse at the end of February, on the back of a 304-day break. He clearly needed that run, and he'll be primed for this.

There’s plenty in this race with a chance, with Gordon Elliott sending over an army for the last race which includes the likes of CHEMICAL ENERGY, HOLLOW GAMES, THE GOFFER and a few others. I wouldn’t put you off from having a few darts in this.

Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle Tips

• Banbridge 12/1 (Each Way) @ The Pools
• Decimation 18/1 (Each Way) @ The Pools

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No

Silks

Runner

Jockey/Trainer

Odds

20

Herbiers
11-P414

J: Theo Gillard
T: O Greenall

5/4

---

5

Grand Jury
114-126

J:
T: H De Bromhead

2/1

---

3

Adamantly Chosen
1-221

J:
T: W P Mullins

7/2

---

17

Quinta Do Mar
24-114F

J: Luca Morgan
T: B Pauling

4/1

---

6

The Goffer
3-71441

J:
T: G Elliott

4/1

---

21

Lucky Max
0-11187

J: Peter Kavanagh
T: S Doyle

9/2

---

2

Hollow Games
11-1133

J:
T: G Elliott

13/2

---

23

Silver Sheen
0-50065

J:
T: Mrs J Harrington

13/2

---

4

Five O'Clock
322117/

J: J B Foley
T: W P Mullins

15/2

---

14

Au Fleuron
1-4123

J: K Brogan
T: G Elliott

17/2

---

16

I A Connect
23-1121

J: Fergus Gregory
T: G Elliott

9/1

---

12

Hes A Hardy Bloke
3110-68

J: E Walsh
T: N Meade

12/1

---

22

Reserve Tank
52FP8P

J: Mitchell Bastyan
T: C L Tizzard

14/1

---

13

Chemical Energy
140-121

J:
T: G Elliott

20/1

---

25

Party Business
32-81F5

J: Reserve 1
T: Ian Williams

20/1

---

19

Perfect Attitude
33-1253

J: Jack Tudor
T: G Elliott

28/1

---

18

Freedom To Dream
32/124

J: Liam Harrison
T: Peter Fahey

33/1

---

1

The Very Man
3U45P1

J:
T: Mrs J Harrington

33/1

---

8

Earlofthecotswolds
50-3116

J: J Nailor
T: N A Twiston-Davies

40/1

---

10

Langer Dan
95412-6

J: Lorcan Williams
T: D Skelton

40/1

---

26

Solwara One
16-FFU9

J: Reserve 2
T: N P Mulholland

40/1

---

9

Ilikedwayurthinkin
70-1130

J:
T: G P Cromwell

50/1

---

11

Banbridge
111471

J:
T: J P O'Brien

NR

---

24

Bigz Belief
P0-P031

J:
T: M J Smith

NR

---

15

Cobblers Dream
1-13211

J: Jack Andrews
T: B I Case

NR

---

7

Decimation
22123-7

J: M P O'Connor
T: H De Bromhead

NR

---