OpinionExpert jury

Our experts select three horses to follow from Saturday's action

Gold Tweet: winner of the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham
Gold Tweet: winner of the Cleeve Hurdle at CheltenhamCredit: John Grossick

Gold Tweet
Winner, Dahlbury Stallions At Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle, Cheltenham

Gold Tweet was plucked from relative obscurity to become a legitimate Stayers' Hurdle contender in the Cleeve. His trainer Gabriel Leenders told me earlier in the week he "wasn't a champion" but he was convinced he would be well suited to the British style of racing and so it proved as he sauntered past Dashel Drasher under Johnny Charron. The Stayers' Hurdle looks remarkably open, and while he will need to be supplemented, his connections indicated they may cough up the fee and he wouldn't need to improve much to be involved. He has age on his side at just six, while he showed an impressive combination of speed and stamina on Saturday. He will add plenty of lustre to the championship final in March.
Maddy Playle, reporter

Rock My Way
Winner, Ballymore Novices' Hurdle, Cheltenham

There were plenty of fantastic performances, with Editeur Du Gite all heart in winning the Clarence House and Ahoy Senor landing the Cotswold Chase, but Rock My Way was the one who caught my eye. He was a very promising second on debut at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and, back over the same course and distance, he was an easy winner of the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle. Despite pricking his ears and having a look around he was well on top at the line and clearly has plenty more to offer. Syd Hosie has a very smart prospect on his hands, and this horse holds entries in both the Ballymore and Albert Bartlett and is one to really keep on side.
Owen Goulding, tipster 

Unexpected Party
Third, Timeform Novices' Handicap Chase, Cheltenham

Stage Star is a proper graded performer and was a joy to watch in the novice handicap chase, but it was hard not to have your eye drawn to Unexpected Party, who shaped with significant promise and has the Plate at the festival written all over him. He is still a 25-1 shot with Paddy Power for that race, but if he goes straight there I would expect him to be a good bit shorter on the day. He was a bitter disappointment in last year's Coral Cup, but the New course might be more to his liking and, off a mark of around 140, should be a massive player. He remains unexposed over fences having only had four starts, and I thought he jumped nicely.
David Jennings, Deputy Ireland editor


Read more . . .

'Dad would be proud' - Russell dedicates Ahoy Senor's brave Cotswold Chase win to late father Peter 

'It’s a dream, my dream' - French trainer Gabriel Leenders wins Cleeve Hurdle with Gold Tweet 

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Published on 28 January 2023inVerdicts

Last updated 18:04, 28 January 2023

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