By Bill Esdaile
WE LEARNED a few more clues on the road to Cheltenham last weekend at Lingfield, with the return of L’Homme Presse and an impressive success in the Grade Two Lightning Novices’ Chase for JPR ONE.
Joe Tizzard’s runner jumped and travelled brilliantly throughout the contest and could be called the winner a long way out.
Those abilities will stand him in good stead should he line up in the Arkle in March, as his trainer suggested he would do after his win on Sunday, and he could well offer good each-way value at his current price of 16/1 with Grosvenor Sport.
Arkle Novices’ Chase*
Marine Nationale 4/6
Gaelic Warrior8/1
Facile Vega 9/1
JPR One 16/1
He would likely have won at Cheltenham in November, over the Arkle course and distance, were it not for crashing out at the final fence, as he was still cruising and three lengths up at the time.
It’s worth putting a line through his run in the Henry VIII Novices’ at Sandown as the going was attritional that day and he clearly just got stuck in the ground.
Better ground suits this horse, and he’s likely to encounter a much sounder surface at Cheltenham in seven weeks’ time.
JPR One has a similar profile to the Tizzard yard’s Eldorado Allen, who finished second behind Shishkin in the 2021 Arkle, and he looks the strongest English challenger.
The Irish are set to field a fearsomely strong hand, headed by red-hot favourite Marine Nationale, who could be tough to beat, but Barry Connell’s charge is a very short price for a horse that still has to get to the race.
As is always the case, value is what I’m looking for in these ante-post columns, and as this race often features a single-figure field, the 16/1 about JPR One looks well worth taking.
Grosvenor Sport also have Arkle betting without Marine Nationale, with JPR One available at highly attractive odds of 10/1.
POINTERS CHELTENHAM
JPR One e/w Arkle
JPR One w/o Marine Nationale Arkle
