FRIDAY 12TH DECEMBER

I have been keeping an eye on FORTUNE DE MER for some time as I know he is being aimed at the County Hurdle. Since he won at Cheltenham in October, Dan Skelton said ‘we will work backwards towards the County Hurdle’. Now FORTUNE DE MER needs to run 5 times in order to be able to qualify for the County Hurdle and this is his 4th start over hurdles. He will need one more run after this race and I am sure Dan Skelton will not want to get to the bottom of the horse on his next start. By that I mean having to win his next start to get his handicap mark up as currently on his mark of 127, he will not get into the race. I am confident the plan here will be to win this race, get his handicap mark up to 132-136 and then give him a lung opener ahead of the County Hurdle come March. If he doesn’t win here, it all boils down to his next start and that is not a chance you want to take. 

The trainer clearly thinks he has loads of improvement to come, is potentially very well handicapped and is a talented horse. FORTUNE DE MER is still learning, he is still a bit babyish but he travels so strongly through his races. He has so much more to come and I am sure he will be waiting until after the last hurdle and try to win the race up the hill. I don’t think he will win by much as he looks to be that type of horse who needs to be delivered late.

Cheltenham is the perfect track for a strong traveller as horses get tired up the hill and those travelling better, generally motor up the hill. I am quietly confident FORTUNE DE MER can win this race and get us off to a cracker. WIN.

 

L’HOMME PRESSE has it all to do carrying top weight. We know he is head and shoulders above the field but if anything can get him beat, it will be the weight. Having said that, I still think he can win, lumping weight. This is not the strongest race in the world and it is a grade 1 horse against handicappers. L’HOMME PRESSE loves it around Cheltenham and is 3 from 4 around the course. The only race he has lost at Cheltenham was in the 2024 Gold Cup when coming home a sound 4th of 11 to Galopin Des Champs. 

He also goes very well when fresh, winning on his first start of the season, 3 of his 4 runs. The only time he has been beaten first time up was last year and he still managed 3rd in the King George Chase. 

It is also nice to see Venetia Williams horses starting to run to form and I think she could be on for a great December as when they hit form, they absolutely fly. 

I expect L’HOMME PRESSE to make the running and given how well he can keep galloping, he is going to be very hard to reel in. He is rated 162 by the handicapper and although now a 10 year old, he has won handicaps off marks as high as 164 in the past.

With £56k going to the winner and L’HOMME PRESSE being just shy of grade 1 level (placed horse), they will be looking to pick up races like this. WIN.