Weekend Winners: Festival second Notlongtillmay has a great chance at Cheltenham!
Cheltenham's Showcase meeting sees some potential stars return and established chasers have a first run of the season; Notlongtillmay is back for Laura Morgan having finished second behind Stage Star last time out at the Cheltenham Festival
Friday 27 October 2023 14:49, UK
Kate Tracey is opting for a Cheltenham Festival second that could go one better at the track on Saturday’s Showcase card.
The opening race on Saturday's card looks a cracker with plenty of experienced chasers and classy youngsters clashing for a pot of over £60,000.
Haddex Des Obeaux looks particularly progressive for the Gary Moore team, having won two nice chases at the end of last season.
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But Weekend Winners pundit Kate Tracey is opposing the hot favourite, instead opting for a double-figure price in Notlongtillmay for the Laura Morgan yard, having finished second in the Turners' Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival behind Stage Star.
"I was really keen on Haddex Des Obeaux but I tried to look away from him and eventually the other class angle in the race for me, should he go here, is Notlongtillmay," Tracey told the Weekend Winners digital show.
"He's jocked up with Adam Wedge on board so the intent is there to run. Laura Morgan [trainer] said that the Cheltenham race looks easier, although flat tracks suit better.
"I had a look through the recent trends of the race and you want a horse that ran in a Class One race last time out but this is a reappearance and a younger animal.
"When we last saw him he ran a mighty race. He probably did have positional bias in the Turners but although it possibly wasn't a great renewal, he still ran a big race to finish second.
"Prior to that, he was three from three over fences for Laura Morgan and I'm hoping he'll come to the fore before moving on to bigger and better things."
