2025 Cheltenham & Doncaster Saturday Preview

We managed to nick two places at 16s and 25s (NB) last weekend. Titan Discovery winning was a sickener but at least we know we were on the right track with him. This weekend we have the Festival Trials and a few decent races up north, check out Dave Stevos’ 2025 Cheltenham & Doncaster Saturday tips below.

1.15 Cheltenham – Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2)

East India Dock is a warm order for this Grade 2 but will he handle the soft ground? Ok, he has won on soft on the flat, a 1m4f handicap off 68, but two miles and a furlong on the new course around here on soft ground is a different kettle of fish altogether. He’ll probably be fine but there is an element of doubt and at the prices, he might be worth taking on.

Thankfully, ten run here so we can try and nick some place money at bigger odds. One horse that should have zero issues on soft ground is Believitanducan for Alan King and Tom Cannon. A winner off 69 on the flat for his former trainer Jessica Macey, this son of Make Believe did plenty wrong yet still managed to win on his hurdling debut at Newbury (16.5f, soft) last month after a five month break.

His jumping wasn’t great at times and he didn’t travel as well as the runner up but he knuckled down well after jumping the last and by the time they hit the line, he was well on top. His lack of experience is an obvious negative but if this turns into a stamina test it could suit him well and though it has been a while since he last tasted success in this, Alan King knows the type of horse it takes to win this race. At odds of 16/1, Believitanducan is the e/w selection.

2025 Cheltenham & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Believitanducan e/w @ 16/1 NAP

1.50 Cheltenham – Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase (Premier)

I am a big fan of Soul Icon. I think the handicapper let him off pretty lightly with just a 3lb rise for his Kempton win last month and he should run a solid race again, though he might just prefer better ground than this. Torn And Frayed is hard to predict these days and the handicapper may just have Grandeur d’Ame’s measure for now. This is probably a race in which the market leaders will come to the fore so I’ll leave it alone. No bet.

2025 Cheltenham & Doncaster Saturday Tip: No Bet

2.05 Doncaster – River Don Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2)

Given that just 3l separated Western Knight and Yellow Car in a Cheltenham Grade 2 last time, surely the 16/1 available about the Killahena & McPherson horse is a shade generous given that Western Knight is the 5/2 favourite.

Both horses were tackling three miles for the first time that day and they had to give best to the French raider Jet Blue, who won impressively. Western Knight finished second, 6.5l behind the winner and Yellow Car was a further 3l back in third. On the run to the line the Tizzard horse wasn’t pulling away and on the same terms, there shouldn’t be much between them today.

The likes of Ma Shantou, Moon Rocket, Gamester’s Guy and Jig’s Forge are all interesting runners stepped up in class but they have to prove they can cut it at this higher level. Yellow Car’s rating of 126 puts him right in the mix with a couple of those rivals and he may well be even better than that mark. If he is 3l behind Western Knight again, it should be enough to get the place money so at odds of 16/1, back Yellow Car e/w.

2025 Cheltenham & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Yellow Car e/w @ 16/1

2.25 Cheltenham – Cotswold Chase (Grade 2)

Not the best of Grade 2s. We landed a lovely place with Gentlemansgame in the Savills Chase last month but he’s a lot shorter in the betting here. He ran a stinker here in the Gold Cup last year and I’m not sure this is his track. L’Homme Presse ran a grand race in the King George and ran fourth in last year’s Gold Cup. Soft ground is fine for him and he’ll probably be hard to beat. None of the others make any appeal so this is a race to just watch. No bet.

2025 Cheltenham & Doncaster Saturday Tip: No Bet

2.40 Doncaster – Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle (Grade 2)

An interesting race. It looks to be between Kateira and Jetara on the figures, though the former horse shaped much better on her last outing than the Irish raider and Jessica Harrington has decided to try cheekpieces now. Wyenot has a bit to find with an official rating of 137 but she should be competitive, as should Della Casa Lunga, who got to within 2.75l of Kateira at Kempton on her penultimate start.

We landed a lovely winner with Pinot Rouge on soft over this C&D last March but I’m not too sure about this better ground for her. I’ve tipped up Salsada a number of times too but whether this trip is going to suit her is up for debate. With just two places on offer, this is a race best left alone. No bet.

2025 Cheltenham & Doncaster Saturday Tip: No Bet

3.00 Cheltenham – Unibet Hurdle (Grade 2)

The defection of Lossiemouth means this should be a procession. Constitution Hill is streets above these rivals and that is reflected in his price of 1/5. The question is, who will finish second? On the figures it should be Brentford Hope but he ran a stinker on his last outing at Warwick and he is now tried in cheekpieces.

Fils d’Oudairies also comes into this race on the back of a tame effort over fences at Fairyhouse. He has been well beaten in his last two starts over timber too so it’s hard to know what to expect from him.

Spirits Bay hasn’t run that badly in his two runs this term. He finished fifth of 14 in a handicap hurdle on his seasonal reappearance here last month off 126 and then he ran third off the same mark on soft ground at Haydock a week ago.

He admittedly has it all to do on ratings with Brentford Hope and Fils d’Oudairies but neither of those horses are guaranteed to give their true running so it’s not impossible that the Twiston-Davies horse could get second. With odds of 100/1 available, Spirits Bay is a speculative e/w selection.

2025 Cheltenham & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Spirits Bay e/w @ 100/1 (half stakes)

3.15 Doncaster – Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase (Premier)

We landed a lovely touch with Charlie Uberalles here last month and he is back to try and plunder this prize. The assessor only raised him 4lb for that win and with ground to suit, surely he is overpriced again here at odds of 14/1.

He only had a neck to spare at the line here last time but in truth, he idled after hitting the front and it was a more authoritative win than the margin of victory suggests. He jumped and travelled extremely well throughout and he clearly has a liking for this venue.

We backed him at silly odds in this race last year and he ran a huge race to finish third off 122. He’s only 5lb higher now and once the ground doesn’t turn soft, hopefully he can be in the mix again. The 9yo son of Geordieland owes us nothing at this stage so we might as well keep the faith. At odds of 14/1, Charlie Uberalles is the each way pick.

2025 Cheltenham & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Charlie Uberalles e/w @ 14/1 (5 places) NB

3.35 Cheltenham – Cleeve Hurdle (Grade 2)

Crambo looks to follow up his Long Walk win but it is a worry that his sole start at this track on soft ground was a stinker. All but one of his wins have come on right handed tracks so I would proceed with caution if you are considering backing him.

Strong Leader has undergone a wind-op since his flop behind Crambo at Ascot. He has run well at this track before, he likes a bit of cut and of the market leaders, he appeals most, though the consistent Gowel Road can’t be discounted. Botox Has and Monmiral are capable horses on their day but they are short enough in the betting considering their inconsistent profiles.

Ga Law is back over hurdles for the first time since he was beaten 36l behind Botox Has at Wetherby. He ran poorly in a handicap chase here last month and while he has plenty of ability, it is tough to know what to expect from him back in this sphere.

Take A Chance

At the odds, it might be worth taking a chance on Transmission, who is also back from a spell chasing, for small stakes if all eight run. He’s only rated 133 but he at least comes into the race in form and he has chase form figures of 212 at this track.

His ultimate target is the National Hunt Chase here in March, so he likely won’t be given a hard race here but you can pick plenty of holes in his rivals and he may not need to run to his very best to get third. Conor O’Farrell will hopefully drop him out early and try to pick up the pieces late on, hopefully he can nick a bit of place money at odds of 33/1.

2025 Cheltenham & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Transmission e/w @ 33/1

-DaveStevos