Turf Talk: Cheltenham Festival proves what an exciting period this is for horse racing

The Cheltenham Festival highlighted the best of National Hunt racing with some superb performances from some great racehorses.

Constitution Hill won the Champion Hurdle in facile fashion and looks like the best thing we’ve seen for many a year.

He could easily clean up in the hurdling sphere but his owner wants to have a crack at the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the future where he could meet this year’s impressive winner Galopin Des Champs.

With some impressive wins for novices like Marine Nationale, Impair Et Passe and A Dream To Share, it really is an exciting time for the sport.

The action this Saturday takes place at Newbury and Kelso. The Skelton yard had two winners at the Festival and runs Heltenham in the big chase at Newbury.

This six-year-old has won his last two races in the style of an improving chaser and missed the Festival to wait for this race. Super Six is another to consider in this highly competitive contest.

Nicky Richards has sent out eight winners from his last 18 runners from his Greystoke yard in Cumbria. His next target is the Mares Hurdle at Kelso with Aubis Walk, who strolled home by 23 lengths when winning at Sedgefield last month.

This race is much tougher but she ran green that day and can hopefully build on the experience.

Nicky Henderson has some good mares in his yard and sends Queens Rock on the long journey to Kelso. If in the same form as her recent Doncaster victory, she will take some beating. Bonttay from the Fergal O’Brien yard looks her biggest rival and the one for the forecast.

Another horse making the trip to Scotland is Dorset-trained Forward Plan. Promising claimer Ben Godfrey has won three races on this gelding already and the 3lbs he takes off means he will very nearly carry bottom weight. Locally trained Flower of Scotland rates his biggest danger.

Garlick’s Goodies: Newbury 2:05 – Heltenham; 2:40 – Aubis Walk; Kelso 3:00 – Queens Court; 3:35 – Forward Plan.