The jumps season begins in earnest this weekend with HQ’s first card of the season. Course form counts for plenty at Cheltenham and Long House Hall looks to be a potentially top-class novice chaser ready to make his mark this season.
Already off the mark over fences having notched at Bangor back in May, he should encounter the same good ground seen when breezing to a spring hat-trick. He reassuringly won on his seasonal reappearance last year and has so far looked to be a strong traveller and natural stayer, so stamina might be less of an issue despite the break.
Chief opposition is 5/4 favourite Parlour Games, who went close at Aintree and Cheltenham Festival last spring yet encounters fences for the first time so has something to prove on his seasonal debut. He’s a hold-up horse, a tactic that better suits hurdlers, so it’ll be interesting to see how he goes. It all makes him a shade vulnerable and the selection appeals more at the prices.
1.5pts win Long House Hall @3/1, Cheltenham 16:30
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