Horse Racing Tips: Side with Sixo at Cheltenham on Friday

There is a mixture of Flat and Jumps racing in the UK and Ireland on Friday, with six meetings taking place across the afternoon and into the evening.

Among my horse racing tips for Friday is a promising young hurdler representing Gordon Elliott in a novices’ contest from Cheltenham.

14:08 Doncaster - Queen Of Thieves @ 7/4

QUEEN OF THIEVES is representing John and Thady Gosden in the eight-runner fillies' maiden for juveniles at Doncaster and the well-bred daughter of Frankel is considered one to back on her debut.

The Gosdens went 7-35 (20%) in the past fortnight and they are 6-27 (22%) with their juvenile runners at Doncaster.

Four of her opponents will have an experience advantage and the once-raced Janey Mackers reached a close third over this 1m trip on her recent Yarmouth debut.

She could leave that effort well behind with Oisin Murphy continuing in the saddle, but she may need to in order to fend off the selection and, as it stands, an initial Racing Post Rating (RPR) of 75 doesn’t set the most formidable of standards.

Queen Of Thieves is a full sister to the high-class 1m-1m4f winner Cracksman, including as a juvenile, out of a Listed 7.5f-1m1f winner.

14:25 Cheltenham - Matata @ 11/4

MATATA is also worth supporting when he reappears in the nine-runner handicap chase from Cheltenham, representing Nigel Twiston-Davies and with Daryl Jacob back in the saddle.

Jacob is 3-9 on the selection, who has achieved a high level of form over 2m over fences despite never having had the opportunity to advertise his appreciation of a decent surface over the larger obstacles. The Vadamos gelding went 2-3 on good ground over hurdles before going chasing in the autumn of 2023.

Matata features off a mark of 147. He registered RPRs between 152 and 154 on three occasions as a novice last term, including on the New Course and the Old Course at Cheltenham.

He also goes particularly well when fresh, winning on his return to action in the October of 2022 and 2023, so the positives are stacking up as he returns to the Old Course with the ground conditions potentially more in his favour.

Betfred are offering your stake back (up to £10) as a free bet if your selection in this race finishes 2nd.

16:10 Cheltenham - Minella Sixo @ 9/4

MINELLA SIXO is considered one of the best bets of the day in the eight-runner novices' hurdle at Cheltenham, representing Gordon Elliott with Danny Gilligan in the saddle.

Elliott is 34-313 (11% +£98.55) with his runners over hurdles at Prestbury Park. Gilligan is 33-236 (14%) when riding for Elliott in Ireland.

The five-year-old cost £115,000 shortly after winning an Irish point on good to yielding ground in May 2024.

The Cheltenham surface is currently described as good with the potential for a small amount of rain on the morning of racing.

The son of Shantou ran out a comfortable eight-length winner of his hurdling debut in a 2m Fairyhouse maiden on good ground earlier this month and he is going to prove difficult to beat, if improving for this step up to an intermediate trip on this course as seems likely.

The selection is a full-brother to Brechin Castle, a Listed bumper winner at Cheltenham, and a half-brother to the 2m3f-2m5f hurdle winner Wynn House.

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