All eyes on Cheltenham but we’re heading for Kelso
It’s Day 2 of The Showcase Meeting at Cheltenham and Jumps fans will most likely be focused on that action. However, I’m very sweet on one up at Kelso who is my betting tip for today. That said, I have also produced a Lucky 15 across the ITV Racing action which takes place at Doncaster, Cheltenham and Newbury, but all four of my selections come from the home of NH racing! Be sure to check that out too if you’re looking for bets at Cheltenham today.
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Betting advice
- 15:55 Kelso -
Whistle Stop Tour
@ 11/2 (3 places) - 1pt each way
Great all round value from Betfred
At the time of writing, Betfred is offering 11/2 for Whistle Stop Tour. But what makes this brand really stand out from the crowd is their sign up offer. If you bet £10, you’ll get £50 in free bets. You won’t find a better deal than this anywhere in the UK.
Whistle Stop Tour is better than he’s shown
Whistle Stop Tour runs for the Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore yard, and I’m convinced that he is a really nice horse. So much so, that I’ve already had a small antepost play on him for the
2026 Grand National
at 100/1. I certainly think he’s better than he’s shown us to date, and hopefully he can prove it here before moving on to bigger and better things later this season.
Whistle Stop Tour hates Perth, so draw a line through his run last month!
Connections sent Whistle Stop Tour to Perth in April for the final run of his 2024/25 campaign. It was not ideal as he’d already had a horrid time of it in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, thanks to the starter shenanigans that went on there. He was then a non-runner at Aintree due to the ground. When he came to Perth, he drifted notably in the market and ran poorly.
Ironically, he was sent to Perth again for his seasonal reappearance, and once again he ran poorly. As that was first time out, I’m sure he wouldn’t have been fully tuned, or that run, and it wasn't the finest of rides from Derek Fox, who was returning from a serious injury. So, he did have excuses, but I think he just happens to hate Perth, it’s not his type of track, and I’d simply draw a line through his form there.
Unlike some Whistle Stop Tour will be fit with a run already under his belt!
The positive we can draw from his Perth run comes from the fitness perspective. Many of his rivals today are coming here without a run, so it’s a gamble as to whether or not they needed it. Certain horses taking Whistle Stop Tour on today perform well when fresh, like Elvis Mail, who has won the last two renewals of this race without a previous run. However, he’s 11-years-old, going on 12 now, and he has to shoulder 11st 12lb. There’s also the fact that some of these will just be using this race as a stepping stone for other targets.
One that is fit and ready to go is Olivers Travels, who is on an upward curve for Mickey Bowen. He has won his last two starts off marks of 124 and 130 respectively, and now comes here off a mark of 139. He won very well last time, so I can see why the handicapper has put him up a further 9lb, but 15lb for his two wins is starting to look steep now.
Sooner or later, the handicapper gets a hold on these progressive types, and I’m pretty sure that is the case with Olivers Travels. That said, Mickey Bowen has a knack for improving them, so never say never. Interestingly, Mickey has replaced Sean Bowen with Shane Fenelon, who claims 5lb. While that helps in theory, I’d personally rather have Sean aboard and carry the extra weight with the way he’s riding - no offence Shane!
The switch to Kelso and the step up in trip will bring his stamina into play
As mentioned already, I don’t think Perth suited Whistle Stop Tour at all, so it’s good to see him switch to Kelso today. This is a much more stamina orientated track, which is emphasised further with the step up to 3m 2f too. I think this horse has a huge engine, and he’s all stamina. Whistle Stop Tour is not flashy or sexy, he simply digs deep and keeps finding for you.
There was talk of the Scottish National last year, but the way the Ultima went, connections decided against it. That in itself suggests they really like this horse, and there have even been whispers about the Grand National being the ultimate target for him. The more emphasis on stamina there is, the better the version of Whistle Stop Tour I think we will see.
He has already proved he performs at Kelso, recording a win here on his only visit, where he defeated Dare To Shout over 3m back in December last year. He was ridden prominently that day, and as he is fit from his reappearance run, and with the first time cheekpieces going on, I think they may revert back to prominent tactics to ensure his stamina comes into play today.
Can Whistle Stop Tour clock up another win for his yard?
I think we can draw a line through Whistle Stop Tour’s runs at Perth. He is fit, he switches to a track where he has winning form, and he steps up in trip which should suit him. As well as plenty of positives for Whistle Stop Tour, I think you can pick holes with most of his rivals as well, whether that’s the lack of a run, their handicap mark, or their age. Lucinda and Michael now operate as a partnership but between them (under individual names) they won this race in 2016, 2019 and 2020, as well as going close in other renewals. This is clearly a race they like to target, and I think they can land yet another renewal today.
On the negative side, Whistle Stop Tour does need to build on his last few runs. Taken at face value, they have been very poor. While I feel he has excuses for them, he still needs to prove he’s better than he has shown. Some would argue that Derek Fox being at Cheltenham instead of riding Whistle Stop Tour today is a negative. However, I have no concerns with Patrick Wadge whatsoever, he’s extremely capable. And as I said earlier, I don’t think Derek gave him the greatest of rides the last time!
All facts considered, I think 11/2 looks a fantastic price for Whistle Stop Tour today and I’m quietly confident that he’ll do us proud. I did contemplate really getting stuck into him, but he does have some questions to answer, so I’m sticking at 1pt each way. If I’m right about this horse, this will be a step towards much bigger targets, and hopefully he can develop into the Grand National horse I believe he could be.
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