Ultima Handicap Chase Tips 2026 - Cheltenham Festival

Skybet Supreme Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Singer Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Ultima Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Unibet Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Sun Racing Plate Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Princess Royal National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Turners Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered As The Baring Bingham Novices' Hurdle) (GBB Race)

Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Grade 1) (Registered As The Broadway Novices' Chase) (GBB Race)

Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (A Limited Handicap) (GBB Race)

BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Debenhams Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Weatherbys Champion Bumper (In Memory Of Sir Johnny Weatherby) (G1) (GBB) (POSSIBLE ENTRIES)

Ryanair Mares' Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle) (GBB)

Jack Richards Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (Grade 2) (Registered As The Golden Miller) (GBB Race)

Close Brothers Mares' Hurdle (Registered As The David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle) (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Ryanair Chase (Registered As The Festival Trophy) (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Rosconn Group Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

JCB Triumph Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

William Hill County Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race)

Mrs Paddy Power Mares' Chase (Registered As The Liberthine Mares' Chase) (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) (Registered As The Spa Novices' Hurdle) (GBB Race)

Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase (POSSIBLE ENTRIES)

Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race)

The Ultima Handicap Chase is a Grade 3 contest run over 2m1f on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival. View the racecard here.

Compare the odds for all the runners in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Find out which bookmaker is offering the best odds.

Ultima Handicap Chase tips and predictions from our horseracing experts for the third race on day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival 2026. Click to see more. 

Ultima Handicap Chase 2026 - Racecard, Runners & Trends

The Ultima Handicap Chase, also known as the Festival Trophy, is a long-distance handicap chase run as the third race on day one of the Cheltenham Festival. It is the first of five handicap chases run at the festival. Winners of the race often take part in the Grand National - those who have achieved victory in both events include Royal Tan, Team Spirit, West Tip, Seagram, Rough Quest and Corach Rambler.

Compare the odds for all the runners in the Ultima Handicap on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. Some bookmakers offer different odds and unique offers so look out for the offer icons under the bookmaker logos. The Ultima Handicap is often a highly competitive race, which means you may want to look for an each-way alternative at bigger odds, which is where the Ultima Handicap odds comparison comes in handy.

Ultima Handicap Chase Latest Betting Odds Comparison 2026

The British dominance of the Ultima Handicap Chase, the first handicap of the meeting, continued when Myretown scored for Lucinda Russell and Patrick Wadge. It was a third success in the last four runnings of the race for Russell, who struck with Corach Rambler in 2022 and 2023. Myretown, a lightly raced, progressive chaser, was well supported and justified 13-2 favouritism by 11 lengths.

The Ultima Handicap odds comparison grid is simple and easy to use. All the runners are listed down the left, whilst each bookmaker is presented across the top. The odds box that crosses the horse and the bookmaker, is the odds that bookmaker is offering on that specific horse.
The odds that have a bold number indicate the best price available for that horse in the Ultima Handicap. The odds boxes are coloured red and blue to indicate whether a horse is being supported or not. The red boxes show a drift in price, which means the odds are getting bigger as less punters are betting on that horse. In contrast, the blue box shows when the odds are contracting, indicating the horse is being supported in the betting.
Underneath the bookmaker logo, are the offers available for the Ultima Handicap by that bookmaker. Some bookmakers offer more places for each way bets, or money back specials if your horse finishes second, so it’s always worth checking and comparing before placing your bet.
<span data-sheets-root="1" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Don't have an account with a bookmaker offering the best odds on your selection for the Ultima Handicap? Be sure to check out our latest Cheltenham Festival free bet offers today&quot;}" data-sheets-userformat="{&quot;2&quot;:1053569,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;10&quot;:2,&quot;11&quot;:0,&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;15&quot;:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;23&quot;:1}" data-sheets-textstyleruns="{&quot;1&quot;:0}{&quot;1&quot;:137,&quot;2&quot;:{&quot;2&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:1136076},&quot;9&quot;:1}}{&quot;1&quot;:173}" data-sheets-hyperlinkruns="{&quot;1&quot;:137,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;https://www.racingpost.com/free-bets/horse-racing/cheltenham/&quot;}{&quot;1&quot;:173}">Don&#8217;t have an account with a bookmaker offering the best odds on your selection for the Ultima Handicap? Be sure to check out our latest <a class="in-cell-link" href="https://www.racingpost.com/free-bets/horse-racing/cheltenham/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cheltenham Festival free bet offers </a>today

This prestigious 3m1f handicap chase is one of the most important of its type in the jumps season and, as well as being a major prize in its own right, often draws runners who will head on to other big races in the spring, including the Grand National. Royal Tan, Team Spirit, West Tip, Seagram, Rough Quest and Corach Rambler make up the list of horses to have won both. Corach Rambler being the most recent with consecutive Ultima Handicap wins in 2022 and 2023 before also winning the 2023 Grand National. 

Lucinda Russell won this in 2022 and 2023 with Corach Rambler and saddles two very promising novices in Whistle Stop Tour and MYRETOWN (nap). Whistle Stop Tour (second choice) is open to improvement now he's back up in trip but preference is for Myretown, who has impressed on his last two completed starts and could be nicely ahead of the handicapper. Famous Bridge posted a career-best performance when winning the Grand National Trial at Haydock last month and could have more to offer in the retained cheekpieces. He is next on the list ahead of impressive Ladbrokes Trophy winner Katate Dori and Malina Girl, for whom the return to Cheltenham could be a plus. Broadway Boy, Henry's Friend, The Changing Man and Crebilly are others who can run well.

<table dir="ltr" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" data-sheets-root="1" data-sheets-baot="1">
<colgroup>
<col width="66" />
<col width="152" />
<col width="119" />
<col width="66" />
<col width="100" />
<col width="177" />
<col width="177" /></colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Year</td>
<td>Horse</td>
<td>Previous Form</td>
<td>Age</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>Trainer</td>
<td>Jockey</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2025</td>
<td>Myretown</td>
<td>1-51F1</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>13/2F</td>
<td>Lucinda Russell</td>
<td>Patrick Wadge</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2024</td>
<td>Chianti Classico</td>
<td>1P-112</td>
<td>7</td>
<td>6-1</td>
<td>Kim Bailey</td>
<td>David Bass</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2023</td>
<td>Corach Rambler</td>
<td>1-54</td>
<td>9</td>
<td>6-1JF</td>
<td>Lucinda Russell</td>
<td>Derek Fox</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2022</td>
<td>Corach Rambler</td>
<td>3114U</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>10-1</td>
<td>Lucinda Russell</td>
<td>Derek Fox</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2021</td>
<td>Vintage Clouds</td>
<td>58-753</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>28-1</td>
<td>Sue Smith</td>
<td>Ryan Mania</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2020</td>
<td>The Conditional</td>
<td>4-3124</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>15-2</td>
<td>David Bridgwater</td>
<td>Bredan Powell</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2019</td>
<td>Beware The Bear</td>
<td>P4P-41</td>
<td>9</td>
<td>10-1</td>
<td>Nicky Henderson</td>
<td>Jerry McGrath</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2018</td>
<td>Coo Star Sivola</td>
<td>53241</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>5-1F</td>
<td>Nick Williams</td>
<td>Lizzie Kelly</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2017</td>
<td>Un Temps Pour Tout</td>
<td>4-1036</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>9-1</td>
<td>David Pipe</td>
<td>Tom Scudamore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2016</td>
<td>Un Temps Pour Tout</td>
<td>3-1224</td>
<td>7</td>
<td>11-1</td>
<td>David Pipe</td>
<td>Tom Scudamore</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2015</td>
<td>The Druids Nephew</td>
<td>P-1275</td>
<td>8</td>
<td>8-1</td>
<td>Neil Mulholland</td>
<td>Barry Geraghty</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Latest odds for the Ultima Handicap at the Cheltenham Festival

Ultima Handicap Odds 2026

Key trends
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Trained in Britain, 10/10</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Adjusted RPR of above 150, 9/10</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Beaten on their previous start, 7/10</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Aged between six and eight, 7/10</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sent off at single-figure odds, 6/10</li>
</ul>
Other factors
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">The last Irish-trained horse to win the race was the Tony Martin-trained Dun Doire in 2006.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Un Temps Pour Tout (2017) is the only winner to have carried top weight this century</li>
</ul>
<span data-sheets-root="1" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;We have all the best Cheltenham Betting offers ahead of placing your bets on the Ultima Handicap Chase&quot;}" data-sheets-userformat="{&quot;2&quot;:1049089,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:1},&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;23&quot;:1}" data-sheets-textstyleruns="{&quot;1&quot;:0}{&quot;1&quot;:21,&quot;2&quot;:{&quot;2&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:1136076},&quot;9&quot;:1}}{&quot;1&quot;:46}" data-sheets-hyperlinkruns="{&quot;1&quot;:21,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;https://www.racingpost.com/free-bets/horse-racing/cheltenham/&quot;}{&quot;1&quot;:46}">We have all the best <a class="in-cell-link" href="https://www.racingpost.com/free-bets/horse-racing/cheltenham/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cheltenham Betting offers</a> ahead of placing your bets on the 2026 Ultima Handicap Chase

Ultima Handicap Chase tips from our racing experts for the 14:40 race on day 1 of the Cheltenham Festival.

Ultima Handicap Chase Tips 2026

Ultima Handicap Chase Tips and Predictions

<span data-sheets-root="1" data-sheets-value="{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;Want to place a bet on any of our Experts' Ultima Handicap Chase Tips ahead of Cheltenham? Be sure to also check out the latest Cheltenham Free Bets available to all new customers ahead of the Ultima Handicap Chase&quot;}" data-sheets-userformat="{&quot;2&quot;:1049089,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;23&quot;:1}" data-sheets-textstyleruns="{&quot;1&quot;:0}{&quot;1&quot;:128,&quot;2&quot;:{&quot;2&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:1136076},&quot;9&quot;:1}}{&quot;1&quot;:149}" data-sheets-hyperlinkruns="{&quot;1&quot;:128,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;https://www.racingpost.com/free-bets/horse-racing/cheltenham/&quot;}{&quot;1&quot;:149}">Want to place a bet on any of our Experts&#8217; Ultima Handicap Chase Tips ahead of Cheltenham? Be sure to also check out the latest <a class="in-cell-link" href="https://www.racingpost.com/free-bets/horse-racing/cheltenham/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cheltenham Free Bets </a>available to all new customers ahead of the Ultima Handicap Chase

Racing Post experts predict the likely big players and identify the each way value in the Ultima Handicap Chase as well as analysing the trends and predicting the winner.

Festival Trophy 'Ultima' Handicap Chase

Essentially this boils down to Constitution Hill and State Man, the last two Champion winners, versus each other and possibly against one or both of Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth unless they go for the Mares’ Hurdle 40 minutes earlier. If they all line up, it could be a race for the ages. Even if they don’t, which seems the more likely scenario, there is still the potential for an outstanding performance from at least one of the combatants. Nicky Henderson’s Constitution Hill was magnificent in the 2023 Champion, beating State Man by nine lengths, but health issues forced him to miss last year’s race and he hasn’t yet scaled his former heights even though he remains unbeaten after ten races over hurdles. The Willie Mullins-trained State Man took the crown in his old rival’s absence 12 months ago and has a deserved reputation as ‘Mr
Reliable’, although there was an off-day at Christmas before he bounced back to land a third Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival. Gordon Elliott’s
Brighterdaysahead has beaten State Man twice this season, most eyecatchingly in that Christmas contest at Leopardstown, and rates as the best mare in training after her spectacular 30-length success. Close behind her is Mullins’ Lossiemouth, who won last year’s Mares’ Hurdle and might take the step up to the Champion this time. She has met both of her big male rivals this season, finishing well against Constitution Hill in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton but then taking a crashing fall when upsides State Man in the Irish Champion. Provided there are no lasting effects, she is capable of a big run wherever she lines up.

Judged on the rate of her progress, there appears to be even brighter days ahead for BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD who won her latest race by a street and has the best chance on recent form. She is narrowly preferred in a pulsating clash with the 2023 Champion Hurdle winner Constitution Hill, who is by no means opposed lightly and sets a high standard on his peak figures. State Man's chance of following up last year's success partly depends on how well he responds to first-time headgear.

Ireland looks extremely likely to open the scoring in the traditional festival curtain-raiser and many will see Kopek Des Bordes as the first banker of the week for Willie Mullins. The five-year-old was so impressive in his Grade 1 win at the Dublin Racing Festival that Mullins said fellow trainer Ted Walsh had called the next day to compare him to Golden Cygnet, the fabled but ill-fated outstanding Supreme winner in 1978. The biggest danger is Gordon Elliott’s Romeo Coolio, a Grade 1 winner at Christmas who has the advantages of more hurdling experience than the favourite and a previous run at Cheltenham, having been runner-up in last year’s Champion Bumper. Henry de Bromhead, who won with Slade Steel last year, has the promising but inexperienced Workahead this time. Mullins has a host of other possibles and the highest-rated is Grade 2 winner Salvator Mundi. Britain would have a good chance only if The New Lion or Potters Charm were surprisingly rerouted from the Turners.  

The picture for this contest looked quite open until Kopek Des Bordes blitzed his rivals at the Dublin Racing Festival. He's the one to beat provided that form is backed up and the heaving Cheltenham amphitheatre doesn't faze him. There are several plausible each-way alternatives, most notably WILLIAM MUNNY who is peaking at the right time, should have the race run to suit and looks capable of further improvement. Workahead, who ties in with the selection and has good credentials, is second choice from a punting perspective. Romeo Coolio is a solid contender, while Kopek Des Bordes's stablemate Salvator Mundi was favourite for this event at one stage and remains in calculations. Some of the other Mullins runners also look promising.

This was shaping up as potentially one of the best Britain v Ireland showdowns of the festival until the news came that Nicky Henderson’s Sir Gino – hugely impressive on his chasing debut at Christmas – had been ruled out due to a serious infection in the ligaments of his near hind leg. He had been odds-on favourite but that mantle passed to Willie Mullins’ Majborough, like Sir Gino an outstanding juvenile hurdler last season and now a high-performing chaser at an early age. Last year’s Triumph Hurdle winner has outstanding claims, having recorded a Racing Post Rating of 164 in winning the Grade 1 Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival. This is a race in which favourites do well, with eight of the last ten winning, including all seven priced at 2-1 or shorter. Britain still appears to have the main danger in Dan Skelton’s L’Eau Du Sud, also a Grade 1 winner in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase and with more experience than the favourite after going on to make it four out of four over fences in the Grade 2 Kingmaker
at Warwick. Other possibles include the Gordon Elliott-trained pair Firefox and Touch Me Not – runner-up to both Majborough and L’Eau Du Sud in their Grade 1s – along with Jango Baie, who may give Henderson a runner at least.

It's 19 years since a 5yo won the Arkle but last season's Triumph Hurdle winner Majborough has been a short-priced favourite since Sir Gino was ruled out in February due to injury. Unbeaten in two chase runs, he was ultimately impressive at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown and bids to give his trainer a third successive victory in this race following El Fabiolo in 2023 and Gaelic Warrior 12 months ago. With a clear round he's the one to beat, but his jumping has been a mixed bag so far and the fluent, strong-travelling L'EAU DU SUD could take advantage of any mistakes from the favourite. Sir Gino's stablemate Jango Baie is a very exciting prospect in his own right and adds spice to a mouthwatering contest.

Coming on the same afternoon as the Champion Hurdle, this Grade 1 continues to offer an alternative route to top festival honours for the best mares – arguably to the
detriment of the showpiece feature – and the old arguments have resurfaced over where Brighterdaysahead and Lossiemouth should run. The Gordon Elliott-trained Brighterdaysahead rates as the best mare around after her stunning display in the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Hurdle at the Leopardstown Christmas meeting, where she left last year’s Champion winner State Man trailing and came home 30 lengths clear. Lossiemouth won this race last year by three lengths from Telmesomethinggirl, taking Willie Mullins’ score to ten in the 17 runnings. She has raced against the boys this season, most recently taking a heavy fall four out in the Irish Champion Hurdle when going head to head with State Man. If at least one of the big two went to the Champion, the chances would improve for July Flower (Henry de Bromhead) and the Mullins pair Kargese and Jade De Grugy. 

Willie Mullins can rule this race again. Jade De Grugy looked the one to beat after her impressive reappearance success at Punchestown but the late decision to switch stablemate LOSSIEMOUTH from the Champion Hurdle changes the dynamic. She coasted home in this 12 months ago and will again be very hard to beat if none the worse for her heavy fall in last month's Irish Champion. Henry de Bromhead is another with a strong recent record in this and his July Flower looks best of the rest.

First run in 2005, this is a fiercely competitive and often wide-open handicap hurdle for four-year-olds only. LAST YEAR’S WINNER Jazzy Matty scored at 18-1, becoming the third winner in the past six runnings for Gordon Elliott and the sixth in a row for Ireland (fifth was the best Britain could manage last year). He was the seventh French-bred to win in 19 runnings (a French-bred has finished first or second in all but one of the last ten). Irish trainers dominate the ante-post betting with Lark In The Mornin for Joseph O’Brien, Willie Mullins’ Batman Girac and Ethical Diamond, and the Gordon Elliott-trained Wodhooh, Ndaawi and Mighty Bandit. The last home winner was in 2017 but there are decent hopes of another with Jane Williams’ Excelero and the Olly Murphy-trained Roaring Legend.

this since his second in a Grade 2 here on Trials day, which he would have won by knocking on 20l were it not for the presence of Triumph favourite East India Dock. QUANTOCK HILLS had valid excuses when failing to fire in that same race and he was looking good here in December until he idled/hung when asserting on the run-in to gift Teriferma a share of the honours. Back in third that day was Total Look who, according to the betting, is one of Ireland's better chances this afternoon. Hot Fuss, Liam Swagger, Puturhandstogether and Beyond Your Dreams are others to consider.

This is the longest and oldest race at the festival, although five years ago the race distance was reduced to 3m6f and with two fewer fences to jump. There are more big changes this year with the removal of the race’s Grade 2 status and its downgrading to a 0-145 novice handicap. Historically known as 'The Amateur Riders Grand National' the traditional stipulation that only amateur jockeys can ride in the race has been removed for 2025, another big change to the race. Professional jockeys did compete in 2021 however, as COVID-19 restrictions meant amateur riders were excluded from the festival.

The new-look National Hunt Chase, turned into a handicap, is a lot more competitive than the old one but TRANSMISSION has caught the eye with his strong finishes at Cheltenham and can make a successful step up in trip. That will require him to turn the tables from December on Haiti Couleurs but it's the lightly raced Irish challenger Now Is The Hour who is feared most. Gericault Roque is highly respected on this second start back from a long layoff. Stuzzikini looks the most interesting at big odds.

Willie Mullins is the leading trainer in this race with seven wins and he has another strong candidate in Final Demand, who took over favouritism after his impressive Grade 1 victory at the Dublin Racing Festival. His Racing Post Rating jumped 20lb to a division-leading 154 with that 12-length success, giving Mullins an excellent chance of a fourth Turners in a row. Britain has a serious challenger in the Dan Skelton-trained The New Lion, also an impressive Grade 1 winner in the Challow at Newbury. The Mullins squad also looks set to include Kawaboomga, who is talented but lacks Graded experience, while another to note from the home team is Nigel Twiston-Davies’s course-and-distance winner Potters Charm. Some of the others with good Graded form, such as Gordon Elliott’s The Yellow Clay, may go elsewhere.

British-trained contenders have won just one of the last 11 runnings but impressive Challow winner THE NEW LION can buck that trend. He barely had to come off the bridle to win that Grade 1 at Newbury and is extremely exciting. Final Demand could be a tough opponent, though, having bolted up in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown last month, and Willie Mullins has an excellent record in this race. Fellow Grade 1 winner The Yellow Clay could also be involved but at bigger odds the best each-way option might be Kel Histoire, who was hampered before staying on well for second in a 2m1f Grade 2 at Punchestown in January.

Three of last year’s festival winners are in the reckoning for this Grade 1 staying novice chase, which in terms of competitiveness may be the race that benefits most from the removal of the 2m4f Grade 1. Ante-post favourite Ballyburn is one of those who may have gone for the old Turners, given that he won the Grade 1 novice hurdle over the intermediate distance last year, but he will have to move up in trip now. The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old has strong form credentials after his Grade 1 win over 2m5½f at the Dublin Racing Festival, even if questions remain about his jumping. The other festival winners from last year are Better Days Ahead (Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle) and Stellar Story (Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle), who are both trained by Gordon Elliott and are closely matched on their February meeting in a Grade 2 at Navan, which Better Days Ahead won by a neck. Dancing City and Lecky Watson, third and fifth behind Stellar Story in the Albert Bartlett, are also in the mix for Mullins, while Elliott’s challenge could be bolstered by Croke Park, runner-up to Ballyburn at the DRF. Nicky Henderson has the chief home hopes in Jango Baie and Jingko Blue. 

No British runners, although The Jukebox Man would have been a serious player had he avoided injury. Willie Mullins has a majority of the field and one of his big two, BALLYBURN and Dancing City, is likely to be suited whatever the pace scenario. A thorough test could suit the latter, but a good pace could help Ballyburn to settle and his class means he should have most angles covered as long as his jumping holds up. Better Days Ahead looks the best of the three non-Mullins runners and can make up the tricast, while last year's Albert Bartlett winner Stellar Story also enters calculations if it turns into a thorough test.

This highly competitive handicap hurdle was introduced in 1993 and regularly attracts a maximum field (currently set at 26). Last year's winner, Langer Dan, became the first dual winner of the race when scoring at 13-2 for Dan Skelton. He was 9-1 the previous year, but even with his back-to-back successes there have been just five winners at single-figure odds since 2004. Form: Eleven of the last 15 winners had won or finished second last time out. Weight and ratings: Langer Dan carried 11st 8lb to victory last year off a mark of 141 (in 2023 he won off the same mark carrying 11st 4lb). He made it six winners in the past decade rated in the narrow 138-143 band. Age: This race tends to suit younger, less exposed types, and the number of hurdles runs is a key factor. Only four of the last 17 winners were into double figures. Trainers: Nicky Henderson is the most successful trainer with four wins. 

There might be some dicey moments in his bid to come from out the back but JIPCOT (nap) is well capable of emerging on the scene to serious effect if he gets any luck. Second choice is another who's only just crept in at the bottom of the weights, as this contest could be a nice fit for Ike Sport, while Classic King and Saint Anapolino, the two reserves, would be shortlisted if they get a run. Be Aware, the long-time favourite for this, of course needs respect for Dan Skelton and Bunting has to catch the eye for Willie Mullins. Impose Toi, Al Gasparo and Beat The Bat are among the many others who need to be considered.

Jonbon was one of the Nicky Henderson stars forced to miss last year’s festival owing to concerns over the health of the Seven Barrows string but he is set to line up with a big chance this time. He has won five out of five since that disappointment, advancing his career-best Racing Post Rating three times during that impressive run. This season he has scored by wide margins in the Tingle Creek at Sandown and the Clarence House at Ascot, latterly defeating dual Champion Chase winner Energumene to take his RPR to 177. The big question is whether he can reproduce his best at Cheltenham, where he has won on only two of his five visits (in contrast to his 100 per cent record elsewhere). Willie Mullins has three of the main threats in Gaelic Warrior, Energumene and El Fabiolo but there are question marks with them as well, concerning form, age and jumping. King George VI Chase runner-up Il Est Francais would be an intriguing contender if dropped back to this trip by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm, while Dublin Chase one-two Solness (Joseph O’Brien) and Marine Nationale (Barry Connell) add further Grade 1 quality to the mix.

Jonbon isn't totally bombproof given the setting and the recent record of favourites in this contest but he otherwise holds leading claims and would be a worthy winner, having been so prolific and largely dependable in the 2m chase division. The most persuasive alternative is MARINE NATIONALE who is peaking at the right time, should have the ideal tactical set-up and landed the 2023 Supreme in his only appearance at Cheltenham. Solness may not be allowed his own way up front on this occasion but he ties in with the selection and is respected on the back of two Grade 1 wins. The 11yo Energumene will defy the stats if he lands a third Champion Chase, as only three horses older than ten have won this prize since its inception in 1959.

This unusual event, introduced when the festival expanded to four days in 2005, began as a handicap but was changed to a conditions race in 2016. Now it reverts
back to a handicap, although with a 19lb weight range in an effort to attract highquality chasers. Last year’s race was abandoned after heavy rain made parts of the
cross-country course unraceable. Ireland v Britain:  Ireland has won 16 of the 19 runnings. Enda Bolger dominated in the early years when it was a handicap but he was joined on five winners by Gordon Elliott, who took charge after the change to a conditions race. Philip Hobbs is the only trainer to have won for Britain, with Balthazar King in 2012 and 2014 (both when it was a handicap), and Easysland scored for France in 2020. 

The Festival cross-country chase is a handicap for the first time since 2015. STUMPTOWN was not fully extended when scoring under a confident ride over C&D in December and is taken to overcome an 8lb rise. The top weight won a conventional handicap chase in first-time blinkers here last season and, after four runs without headgear, is now tried in cheekpieces. Latenightpass (second choice) and Mister Coffey were placed behind the selection over C&D in December, while Busselton caught the eye when making late headway in that race. Gordon Elliott has an excellent record in this event and 2023 runner-up Galvin may be the pick of his squad.

This hotly contested 2m handicap chase had a significant change four years ago by moving from the New course to the Old. The Old course is slightly sharper and tighter,
favouring a quicker, strong-travelling type. Last year's winner: Unexpected Party scored at 12-1 for Dan Skelton. He was described in the Racing Post comments as “prominent on outer”, following on from other recent “prominent” winners Sky Pirate (2021) and Global Citizen (2022) and 2023 scorer Maskada, who was “in touch with leaders”. Form and ratings: Nine of the last 15 British-trained winners had been successful at Cheltenham before. Unexpected Party wasn’t one of them but had recorded his
best two Racing Post Ratings at the course. The quality has improved year on year and ten of the last 14 winners were rated at least 140. Age: This has been a good race for novices with 15 winners since 1983. Only three winners have been older than nine since 12-year-old Uncle Ernie in 1997. 

Unexpected Party should make a bold bid to repeat last year's win. JPR One (second choice) also warrants respect as his Haldon Gold Cup defeat of Djelo reads very well and his two subsequent Graded efforts have been creditable. General Medrano is another for the shortlist but perhaps this is finally the day that MY MATE MOZZIE gains a deserved big handicap success. Gavin Cromwell's runner shaped really well from a long way off the pace when second back chasing at Leopardstown last month and can go one better now.


Entries are made late for this Grade 1, giving as much time as possible for likely contenders to gain vital racecourse experience. Often only one run is deemed necessary, as was the case with last year’s one-two Jasmin De Vaux and Romeo Coolio, who came out to win in January and then were put away until the festival. Those two, along with the rest of last year’s first seven, were trained by Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott, who between them have won seven of the last eight runnings. It is not surprising, therefore, that the ante-post betting is dominated again by possibles from Ireland’s two biggest stables. Dublin Racing Festival bumper winner Bambino Fever looks set to head the Mullins team along with Copacabana, a later arrival to the racecourse, while Elliott has dual winner Kalypso’chance on his long list. Britain has realistic hopes of success this year, principally with David Pipe’s impressive Ascot winner Windbeneathmywings. Further down the betting on the Irish side is Henry de Bromhead’s Scope To
Improve – probably an apt description of the whole field.

British stables have chances - Fortune De Mer is perhaps the pick of them - but the Irish have won 25 of the 32 runnings and their iron-fist dominance is hard to resist. Willie Mullins alone has won 13 and again he brings strength in numbers, with Bambino Fever catapulting herself into the picture with a power-packed performance at Leopardstown and both Copacabana and Gameofinches hinting at star potential in their recent runaway wins. One who may repel the Mullins battalion is KALYPSO'CHANCE, who has looked awesome in his two bumpers and the Listed race he won at Navan is one that Gordon Elliott has consistently targeted with his top prospects, including past Festival winners Don Cossack, Samcro, Envoi Allen and Sir Gerhard. The selection delivered some eyecatching figures that day and he might be a step further up the ladder at this stage of his career than many in this field. With that in mind, it's worth noting that seven of the last nine winners had already won a Listed or Graded bumper.

New for this year is this Grade 2 2m4½f novice limited handicap chase, which takes the place of the Grade 1 Golden Miller Novices’ Chase (run most recently under the
Turners sponsorship). The aim is to bolster the Grade 1 numbers in the 2m Arkle and 3m Brown Advisory by removing the option for the top novices at the intermediate
distance, while adding a competitive handicap in its place. This is an adaptation of the contest held at the festival from 2006 until 2020, after which it was moved to Sandown. A major difference is that the new race is a limited handicap with a 20lb weight range. If this race follows a similar pattern to the previous version, there will be an accent on strong recent form (look for winners/runners-up last time out) and that will tend to mean the winner is more likely to come from the top six in the betting.
There might also be a greater spread of winning connections. Fourteen different trainers were successful in the 15 runnings of the previous novice handicap chase
and victory went only three times to the trainers who now make up the ‘big five’.

Several changes to this year's Cheltenham Festival include the reintroduction of this race, which originally ran from 2005 to 2020. Paul Nicholls landed it in 2009 and his CALDWELL POTTER (nap) gets the vote 16 years on. The selection is the only Grade 1 winner in this field, has a very attractive chase mark and looks well worth another crack at this trip judged on breeding. Switched to handicap level, he could well win his first major prize since being purchased for a huge sum at the Caldwell dispersal sale. Springwell Bay, who ties in with that rival and was impressive last time, is second choice ahead of interesting types Nurburgring and Asian Master. Firefox, Answer To Kayf, Pic Roc and Moon D'Orange have solid claims.

As the only staying handicap hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival the Pertemps Final always draws a large field. The race conditions for this 3m handicap hurdle were tightened again in 2023, with horses having to finish in the first four in a Pertemps Series qualifier to be eligible for the final. This year there has been another change, guaranteeing a run for all winners of series qualifiers (provided they are within the weights at declaration stage). 

While Jeriko Du Reponet has attracted the ante-post interest and has headgear for the first time, there are rather more appealing options at longer prices. Preference is for KARL DES TOURELLES, a lightly raced youngster who quickly did enough to justify a position near the top of the weights but still brings notable potential. Win Some Lose Some (second choice), Will The Wise and D Art D Art are among several other Irish youngsters who should be capable of better, while Long Draw and One Big Bang may emerge best of the British.

Some of those prominent in the ante-post betting may be diverted to the Gold Cup or the Champion Chase, but this is still shaping up as a cracking contest. Among the probables are three festival scorers, including the last two winners of this race. Having been beaten twice by stablemate Galopin Des Champs over Leopardstown’s 3m½f, Willie Mullins’ Fact To File may well be best suited by dropping back to this intermediate distance if he is to add to last year’s festival success in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase. He started this season with victory in the John Durkan over a similar mid-range trip, with Galopin Des Champs behind him on that occasion. The old hands are previous winners Protektorat (Dan Skelton) and Envoi Allen (Henry de Bromhead), while the young guns include Venetia Williams’ still-improving dual Grade 2 winner Djelo and narrow John Durkan runner-up Spillane’s Tower for Jimmy Mangan. 

While the Ryanair has to continually justify its existence, it nearly always stands on its own two feet as a championship event. Fact To File is a worthy favourite, having hurt his reputation only by taking on Galopin Des Champs. Il Est Francais leads the field on form, but few horses who are as devastating as he is around Kempton are as good at undulating tracks like Cheltenham. Protektorat (second choice) is a solid alternative, with the better ground than last year being only the slightest niggle. The best bet is DJELO, who has done little but improve this season and impressed with how he travelled and quickened in the Denman last time. He is much closer to the best of these on form than forecast prices imply.

Ireland had a recent dual winner of the Stayers’ Hurdle in Flooring Porter and many expect Gordon Elliott’s Teahupoo to follow up last year’s comfortable victory, which
came at the expense of Flooring Porter’s hat-trick bid. A stayer in his prime can dominate in this often weak division and arguably that scenario has played out in favour of those two Irish stars in recent years. After Teahupoo was third in his first attempt at the Stayers’ Hurdle in 2023, Elliott kept him fresher last year by giving him just one run beforehand in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle and the same formula has been followed again. Just as important to Teahupoo is soft ground, which is something Elliott cannot control, and quicker conditions than last year could bring him back to the pack. Home By The Lee has been in the pack for the past three years, achieving his best Stayers’ result when third last year, and Joseph O’Brien’s ten-year-old will be back again off a Grade 1 victory at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting. New rivals await too and one on an upward curve is Nicky Henderson’s six-year-old Lucky Place, a Grade 2 course winner on New Year’s Day in the Relkeel Hurdle. Even younger is the Declan Queally-trained Rocky’s Diamond, who was still only four when he was third to Home By The Lee at Christmas and then a month later (after officially turning five) won the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle.
Elliott also has an up-and-comer of his own in The Wallpark, who would be another
interesting new rival for Teahupoo but could go for the Pertemps Final instead. 

Last year's winner Teahupoo has had the identical preparation path as 12 months ago and will be tough to beat if at the top of his game. However, he's a short price for a horse who has run just once since last May and there are interesting alternatives who are contesting their first Stayers' Hurdle. LANGER DAN has an excellent record at the Cheltenham Festival and there's a suspicion he has untapped potential over a staying trip, so he earns the vote ahead of Lucky Place, who has thrived this season and could have even more to offer tackling 3m for the first time. The Wallpark wasn't seen to best effect in the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot in December and may yet make his mark at this level.

Established in 1951 and traditionally known as the Mildmay of Flete, this is a highly competitive 2m4½f handicap chase that usually attracts a maximum field of 24. Last year's winner: Shakem Up’Arry scored at 8-1 for Ben Pauling, equalling the score at 5-5 for Britain and Ireland in the past decade. Form: Shakem Up’Arry was the sixth last-time-out winner to strike in the past nine runnings (one of the other winners had been second the time before). Weight and ratings: The previous trend of winners rated in the 130s has changed now that it is less common to get into the race with that sort of mark. Nine of the last 11 winners were in the 140-145 range and most carried less than 11st. Trainers: Gordon Elliott (with The Storyteller in 2018) is the only one of the current big five trainers to have taken the prize in the past 17 years.

There is not much between Masaccio and JAGWAR at the weights on their recent run here but the latter looked to find life quite easy both in the jumping department and with the way he travelled and further improvement can be forthcoming. Masaccio can be the main danger but Ginny's Destiny and Conflated would be big players with anything like a revival. Jordans, Thecompanysergeant (back over fences for his new yard) and Gemirande are others who can play a part, while An Peann Dearg is not dismissed despite the stamina query. Personal Ambition can go well at a price and his stablemate Shakem Up'arry, who won the race last year, is also considered.

Ireland took the first six runnings after this race was introduced in 2016 but the home side has hit back with consecutive wins for Harry Fry with Love Envoi, Jamie Snowden
with You Wear It Well and Jeremy Scott with Golden Ace last year. The ante-post betting indicates the prize will go back to Ireland this year, with Willie Mullins’ Maughreen and the Gavin Cromwell-trained Sixandahalf disputing favouritism. Both have landed their only starts over hurdles having been bumper winners last season, but in between Sixandahalf had a successful Flat campaign last year (rated 94) that ended with third place in the Irish Cesarewitch. Cromwell’s mare was given a Racing Post Rating of 130 for her hurdles win, compared with 120 for Maughreen (the latter had the edge in bumpers at 121 to 119). Mullins has another good contender in French import Karoline Banbou, who was beaten on her hurdles debut in Ireland by stablemate Baby Kate but won her maiden well next time at Fairyhouse. The leading British hope could be Paul Nicholls’ Jubilee Alpha, who was runner-up in the Grade 2 mares’ bumper at Aintree last spring and has plenty of experience over hurdles, having won two out of three to reach an RPR of 125. Nicholls also has Just A Rose, who has the same RPR after her wide-margin debut success at Taunton. 

This could be an inspired piece of placing by Joseph O'Brien, whose classy Flat filly GALILEO DAME would have had realistic hopes in the Triumph after her rallying second in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown and here she's armed with an age allowance. No previous winner had run only once over hurdles but Sixandahalf looked as though she had been jumping all her life as she breezed home in a Fairyhouse maiden. Combine the professionalism of that display with the smart level of form she reached on the Flat, and her prospects are crystal clear. Maughreen, who is out of a half-sister to dual Festival hero Faugheen, appeals most of her stable's seven runners, while Jubilee Alpha and Diva Luna could be the best of the British.

This 3m2f handicap chase is now one of two festival races left open only to amateur riders (the other is the hunter chase) and typically attracts a full field of 24. Last year's winner: Hot favourite Inothewayurthinkin (13-8) made it five wins in six years for Ireland, giving trainer Gavin Cromwell his first handicap success at the festival. Form: There is a trend of Kim Muir winners bouncing back from disappointing efforts (15 of the last 24 winners had been unplaced on their previous run). Inothewayurthinkin had
been ninth in Leopardstown’s 2m5½f handicap chase at the Dublin Racing Festival. Weight and ratings: With little between most of the runners nowadays, the higherrated runners have started to do well and 12 of the last 16 winners carried 11st 4lb or more (including topweights Character Building in 2009, Ballabriggs in 2010, Mount Ida
in 2021 and Inothewayurthinkin last year). Most recent winners were rated in the 140s (Inothewayurthinkin was 145). Age: Only four horses aged older than nine have won in the last 30 runnings and horses aged seven or eight have won ten of the last 14. Trainers: This tends to get shared around and Cromwell was the 12th different winning
trainer in the last 13 runnings. Only Gordon Elliott has doubled up in that time (2021 winner Mount Ida also came from his stable, officially under Denise Foster’s name). Elliott has become the most powerful force with two winners, two seconds, two thirds and three fourths from 21 runners.

Having narrowly hit the front when falling at the final fence in the Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase at Doncaster in January, WALKING ON AIR can make amends today for the in-form Gary Brown. Wiseguy has run creditable races on his two starts this season and is feared most with the step up in trip a possible positive. Last year's Festival hunter chase winner Sine Nomine is next on the list ahead of Git Maker, who was second in this last March behind subsequent Grade 1 winner Inothewayurthinkin. Midnight Our Fred can run his usual good race, while Johnnywho has the assistance of the excellent Derek O'Connor.

If the home team have struggled to make a telling impact on the first three days, the juvenile hurdling championship contest promises a strong start to the final card. Britain has the top two in the ante-post betting, and they present quite a contrast. Lulamba is favourite for Nicky Henderson (who has won the Triumph a record seven times) and has come from traditional jumping roots in France with a big reputation. The hype was justified to some extent by his hurdles debut win at Ascot but arguably he has still to prove he has as much substance as style. That is not the case for Flat recruit East India Dock, who has a much superior Racing Post Rating from his course-and-distance victory on Trials day. His trainer James Owen is at the opposite end of the experience scale to Henderson, having yet to taste festival success. Ireland’s best chance appears to be the Gavin Cromwelltrained Hello Neighbour, winner of the often significant Grade 1 juvenile hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.

The British-trained runners EAST INDIA DOCK and Lulamba have disputed favouritism for some time. They are contrasting types and preference is for the major achievement and experience brought by the former, against the high promise of the latter, who is second choice. While the Irish form may not look that exciting, last month's Leopardstown Grade 1 was a steadily run race in which the unbeaten winner Hello Neighbour and staying-on, third-placed Lady Vega Allen suggested they could raise their games with the different scenario today. The latter looks the first string for Willie Mullins who fields an incredible 11 runners, three of whom have never raced over hurdles. No matter how good they are, this introduces a large dose of added uncertainty and a heightened need for luck in running.

This ultra-competitive 2m1f handicap hurdle can have up to 26 runners and being in the right ratings bracket has become a virtual prerequisite. Last year's winner: Absurde scored at 12-1 for Willie Mullins, who has now won seven of the 15 runnings since his first success in 2010. FORM The William Hill Hurdle (formerly Betfair) at Newbury and the Liffey Handicap Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival have been key pointers – ten of the last 24 winners had run in one of those. Ratings: All bar four winners since 2006 were rated in the 130s with five of the last ten having run off 137-139. Age: Only five horses older than six have won in the last 21 runnings. Second-season hurdlers have won 16 of the last 24 runnings. Trainers: Ireland has accounted for 12 of the last 17 winners, with nine of them trained by a Mullins. Dan Skelton (four wins) has become the British trainer to watch.

Willie Mullins has won this seven times, including five of the last ten, and last year's convincing winner ABSURDE (nap) earns the vote even with Paul Townend jumping ship to stablemate Kargese. He did it in stylish fashion 12 months ago and his classy Flat form firmly suggests he remains well treated despite an 8lb rise. Lark In The Mornin also impressed at last season's Festival (in the Fred Winter) and will be a major threat if tapping back into that promise. Kargese and McLaurey have potential off their current marks, while Dan Skelton has won four of the last nine runnings and the novice Valgrand is his sole representative. If the ground is no worse than good to soft, the front-runner Our Champ will be a very interesting each-way option at big odds.

The hardest of the Grade 1s to solve for punters, with ten of the last 11 winners priced in double figures and four of them coming in at 33-1 or 50-1. The possibly poisoned chalice of favouritism has been held recently by Gordon Elliott’s The Yellow Clay, who has clear form claims after numbering a Grade 1 success in his 4-4 record over hurdles. Others in the reckoning include The Big Westerner (Henry de Bromhead), France’s Jet Blue (David Cottin) and Jasmin De Vaux (Willie Mullins), last year’s Champion Bumper winner. A couple of British contenders who might catch the eye further down the list are Wendigo (Jamie Snowden) and Derryhassen Paddy (Lucinda Russell). Mullins’ Final Demand would be top-rated if he came here but the Turners looks his likely destination. 

A race that has been won by two future Gold Cup winners but this is notoriously hard to call with its history littered with bookmaker-friendly outcomes. Stamina usually wins the day and DERRYHASSEN PADDY is a staying chaser in the making who did well to win around the twists and turns of Windsor last time. He's very highly regarded and his stable has won this before. Some scruffy hurdling has been an unwanted feature in the careers of Argento Boy (second choice) and Jasmin De Vaux, but there's little jumping to be done from a long way out here and both should come home strongly. Jet Blue and Intense Approach are respected armed with all their experience.

Galopin Des Champs landed his third consecutive Irish Gold Cup in February and has an outstanding chance of doing the same at Cheltenham to become the first to 
complete a Gold Cup hat-trick since Best Mate in 2004. The last before that was the mighty Arkle in the 1960s, showing what a rare and coveted feat Galopin Des Champs stands on the verge of completing. Willie Mullins’ superstar chaser has recorded a Racing Post Rating in the 180s for the third consecutive season, which again puts him head and shoulders above the opposition. The King George VI Chase, a championship contest in its own right, is always a place to look for a serious challenger (Bravemansgame, that season’s winner, was runner-up in Galopin Des Champs’ first Gold Cup) and Banbridge is firmly in the picture after his Kempton triumph. Joseph O’Brien’s highly versatile nine-yearold took his RPR to a career-best 174 there and would be a threat if he gets decent ground. There are plenty of high-class chasers around, mostly among the second-season group (Fact To File, Corbetts Cross, Monty’s Star), but none is yet to touch the exceptional quality of Galopin Des Champs.

There are always challengers wanting to dethrone the king but GALOPIN DES CHAMPS is a horse for the ages and there is no reason to desert him as he goes for his third Gold Cup. Age will weary him one day, and after all this is his fifth Festival, but he has stood the test of time so well and there has been no sign of his powers fading this winter. Banbridge is the most likely of the principals to be glad of the dry spell leading up to the Festival but it took connections a while to test the 3m waters over fences and, although he rose to the occasion magnificently in the King George, this race presents a quite different challenge. Corbetts Cross will be much more at home back over a staying trip but the newly supplemented Inothewayurthinkin is preferred for a place behind Banbridge. Monty's Star is also worth a look, while it's possible that recent wind surgery will breathe his old life back into Ahoy Senor.

Sine Nomine’s 8-1 success for Fiona Needham last year made it six British winners in the last eight years and the nine year-old mare looks set to return, albeit after an unseating and a fall this season on her steps out of hunter chase company. Nine horses since 1956 have won the race twice – three of them (Salsify, On The Fringe and Pacha Du Polder) in recent years. Sine Nomine became the first winner in ten years not aged in double figures. Before the recent trend towards success for those aged ten or 11, 14 of the previous 19 winners had been nine or younger.

It could be third-time lucky in this race for ITS ON THE LINE. He was the 11-8 favourite when runner-up for the second successive year 12 months ago but he trades at bigger odds now after two underwhelming defeats in Ireland. However, the ultra-shrewd Emmet Mullins will have had eyes on only this prize. Billaway suffered two seconds here before having the last laugh in 2022. Former classy handicappers have done well in this and 2023 Kim Muir winner Angels Dawn, who has the mares' allowance that greatly helped last year's winner Sine Nomine, is back on a roll after winning both her points. The same is true of Fairly Famous who is 2-2 at Cheltenham and he's still a rising force, as is the highly regarded Willitgoahead who only recently joined Gordon Elliott.

Willie Mullins won the first two runnings but has had to settle for second in the next two, first with Allegorie De Vassy and then with Dinoblue. That pair remain the top two hopes for Closutton and are set to line up again after their tight battle in the Opera Hat Mares Chase at Naas in February. Dinoblue just edged that 2m contest by a neck but this step up to 2m4½f will be more in favour of Allegorie De Vassy, although she was beaten by her stablemate when fourth in this race last year. Gavin Cromwell could send Limerick Lace for a repeat bid after last year’s threequarters-of-a-length success, but on this season’s form he may have better chances with up-and-coming novices Bioluminescence and Only By Night (below). Bioluminescence has been disputing ante-post favouritism with Dinoblue. It is worth noting that the four winners have been prominent in the betting (no bigger than 3-1) but the favourites (all saddled by Mullins) have been beaten. 

With some doubts about last year's winner Limerick Lace, who's now going in cheekpieces after failing to reach her usual standard in two runs this term, the outcome can lie between DINOBLUE and Allegorie De Vassy. The latter didn't seem quite at her best when about 6l behind the selection in this race last year and she can be very dangerous on her best day. Dinoblue is arguably the more dependable of the pair and, having shown she can stay this far, she can gain compensation for last year's defeat. Brides Hill is the other to consider.

Iroko was a first festival winner for joint-trainers Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero at 6-1, leading home a JP McManus one-two ahead of the Nicky Henderson-trained 14-1 shot No Ordinary Joe. Runners rated between 133 and 139 have won nine of the 15 runnings but four of the last six winners were rated 142-145. Five- and six-year-olds have won 13 of the 15 runnings. Ten of the last 13 runnings were won by Willie Mullins, Paul Nicholls, Gordon Elliott or Joseph O’Brien. Ten of the 15 winners have been sent off at double-figure odds and Sir Des Champs in 2011 is the only successful favourite. Sa Majeste is a Willie Mullins-trained possible for last year’s winning owner. Gigginstown’s likely types include Mullins’ Quai De Bourbon and the Gordon Elliott-trained pair Cleatus Poolaw and Stellar Story.

This year's Martin Pipe partly revolves around whether Kopeck De Mee, who could be very well treated, lives up to expectations on his debut for Willie Mullins. That progressive ex-French runner has to be feared, while unbeaten hurdler Wodhooh is another highly obvious player, as the early betting reflects. There are several plausible alternatives among the remainder, most notably TAPONTHEGO who has solid 2m4f form and looks very interesting returned to this distance with further improvement still possible. Second choice is Minella Sixo, who ran well behind a subsequent Grade 1 winner in his sole Cheltenham outing. East India Express, who has made a great start to his handicap career, looks the pick of the British contenders.