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Can Doyen Quest reach even greater heights over a new trip?
Trainer Paul Gilligan won this last year with Buddy One and his representative this time is Zeeband, who arrives on the back of a career-best narrow defeat at Galway.
Zeeband lost out to an unexposed rival from Closutton that day and while he finds himself on a 7lb higher mark now, the pair pulled six lengths clear of the remainder. His two most recent wins have come on good ground and he’s relatively unexposed at this sort of trip.
Gowel Road heads the weights after hitting the crossbar over this course and distance at the Showcase meeting and that form has already received a boost with the fifth, Beacon Edge, winning since.
His prominent racing style is well suited to the Old course where his form is solid (won at this meeting in 2021, finished seventh in the 2022 Coral Cup and runner-up last month) and there’s a chance he’ll come on for his recent return.
Almost any runner Gavin Cromwell sends to Cheltenham warrants respect given his 24 per cent strike-rate (14-58) at the venue in the last five seasons and backing all of those runners to £1 level stakes would have yielded a profit of £28.23.
The County Meath trainer saddles Noble Birth, who finished fourth in this last year for Eric McNamara and that’s a run that may be worth upgrading given that he was uncharacteristically keen and lost a shoe.
Bookmakers have taken no chances with the unexposed Doyen Quest for the Skeltons. Highly progressive last term, winning four times culminating in a New course success in April, he arrives on the back of a career-best second in a valuable Chepstow handicap last month.
He gives the impression this new trip could see him in an even better light and his pedigree suggests as much.
Analysis by Phill Anderson
Quest into unknown territory
Trainers' championship leader Dan Skelton has chances across all three days of the November meeting, not least with Doyen Quest, who has been well backed to make a successful step up to three miles in this £30,000 contest.
The six-year-old, who was a four-time winner in novice and handicap company last season, ran a very encouraging comeback to chase home Josh The Boss in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow last month, form that has since been boosted by the exploits of the third, Take No Chances, who won a Listed hurdle at Wetherby by ten lengths.
Skelton said: “We’ve had this in mind for him since Chepstow and we think the the step up to three miles will suit him. The form of his comeback run in the Silver Trophy has been franked since and I would like to think he’ll go very well in this.”
What they say
Willy Twiston-Davies, assistant to Nigel, trainer of Gowel Road
He ran very well to be second on his comeback and this race was a nice fit for him, although he would prefer softer ground. He’s a consistent sort and has won around the track before so hopefully he can be competitive.
Paul Nicholls, trainer of Emailandy
He will definitely need the run. He’s a big, strong horse who will be sharper for the run and then go chasing.
Christian Willliams, trainer of Deep Cave
He's a new horse for us who hasn't been with us that long, but we like him.
Jonjo O’Neill, joint-trainer of Itso Fury
He’s back over hurdles after his latest win at Wetherby but it’s good prize-money and he’ll like the ground. He’ll like the trip and goes there with a good shout.
Ben Pauling, trainer of Hardy Boy
He’s a hardy bugger just like his name and the ground should be to his liking as he keeps running consistently on it. He’ll run his usual race I’m sure and he'll have an each-way shout.
Martin Keighley, trainer of Pinnacle Peak
He has not run since last November, but does go well fresh. He likes Cheltenham. He won at the October fixture last year and then went on to finish fourth at this meeting.
Reporting by David Milnes
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Can anyone stop Bleu De Vassy in Grade 3 For Auction after Fairyhouse demolition job?
Can Champion Chase hero Captain Guinness make another winning return in the Fortria?
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