Can Paul Nicholls lay down another Cheltenham marker with Grade 1 prospect Captain Teague?

Paul Nicholls used this race to lay down a marker last season by running his best novice, Hermes Allen, against the Willie Mullins-trained 6-4 favourite Hubrisko. Hermes Allen bolted up by nine lengths with Hubrisko nowhere to be seen, so can Nicholls do it again?

Mullins hasn't bothered sending anything from Ireland this year, so the Nicholls-trained Captain Teague is likely to be odds-on, but other Irish trainers are lining up to take him on.

John McConnell is 9-47 at Cheltenham in the last five seasons and that 19 per cent strike-rate would have yielded a £1 level-stake profit of £35.88. He saddles Kinbara, while Peter Fahey and Paul Gilligan also make trips across the Irish Sea with The Big Doyen and Sequestered.

Matthew Smith sends Moonovercloon to complete a four-strong Irish team aiming to take on Captain Teague, but they will need to be at the top of their game to topple the Nicholls-trained ace because the 14-time champion trainer is already plotting for Grade 1s.

In his Racing Post stable tour Nicholls said Captain Teague would "take the Hermes Allen route" and that is evidently a hint that the five-year-old is expected to land this race en route to a crack at the Challow Hurdle at Newbury over Christmas, a race Hermes Allen won.

Captain Teague produced the best Topspeed figure (122) in this line-up when making a successful debut in the Persian War at Chepstow last month and that is quite an achievement given his lack of experience going into that race. Any further improvement should be enough.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

What they say

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Captain Teague
He won the Grade 2 Persian War at Chepstow in good style on his comeback and would appear to have stepped forward for that at home. He is a nice prospect and we are looking forward to running him again.

Luke Thomas, spokesman for the Money For Jam syndicate, owners of The Big Doyen
Captain Teague looks hard to beat but hopefully if our horse arrives in form he can finish in the first three.

John McConnell, trainer of Kinbara
It's a big step up for him but we need to step up in grade to see where we are with him. I wouldn't say soft ground will be an issue for him and the track should suit. He's won over 3m but 2m5f around Cheltenham will take a bit of getting. He's in great form.

Evan Williams, trainer of Minella Missile
It's a good race and he won a maiden hurdle some way below this last time, but where can you run under a penalty these days? So we thought we'd have a crack at this. The ground and trip won't be a problem to him – it's just the opposition.

Paul Gilligan, trainer of Sequestered
He won at Galway and has come out of the race in good form. Before that he was a very good second at Listowel and, while this is shaping up to be a good race, I'm hoping he can step up. He's travelled over to Cheltenham well and we're happy with him.
Reporting by David Milnes

More Cheltenham previews:

1.45: 'I reckon he could have 10lb in hand over fences at some point this season' - which trainer has high hopes at Cheltenham?

2.20: Exciting novice JPR One out to give in-form Joe Tizzard yard another big-race success over fences 

2.55: It's Delta Work v Galvin again in the cross-country - but what does Gordon Elliott have to say about his big guns? 

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