'She's in great form and the soft ground should suit' - Angels Dawn bids to break near 40-year stat in Kim Muir

The festival can be a fruitful meeting for amateur riders and the Kim Muir provides a golden opportunity for the part-timers to hit the big time. That said, many of the jockeys involved are professionals in all but name.

Derek O'Connor has been JP McManus's go-to man for years; Patrick Mullins has steered home stacks of Grade 1 winners; and John Gleeson belied his amateur status to outfox the pros aboard A Dream To Share in the Champion Bumper. Those riders can each call upon a high-profile mount.

A McManus-owned horse with O'Connor in the saddle is often the subject of strong market support in the Kim Muir. That was the scenario in 2020 and 2022 when the pair were responsible for two 5-1 joint-favourites in Champagne Platinum and School Boy Hours. Throw in the fact Gavin Cromwell is lethal with his runners at Cheltenham, and it is easy to see why Inothewayurthinkin is so fancied.

Before Tuesday’s card, Cromwell’s 19 runners at the course this season yielded an impressive seven winners. Inothewayurthinkin was allocated a mark of 145 to put him right on the Kim Muir’s ceiling rating and possesses formlines that tie in with Tuesday's runaway Arkle winner Gaelic Warrior over much shorter distances.

The question is whether he stays, although similar queries surrounded O'Connor and McManus's National Hunt Chase runner Corbetts Cross on the opening day of the festival and he answered them in style.

Angels Dawn won this last year but her task will be tougher off an 11lb higher mark. She is nine now and this invariably goes to a younger up-and-comer. The profiles of Irish raiders Amirite and Cool Survivor are respected in that sense, but to a lesser extent than Bowtogreatness.

Bowtogreatness's campaign suggests he has been building towards something big. He has gradually worked back to the form he showed in a similar contest at the Aintree festival in the spring. With Ben Pauling enlisting the services of good amateur Jack Andrews (2-5 for the yard in the past five seasons), this eight-year-old has the right rider aboard to make a splash.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

RP Recommends: how to bet on the Kim Muir

By Robbie Wilders, tipster

bet365, Paddy Power and Sky Bet are the firms of most interest in the Kim Muir as they are going six places with everyone else five.

Of those three, bet365's prices are just about the best, but I'd be keen to take the biggest odds wherever I can find them each-way about Bowtogreatness. I'm convinced he's building up to something big for Ben Pauling and an improvement on his fine third in the Coral Trophy last time is anticipated.

• RP Recommends: bet365

Dawn arrives off back of career best says Curling

Angels Dawn bids to become the first horse in almost four decades to win back-to-back runnings of the Kim Muir. Glyde Court was the second chaser to complete the double in 1986 – a feat first achieved by Chu-Teh in 1968.

Seven horses have failed to land consecutive victories since 1988, with Master Bob the only one to be placed when third in 1991. Last year's winner Angels Dawn most recently finished third in the Thyestes at Gowran Park in January and is reunited with last year's rider Pa King.

Trainer Sam Curling said: “She probably ran a career best in the Thyestes and seems to have come on from that. She's in great form, the soft ground should suit and hopefully she can run well with a bit of luck in running."

Pauling hopeful of big show from Bowtogreatness

The betting suggests Bowtogreatness is Britain’s best chance and Ben Pauling expects Harry Redknapp’s chaser to hit peak form.

The eight-year-old finished third in the Coral Trophy at Kempton last month and was runner-up in a handicap chase at Aintree’s Grand National meeting last season.

Pauling said: “I don't think I've had him fit all season and he takes a lot of work. He ran very well at Kempton and I expect him to be competitive.”

Harry Redknapp: owns Bowtogreatness with Ben Pauling's wife SophieCredit: Getty Images

What they say

Gavin Cromwell, trainer of Inothewayurthinkin
He's in off top weight and it's a considerable step up in trip. It shouldn't be a problem but the distance is an unknown. He's versatile so the soft ground should be fine.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Fakir D’Alene, Cool Survivor, Where It All Began
Cool Survivor is a nice novice who ran well enough in the Leopardstown Chase last time. This trip should suit and we're hoping for a nice run. Fakir D'Alene and Where It All Began are solid stayers with experience and hopefully have each-way chances.

Henry Daly, trainer of Rapper
He ran well at Ascot last time and the ground, as long as it’s not heavy, shouldn’t be an issue. He burst a blood vessel in the race last year but has had no issues this season.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of City Chief
It's the right sort of race for him and he's got cheekpieces on for the first time. I've always had this in the back of my mind for him and it should suit him.

Venetia Williams, trainer of Cloudy Glen, Cepage and Demnat
Cloudy Glen has run well at Cheltenham a couple of times this season and Cepage has plenty of form there, although his win at the track this season came over shorter in a veterans’ race. We’re going into the unknown with Demnat regarding the trip.

Jamie Snowden, trainer of Git Maker
This has been his target for a while and we've deliberately kept him fresh. He won a nice handicap at Lingfield in November and has landed six of his ten starts for us, so knows how to win. He goes well left-handed and a bit of cut in the ground will suit him.

David Bridgwater, trainer of Dom Of Mary
He’s in good form and if they go hard in front it should suit. He should run well with a bit of luck. He’s won on heavy so the ground should be fine and we have a good jockey [Finian Maguire] on board.
Reporting by Jack Haynes

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