'We're trying something very different' - quotes and analysis as Protektorat drops into handicap company

This often unloved Premier handicap might turn out to have been the main beneficiary from moving the International Hurdle from this card. This race used to be the Friday feature. It may not be coincidence that switching it to the Saturday card has attracted a more interesting field than usual.

Plenty of good formlines from the November meeting will be tested. Malina Girl and City Chief were first and fourth in a Premier handicap over just shy of three and a half miles. Easy As That was a never-nearer sixth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Broadway Boy won a novice chase with a rich history. He would be very rare among recent winners of the race to go straight into handicaps. That is less a warning from the trends than a tap of the table to Nigel Twiston-Davies' campaigning of this five-year-old, who has taken so well to chasing. The only real question he must answer is whether he can dominate a field of classy handicappers the same way.

It is not just classy handicappers, either. Topweight is Protektorat, who has finished only just out of shot in the last two Gold Cups. Had his horsebox broken down on the way to Haydock for the Betfair Chase, he might have been a warm order here off a mark of 165. The reality, that he got to the track that day and made a pig's ear of what was known to be his principal target for the season, is proving hard for punters to overcome. It is understandable. Protektorat has never been the easiest to catch right.

The other two of some interest have rather opposite career arcs. Threeunderthrufive was prolific as a novice and is typically popular in races like this. He often finds one or two too good, as in the Scottish National (fourth) and Badger Beer (second) on his last two outings.

His connections would like to bottle some of what Elvis Mail has discovered of late. After two wins from his first 11 chases, the latter is approaching his 14th on a hat-trick after two wins in Class 2s at Kelso. Plenty will raise concerns over the worth of Kelso form compared with a Premier handicap. I would be more concerned that he has little to no form on tracks that undulate like Cheltenham.

But then there is hardly a runner here with a bombproof profile, even though most of them have attractive form to call on. This race used to struggle for relevance with so many other top-grade staying handicap chases vying for attention in December. With a bit more spice to this year's field, it could turn out to be as tricky to solve as any of them.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

Skelton intrigued by Protektorat task

The Fakir D'Oudairies camp might think he has a task on his hands in the card's Virgin Bet December Gold Cup, but Protektorat tries to defy a 3lb higher mark in this and concedes upwards of 15lb to his rivals.

Rated 165, he was a Grade 1 winner in last season's Betfair Chase and has been third and fifth in the most recent runnings of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. However, he was well beaten in the Betfair Chase at Haydock three weeks ago, so connections are going off-script.

Dan Skelton, who trains the gelding for Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason and John and Lisa Hales, said: "We're obviously trying something very different going in a handicap giving weight away, but he's probably got the benefit of having a run under his belt from Haydock, which just didn't happen for him. 

"He landed a bit funny after the first and that was it for him. We had to find something to do pretty quickly after and I didn't really want to go for the King George, and this was the obvious alternative. He's been round the course in two Gold Cups and they were pretty good runs. It's just a question of if he can give this much weight away. It will be intriguing." 

What they say

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Threeunderthrufive
Dan's horse has plenty of weight and it's a competitive race, but him running means my lad has a nice racing weight and he ran well at Wincanton last time, while we think he's improved for that. He's a Cheltenham winner and it's good race, but he's definitely got a chance.

Willy Twiston-Davies, assistant to Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of Broadway Boy
He stays well and has had a good time of things since we went chasing, while he likes the track, so we've got to be hopeful of a big run. Soft ground will be fine for him too.

Nick Alexander, trainer of Elvis Mail
He's crept up the weights and the race has shaped up nicely for him with Protektorat being declared. We're really excited to run him, he'll love the ground and he should handle the track. If his jumping holds up he should get involved.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of City Chief
He's not the biggest horse in the world, so it's good we're not carrying 12 stone like we did at Cheltenham last time. He ran very well there, though. We're down to 10st 4lb because of Protektorat, which is a bonus for him. It's a tough race but a good prize.
Reporting by James Burn

Read Saturday's previews:

1.15 Cheltenham: Have connections found the ideal spot to get 'absolute legend' Funambule Sivola back to winning ways? 

1.50 Cheltenham: 'I pushed Harry to ride Monmiral' - Paul Nicholls, Olly Murphy and more on their December Gold Cup hopefuls 

3.00 Cheltenham: Could Shanagh Bob be another star novice for the supremely strong Nicky Henderson stable? 

3.15 Doncaster: 'I want to get him in the National' - quotes and analysis for a cracking handicap chase at Doncaster 

3.35 Cheltenham: 'We'd like to try her in the Mares' Hurdle'  - quotes and analysis for a competitive mares' handicap hurdle 

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