Matbac plays Golden Ace to rise to top of Tote Ten to Follow leaderboard

It is hardly surprising that such a tumultuous Cheltenham Festival should produce an equally great upheaval in the Tote Ten to Follow leaderboard, with the front-runner before the meeting, My CatChip, now down to 11th place.

Clear at the top of the table is Matbec Racing, with 749.39 points, thanks to the 90.40 points accrued by Golden Ace in the Champion Hurdle, plus 53.80 from Fact To File’s Ryanair success, 28.07 from Lossiemouth in the Mares’ Hurdle, 27.97 supplied by Kopek Des Bordes in the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ and 15.20 points from Stumptown in the Cross Country.

Five winners is a terrific haul, but think what might have been if the squad’s other members such asBallyburn, Jonbon and Galopin Des Champs had delivered.

The leader is pursued on 733.96 by Double Trees, who has The New Lion’s 30.50 points from the Turners Novices’ Hurdle in the bank.

Third-placed Isca Silurum has 57.90 points from Jango Baie’s Arkle success and a further 57.50 from Marine Nationale’s victory in the Champion Chase to lift that team to 720.81 points.

Joining the list of the leading points-scoring horses in third place is Lecky Watson, thanks to 78.60 from the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase while, away from Cheltenham, Mr Vango’s 31.10 points from his win in the Midlands National takes him into 14th place. It is the nine-year-old’s third points-scoring success of the season.

In 19th place is Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin but the 60.10 points accrued are the first of the season for the Grand National favourite.

Despite the opportunity presented by the pre-festival transfer window, only 7.2% of teams were with Inothewayurthinkin, 2.9% with Marine Nationale, The New Lion and the Stayers’ Hurdle winner Bob Olinger and 2% with Golden Ace.

Galopin Des Champs increased his fan base from 61.3% to 68.3% of, ultimately frustrated, players and Jonbon from 73.2% to 75.9%.

The competition will reach its climax on Grand National day, Saturday April 5.

LATEST STANDINGS

LEADING HORSES
1 Galopin Des Champs 68.3% of teams 120.06 points
2 Jonbon 75.9% 113.98
3 Lecky Watson 0.6% 112.95
4 Golden Ace 2% 112.60
5 Fact To File 51.2% 99.10
6 Solness 1.6% 95.00
7 Croke Park 0.8% 81.90
8 Handstands 0.4% 77.54
9 The New Lion 2.9% 73.12
10 Jango Baie 4.4% 71.95

LEADING TEAMS
1 Matbec Racing 749.39 points
2 Double Trees 733.96
3 Isca Silurum 25 720.81
4 Sandford Flyer Aces 714.24
5 Nom de plume 705.96
6 RainbowQ5 703.28
7 Tidal Bay 09 695.81
8 Robert Winchcole >11 66 693.13
9 waynetta 61 691.40
10 CWL 7 690.35

LEADER'S STABLE - Matbec Racing 749.39 points
Galopin Des Champs 120.06 points
Jonbon 113.98
Golden Ace 112.60
Fact To File 99.10
Lossiemouth 54.65
State Man 54.65
Constitution Hill 49.04
Ballyburn 39.93
Kopek Des Bordes 27.97
Stumptown 15.20

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