BetVictor now sponsor the feature race of Cheltenham’s Open meeting, the Gold Cup Handicap Chase over two-and-a-half miles.
As ever, it looks an extremely-competitive renewal with 3lb separating the seven at the top of the weights, which includes year’s winner Annacotty for Alan King.
He won the race off a mark 9lb lower than he’ll carry in this so, despite last year’s renewal being his reappearance too, it looks a big ask to repeat the feat off 156 after such a long break and he’s easily passed this time.
Last year’s second Buywise certainly isn’t weighted out of this given he’s just 2lb higher than last year and arrives after a decent spin over hurdles around Aintree.
At a general 16/1 he has obvious each-way claims but his famously-lousy jumping will always cast doubt over his chances.
It looks a tougher race this year with 2014 World Hurdle hero More Of That taking part on his seasonal return.
Despite having lowered the colours of Annie Power, one of the biggest names in the sport of jump racing, his chase mark of 154 means he’s not even top-weight in this and hints that they could all be in for a beating.
I don’t doubt he’s the class horse in the race and could be very well-off at the weights, but this is a handicap and there are plenty of other chances at nice prices.
On reflection, More Of That wasn’t as impressive a novice chaser as he was a hurdler, and he has to give 15lbs to Paul Nicholls’s As De Mee, who he only beat two lengths off level weights on début last season.
As De Mee had a patchy record last season and his form tailed off towards the end, but his year was punctuated by some big performances behind Grade 1 winners like More Of That and Bristol De Mai.
He’s had the magic wind operation and returned with an impressive win at Fontwell recently, but at 8/1 in the betting he’s a bit too short to represent any value – the price has gone after some prominent tipsters have put him up.
He also had had the benefit of a run when More Of That beat him last season, and Jonjo O’Neil’s stable-star won with plenty in hand to suggest the big swing in weights might not be enough.
Along with As De Mee, Paul Nicholls fires four bullets at the race and they all look to have chances.
Art Mauresque was a little disappointing in this race last season racing off a lower mark, but won well on his reappearance this season when beating subsequent Charley Hall Chase winner Irish Cavalier.
That form looks really good now, and the forecast rain hasn’t really materialised leaving conditions good-to-soft, which should suit most – I’d be surprised if he can give More Of That 2lbs and a beating, though.
With Nicholls’s stable jockey Sam Twiston-Davies out injured there’s no obvious stable first-string, but shortest in the betting of the quartet is the four-year-old FRODON who has won well in two starts this season, most recently last weekend when he beat the classy Shantou Village.
The whip was drawn on that occasion so it probably wasn’t an easy race, but his trainer doesn’t see the quick turnaround as a negative.
He does get into this race 5lb well-in and, particularly with Harry Cobden’s 3lb claim, is no doubt well-handicapped and open to any amount of improvement in this so appears to have a massive chance.
8/1 seems fair and a price worth taking.
Nicholls also seems keen on his Bouvreuil’s chances, claiming he’s extremely fit and has been trained for this race for a while – but despite his age (5) entitling him to plenty more improvement, I don’t think his form last season stacks up particularly well in this company and I reckon the handicapper has got him.
Of the remainder, the Grade 1-winner SIZING GRANITE could be a player at a big price now switched from Henry de Bromhead in Ireland to Colin Tizzard’s stable, who are in good form, and stepped up in trip from two miles.
It’s been a couple of years since he’s shown his very best but the switch of stables could see him rediscover his best form, and it’s not too hard to find excuses for some of last year’s underwhelming performances.
A horrible mistake at the first cost him all chance in the Champion Chase behind Sprinter Sacre, and a seven-length defeat in second to Top Gamble when giving him 2lbs isn’t too bad for a horse out of form.
Besides that he got stuck in the mud last season and wants better ground, so today’s conditions should be fine.
Jumping seems his vice but he was pretty slick when winning that Grade 1 at Aintree as a novice, and he’s related to renowned stayers like Mountainous and Le Reve so could very well improve for a step up in trip.
Tom O’Brien had the choice between him and Sizing Platinum, a good second at Cheltenham last month, so there are hints of stable confidence and he’s worth an each-way poke.
Taquin Du Seuil and Double Shuffle also look primed for big runs in a deep race.
1pt each-way Frodon @8/1, 14:25 Cheltenham, Saturday (1,2,3,4,5,6, 1/4, BetVictor)
0.5pt each-way Sizing Granite @28/1, 14:25 Cheltenham, Saturday (1,2,3,4,5,6, 1/4, BetVictor)