Timeform reveal the ratings banker, the big improver and a 'Flag' of note at Cheltenham on Saturday.
The Ratings Banker
Frero Banbou - 13:15 Cheltenham
Frero Banbou turned in a lacklustre display on his return at Ascot in October but he showed the benefit of that outing when arguably putting up a career-best performance to finish third at Newbury last month.
Frero Banbou was no match for Paul Nicholls' lightly-raced four-year-old Il Ridoto, who contested a Grade 1 just a week later, but he was only a length and a half behind the bang-in-form runner-up Numitor, and he pulled seven and a half lengths clear of the fourth.
That was a competitive handicap run at a good pace and it is form that ought to work out well, so a 1 lb rise in the weights for Frero Banbou looks lenient.
He is 3 lb clear at the head of Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings and can prove that he is a well-handicapped chaser.
The Big Improver
Farinet - 13:50 Cheltenham
Farinet made an encouraging start for Venetia Williams when finishing third in a good-quality novice handicap chase at Haydock last season and he built on that to score at Sandown on his final start of the campaign, showing a willing attitude in tough conditions. Farinet travelled with zest and hit the front going well on the approach to the third-last, but he was soon tackled and looked held when making a mistake at the final fence.
Farinet dug deep, though, and rallied strongly up the hill, pulling six and a half lengths clear of the runner-up who was 28 lengths ahead of the third. An 8 lb rise in the weights is fair and the unexposed Farinet makes his return to action with his yard firing on all cylinders.
The Timeform Flag
Yorksea - 12:05 Cheltenham (Horse In Focus)
Yorksea failed to live up to expectations on the Flat during his time with Freddy Head given he's a son of Sea The Stars and out of a Group 1 winner, but he made an encouraging start over hurdles for Gary Moore on Cheltenham's Old Course last month, catching the eye with the late headway he made. Yorksea was taking on previous winners at level weights on his hurdles debut but he was beaten less than three lengths in third and emerged with plenty of credit.
His strength at the finish was the most notable aspect of the performance and that bodes well for his prospects on this stiffer course, where the lack of jumping in the final three-quarters of a mile places more of an emphasis on stamina.
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