Matt Brocklebank rounds up the pick of the latest official ratings adjustments and conjures what implications they have on the Cheltennham Festival.
Kalash of the titans
Kalashnikov up 13lb to 154
Project Bluebook down 5lb to 136
Divin Bere down 3lb to 141
If Ruby Walsh (touch wood) intends on haring off and attempting to make all on Getabird in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, then he won't want a certain Kalashnikov anywhere near the target on his back as he takes the Old Course's final, sharp left-hander and heads up the Cheltenham hill.
The similarities between Saturday's Betfair Hurdle at Newbury and the Festival curtain-raiser admittedly may be quite thin when you consider course configuration, level of opposition and, obviously, the potential for significantly better ground, but Kalashnikov's overall body of work is that of a rapidly-improving novice who could yet emerge as the pick of a thus far fairly inconspicuous bunch of British-trained two-milers.
The Betfair Hurdle has provided the springboard for several top novices and the BHA's team of handicappers aren't taking this performance lightly, brandishing him as they have with a shiny new rating of 154.
So it’s a 13lb rise for Amy Murphy’s budding star, the same hike My Tent Or Yours incurred when bolting up in the race from a mark of 149 before he was just denied by Champagne Fever in the 2013 Supreme.
To add a little more historical context, Altior went into the race on 155, while the two previous home heroes, Cinders And Ashes and Al Ferof, were rated 142 prior to landing the Supreme.
Having the opportunity to expose one's class in a race like the Betfair does lend a hand to Kalashnikov from a purely numbers-based perspective compared to, say, market rival and 145-rated If The Cap Fits (think goalkeepers from relegation-threatened clubs topping the saves charts), but many would argue that proving one's mettle in the heat of battle is equally important as the raw data in the run-up to Cheltenham, and it would be hard to argue with them.
He passed the test with flying colours, despite those colours being barely distinguishable as Jack Quinlan celebrated at the line, and if better ground can help him travel a little sweeter through the race next month then he's bound to be finishing with purpose.
Whether he can gun down a fully-fledged Getabird, however, remains to be seen.
Click on the image below to back Kalashnikov for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle...
The eyecatchers from in behind aren't easy to make out on the replay (watch it a few times, it's free!), but Verdana Blue is impossible to miss.
She moved extremely well for much of the race and still looked full of running before weakening quickly between the final two flights.
Nicky Henderson's mare was easy to back after the heavy rain throughout the morning and is clearly a better mare on better ground. It's no great surprise, therefore, to see her mark unchanged on the back of this, despite the four horses who finished immediately in front of her being eased 1lb (second to fifth were also left alone).
Verdana Blue will presumably stay down the handicap route at the Festival rather than take up either of her top-class engagements in the Unibet Champion Hurdle or OLBG Mares' Hurdle.
The finishing position of stablemate Charli Parcs (14th) shouldn't be taken at face value either - this was much more like it from last year's Triumph Hurdle sixth. He's been dropped 1lb and is likely to be aimed towards the County Hurdle, in which he will compete from a career-low mark of 144.
A couple of others who palpably hated conditions were Project Bluebook and Divin Bere, who should be given the chance to prove this form wrong in the spring.
They are down 5lb and 3lb to 136 and 141 respectively and it's worth recalling both ran huge races in last season's Fred Winter.
Incidentally, Irish Roe was the only other horse to go down as much as 5lb in the ratings, which means her previous 11lb hike for finishing second to Maria's Benefit at Doncaster is effectively now just 6lb.
Big wheel keep on turning...
Native River remains on 166
Cloudy Dream down 1lb to 157
Saphir Du Rheu down 2lb to 158
Native River did what punters expected of him in landing 8/11 favouritism to record back-to-back victories in Newbury’s Denman Chase, and he clearly did what the official handicapper anticipated too as he's been left alone on a mark of 166.
Having been considered a 168 horse going into last season's Cheltenham Gold Cup and come up three lengths short in third, he'll theoretically need to take his form to heights he's never scaled if he's to get the better of Might Bite and Sizing John, who remain 3lb and 4lb his superior.
There was a real freshness about this Denman Chase performance, something you're entitled to expect from a horse having his first run for the thick end of a year, and he bounded away to win by 12 lengths after jumping with his typical relish.
He'll face stronger stayers than he did here come the big day – Cloudy Dream, who was eased 1lb in the ratings, is now set to drop back in distance for the Ryanair Chase – but Native River could not have done more than win in commanding fashion and his light campaign may just give him the edge that appeared to be missing at the end of a tough season last March.
Last year's Gold Cup fifth Saphir Du Rheu was also making his belated seasonal return and he ran like he needed it. He was bumped out to 100/1 and could struggle to improve on last year's placing.
Click on the image below for Sky Bet's latest Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup odds...
And... breathe
Altior remains on 170
Politologue down 2lb to 163
Valdez down 2lb to 149
All's well with Altior then.
However you feel his high-profile date with the Wind Surgeon was handled by those closest to him, it was fantastic to see the brilliant Altior back in business with a ready dismissal of Politologue in the Betfair Exchange Chase.
The horse who's been mopping up all the races Altior would presumably have been aimed towards was ultimately tossed aside as the Queen Mother Champion Chase favourite made his belated return to action.
Despite making stark improvement over the minimum trip this season, with wins in the Haldon Gold Cup, Tingle Creek and Desert Orchid, the runner-up was made to look one-paced here and connections may have one or two regrets at not entering him in the Ryanair Chase, over a trip that was originally thought to be his optimum when he joined Paul Nicholls from France.
He was dropped a couple of pounds with Altior looking every inch the 170 horse that ended his novice campaign with six straight victories, including two against established, older chasers.
He wasn't his sparkling self at Cheltenham last March, but still managed to win the Arkle from Cloudy Dream and is a perfect 3-3 at Prestbury Park all told.
He'll have to have a more serious off-day this time around if Min has any real chance of exacting his Sky Bet Supreme revenge from two years ago.
Click on the image below for Sky Bet's latest Queen Mother Champion Chase odds...
Calvados packs a punch
Saint Calvados up 6lb to 160
Diego Du Charmil remains on 143
North Hill Harvey down 2lb to 150
"He is talented so hopefully we can have some fun with him," trainer Harry Whittington remarked after Saint Calvados won a novices' handicap chase from a mark of 143 first time out over fences at Newbury on December 30.
Two impeccable subsequent victories and things have suddenly got very serious, with the giant five-year-old promoted to a mark of 160 after slamming two rivals by 22 lengths and more in Saturday's Betway Kingmaker Novices' Chase at Warwick.
That doesn't just put him on the cusp of a Racing Post Arkle challenge but thrusts him right into the melting pot for what promises to be one of the most anticipated races of this year's Festival.
This comprehensive beating of two very reasonable novices in their own right catapults Saint Calvados into third favourite, nestled between Petit Mouchoir and Sceau Royal in the betting behind warm favourite Footpad, and there's every reason to think he could shorten again when the dust finally settles in the run-up to Cheltenham.
The prospect of better ground is thought to be "no problem" for the five-year-old, according to his jockey Aidan Coleman, and while that clearly has to be taken on trust given all of his form so far - both over hurdles in France and fences in this country - is on soft or heavy, his electric jumping should keep him in the Arkle for a long way on March 13.
The Kingmaker hasn't been a shabby guide in recent seasons, either, with its most famous alumni including Arkle and Champion Chase winner Voy Por Ustedes, as well as King George/Gold Cup hero Long Run.
Finian's Rainbow filled the runner-up spot in the 2011 Arkle after winning at Warwick, Balder Succes, who skipped Cheltenham, went straight to win the Grade One Maghull at Aintree, Vibrato Valtat was fourth in the Arkle and second in Aintree's Manifesto over two and a half miles, while last year's Kingmaker winner Flying Angel won the Manifesto.
It's a little extreme to suggest Saint Calvados has the chasing world at his feet but Cheltenham will tell us so much more about this intriguing young horse, who certainly hasn't been missed by the handicappers and has earned his lofty rating on merit.
Arkle aspirations for North Hill Harvey may have to be reconsidered and it wouldn't be a shock were he to turn up next in the Grand Annual, a comment that definitely applies to former Fred Winter winner Diego Du Charmil, who must have good ground and wasn't entirely disgraced here in the face of a tall order.
Click on the image of Saint Calvados below for Sky Bet's latest NRNB Arkle market...
Mussel' memory
Claimantakinforgan down 2lb to 144
Callett Mad up 4lb to 142
Connetable up 1lb to 136
Last Sunday's big Musselburgh meeting falls into this week's ratings round-up and is worth a brief mention.
If you put your trust in the markets, Claimantakinforgan's Supreme Novices' Hurdle credentials seemingly went up in smoke when third to Kevin Ryan's Beyond The Clouds in the Sky Bet Supreme Scottish Trial, but I wouldn't be so quick to put a line through him.
He wouldn't be the first former point-to-pointer to find Musselburgh's sharp turns dead against him and if you're willing to excuse a high-class horse one bad run then inflated odds around the 20/1 mark could be your thing.
He's down 2lb following this odds-on reverse and is now 10lb behind the likes of Kalashnikov, but will be much more at home in a strongly-run race back on fast ground where I'm convinced his jumping will improve.
In the Pertemps qualifier on the same card, Calett Mad took full advantage of a reduced mark to win well and tee up a tilt at the Final at Cheltenham. He remains 3lb below his chase mark despite a 4lb hike for this win and he also holds an engagement in the Albert Bartlett.
The one to take from the race could be third home Connetable, who like Calett Mad has become well treated over timber and now looks an out-and-out stayer.
A mark of 136 wouldn't have been quite high enough to make the cut for last year's Pertemps, so it's going to be touch and go, but he's worth a place in My Stable with the spring festivals in mind anyway.