Reynoldstown Novices' Chase to continue to have impact on major handicaps

The last winner of the Reynoldstown to follow-up at the Cheltenham Festival was O'Faolains Boy who backed up his Ascot defeat of Many Clouds when denying Smad Place by a neck in the Broadway Novices' Chase although 2016 second Minella Rocco did go one better in the National Hunt Chase Challenge Cup, beating Native River.

That isn't solely down to the shifts in balance on either side of the Irish Sea with the 11 winners of the Broadway Novices' Chase since O'Faolains Boy showing a 6-5 score in favour of the 'home team' but, despite being a small field Grade 2 contest, the Reynoldstown now has more of an impact on the handicaps next month.

Twelve months ago The Changing Man finished second in the Ultima at 7/1. In 2023 Oscar Elite finished fifth in the same Festival race at 8/1 and runner-up Bold Endeavour filled the same spot, reverting to hurdles in the Coral Cup. In 2022 Does He Know was sent off at 11/1 for the Ultima but trailed home behind Corach Rambler whose previous start saw him unseat in the Reynoldstown as the 16/5 favourite.

You'll have noticed that The Changing Man and Oscar Elite were trained by Joe Tizzard - father Colin also won the Reynoldstown with Copperhead and Mister Malarky - which makes Western Knight of firm interest. Tried in graded company over three miles over hurdles, he made his chase debut over that trip and finished last of four; Tiny Tetley hasn't gone on as expected but both Quebecois and Doyen Quest have done their bit for the form. Western Knight has won both subsequent starts over intermediate trips and a fourth chase start would give connections more options at Cheltenham.

Western Knight has plenty to find on these terms with Thomas Mor who is 10 lb clear of the field on ratings and 2 lb above the ceiling for the novice handicaps and the Kim Muir at Cheltenham. He already has Festival form having finished a close-up sixth behind Stay Away Fay and Affordale Fury in the Albert Bartlett for his previous connections.

Thomas Mor made his chase debut in a novice handicap last year before reverting to timber in the Pertemps Final (fifteenth of 24). He readily accounted for two rivals in a course beginners' chase on his return before beating all bar Kitzbuhel in the Kauto Star with Wendigo and Salver third and fourth with Crest Of Fortune last of the six.

Crest Of Fortune finished third in the three mile Grade 1 novice hurdle at Aintree (Western Knight eighth) which saw him line-up off a 10 lb higher mark for his chase debut at Cheltenham in October when second in a novice handicap over two miles and five. He has since struggled in graded races (reported to have bled at Kempton) and surely lines up here with a return to Cheltenham and handicaps in mind.

Stablemate Presenting A Queen is outclassed but that's not the case with Wyenot who has only had two chase starts, latterly no match for the smart Diva Luna.

The Jukebox Kid is improving with racing and justified decent market support over C&D to take his chase record to two from three. The defeat came in a Cheltenham handicap where he didn't appear to get home over an extended three miles one but he was strong at the line at Ascot and the form received a boost when Issam won at Kempton last week. Connections mentioned the National Hunt Chase in the post-race debrief and that's a well-trodden route from the Reynoldstown and arguably a more appealing one now it's a handicap.

Mor to come in big spring handicaps?

The ante-post handicap quotes for the Cheltenham Festival are a little thin on the ground but perhaps one or two more might appear between declaration time and post time.

Crest Of Fortune is around 25/1 for the Festival Trophy [Ultima], Plate and Golden Miller [novices' handicap chase] while The Jukebox Kid and Thomas Mor are both quoted for the Festival Trophy (c. 20/1), and the National Hunt Chase and Golden Miller respectively, but Western Knight is only listed by a solitary firm for those two contests and not at all for the Festival Trophy.

Western Knight has yet to win over three miles (four attempts) - whereas Oscar Elite and The Changing Man had less to prove on the stamina front - but a win here would bring the Festival Trophy into the equation although the two intermediate handicaps would appear more likely options.

In contrast, Crest Of Fortune looks to be in need of three miles although few runners his age are asked to contest the Festival Trophy and they tend to be the more precocious French-breds; perhaps he'd be better off waiting for Aintree.

Thomas Mor is more interesting for the Festival Trophy which often suits his prominent style of racing but it doesn't feel as though there's any great upside in backing him at 20/1 given he's rated higher than last year's winner, Myretown.

The Jukebox Kid has only had five starts under Rules and I'm not convinced he's ready for the Cheltenham cauldron while Ben Pauling, who holds him in high regard, has stated that he would need soft ground to take his chance.

The Reynoldstown may not be a factor in the top novice chases but it seems sure to continue to punch above its weight in the handicaps in the short-term; trying to take advantage of that five days out has defeated me but don't dismiss the form in six weeks' time.

Published at 15:24 GMT on 09/02/26

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