Exciting novice chaser Royale Pagaille would be worth his place in the Cheltenham Gold Cup line-up, according to Timeform's jumps editor Dan Barber.
Royale Pagaille was cut to a top price of 12/1 (from 50/1) for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after impressing in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock on Saturday, winning that historic handicap by 16 lengths from a lofty BHA mark of 156, giving connections a big decision to make.
Barber said: "Royale Pagaille looked some way removed from one of the best novices around in his first two starts for Venetia Williams, but he’s returned a totally different proposition this season and, having made light of a 16lb rise for his striking win at Kempton, put himself firmly in the top bracket in the novice division, his rating of 163p making him second only to Shishkin (165P).
"In truth, Royale Pagaille could be rated even higher – he won by 16 lengths without being asked for anything like maximum effort – but history is littered with seemingly mammoth performances from staying chasers in the Haydock mud so, for now, a more cautious rating was deemed a sensible course of action. As ever, we will continue to monitor that form in case time shows we were out one way or the other.
"Cheltenham, where he’ll likely face conditions rather less gruelling, will provide a different test of Royale Pagaille’s qualities, but a reproduction of his Haydock figure would have seen him win all bar the most exceptional recent renewals of the Festival Novices' Chase (former RSA), whilst the Gold Cup arguably makes even more sense, given he’s accrued so much chasing experience already – fellow novice Coneygree won the Blue Riband on only his fourth outing, whereas Royale Pagaille will arrive with 11 under his belt."
Williams will discuss Festival plans with Royale Pagaille's owners Rich and Susannah Ricci, who also own Monkfish, the short-price favourite for the Festival Novices' Chase.
The National Hunt Chase, a novice event contested over three and three-quarter miles this year, is an option, while the Cheltenham Gold Cup must also come under consideration after Saturday's impressive success.
The Riccis have gone close in the Gold Cup before with Djakadam, who was twice runner-up in the race, including in 2015 when he was beaten by Coneygree. Coneygree was the first novice to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup since Captain Christy in 1974.
Dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo sets the standard in the staying division and has a Timeform rating of 172.
