13:30 Cheltenham

Thursday 16 March 2017

All13:3014:1014:5015:3016:1016:5017:30

JLT Novices' Chase (Grade 1) (Registered As The Golden Miller)

Off time: 13:30 | Winning time: 4m 58.90s

Baily Cloud^p,t⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: M A Enright| T: M F Morris| OR: 140

50/1

Will enjoy the fast ground but poor jumping let him down last time out when unseating against the re-opposing Yorkhill and out of his depth once again here.

Form: 354UF4

Balko Des Flos³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: D J Mullins| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 143

16/1

Tends to show his best form on soft ground and has struggled upped in class on his last two starts. Good jumper but has plenty to do to turn the form around with stablemate Disko, would appear to be the stable second-string.

Form: 72133F

Disko^h³²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: B J Cooper| T: N Meade| OR: 151

4/1

Very exciting prospect who claimed a Grade 1 at Leopardstown when last seen. Jumping getting better with every start and shown he's effective on fast ground. He's very much unexposed and there's a good chance he will cope with the demands of Cheltenham so has to be a player in a weak renewal.

Form: 613313

Flying Angel^t1³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: N D Fehily| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 152

9/1

Bounced back to form last time but yard have been quiet in the run up to the Festival and all his recent wins have come on rain-softened ground. Tounge-tie tried for the first time needs to have the desired effect but he looks like a place prospect at best.

Form: 3-1FP16

Kilcrea Vale¹⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: J McGrath| T: N J Henderson| OR: 140

22/1

Won a small field Class 2 event when last seen but entitled to win that and could well find this something of a culture shock upped in class. Trainer in flying form with several winners at the Festival already but he looks to have a better chance with his other runner.

Form: 9/12158-

Politologue^h³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 152

10/1

Progressive young chaser, winning first two chase starts at Haydock and Ascot (Grade 2) before losing unbeaten record over fences at Haydock in January. Bounced back to some extent winning a match race at Kempton (1/8fav) when last seen but may find a couple too good at this level.

Form: 21U210-

Top Notch⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: D A Jacob| T: N J Henderson| OR: 152

7/2

Runner-up in the 2015 Triumph and has made a promising switch to fences, proving a sound jumper. Career best last time when coming out on top in a hot race at Sandown while his trainer has been flying at the Festival so far this week. Yet to tackle ground quite this fast but he's not slow and he should put up a bold show.

Form: 15-3111

Yorkhill⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Ruby Walsh| T: W P Mullins

6/4

Highly talented on his day and three-time Grade 1 winner over hurdles but his two chase starts haven't taken much winning this season. Looked an awkward jumper in a recent open schooling session and while he's clearly the class horse in the race, it's up for debate whether this is his code and he may be one to oppose at a short price for a yard that have had a disappointing Festival so far.

Form: 11111-4

Forecasts

Yorkhill (6/4), Top Notch (7/2), Disko (4/1), Flying Angel (9/1), Politologue (10/1), Balko Des Flos (16/1), Kilcrea Vale (22/1), Baily Cloud (50/1)

The Irish look to have a strong hand in this affair and DISKO is an exciting prospect in this sphere. There's every chance there's more to come over the larger obstacles after running out an impressive winner in a Grade 1 contest at Leopardstown last time and there could be more to come on likely better ground. Top Notch has looked like an excellent jumper of a fence this season and he represents a stable in flying form with the trainer already having three winners at the Festival. Yorkhill looks the class horse in the field but he hasn't been entirely convincing over the larger obstacles to date.