Betway Best For Cheltenham Festival Betting Handicap

Off time: 15:05 | Winning time: 1m 14.61s

(1)

The Great Wall^b1¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: A Mullen| T: M Appleby| OR: 81| C| D

3/1

Course winner (7f) who is now tried in first-time blinkers having worn cheekpieces last time when well backed over C&D; turned in his best effort of the season. Did look as though a return to 7f would help though; may just be found wanting.

Form: 215-863

(2)

Ballyquin⁵^{(ex 6)}

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Joshua Bryan⁽³⁾| T: A M Balding| OR: 75| BF| D

6/5

Still looks unexposed and a straightforward sort although this will be his first outing on Fibresand. Won nicely last time despite being easy to back over 6f at Chelmsford; had the run of the race but likely to be involved if he take to the surface.

Form: 434-131

(6)

Gentlemen^h¹⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 9-7| J: Grace McEntee⁽⁷⁾| T: P S McEntee| OR: 79| D

13/2

Has on occasions looked reluctant/quirky but hard to fault him of late with back-to-back wins (finding plenty for pressure); can spoil his chance by being slow away. Has shown that he can cope with Fibresand on a going day; yet to totally convince.

Form: 446113

(5)

Related^b¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-2| J: P Mulrennan| T: P T Midgley| OR: 74| D

20/1

Useful sprint handicapper in the past who failed to win last year; generally looked regressive. That view was backed up by his first run this year as he offered very little over 6f here last month; never going well, always behind (blinkers return).

Form: 70767-8

(4)

Global Exceed^p1¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: J Fanning| T: R M H Cowell| OR: 70| D

9/1

Unreliable sort who has joined a yard who are good with sprinters but he still looked to be a tough ask over C&D here last time (without usual headgear). Cheekpieces now tried for the first-time; still a hard one to trust overall.

Form: 6/7273-3

(3)

Crosse Fire^p¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-11| J: K T O'Neill| T: S Dixon| OR: 69| CD

5/1

Eight-time course winner and recorded one of his two C&D wins in this contest two years ago. His run over C&D last time signalled that he was starting to find his feet again and this slight ease in grade may well allow him to score again in this heat

Form: 5-32232

Forecasts

Ballyquin (6/5), The Great Wall (3/1), Crosse Fire (5/1), Gentlemen (13/2), Global Exceed (9/1), Related (20/1)

It looks as though the winner of this contest two years ago CROSSE FIRE has been working his way back to winning form after he was beaten by the winner of this race (Zylan) last time out with The Great Wall back in third. Scott Dixon’s charge has slipped back below his last winning mark and he might just have a little more pace for this than The Great Wall. Ballyquin can’t be left out of this due to the start he’s made to the year but he’s yet to experience this surface and that may well be a negative. Both Gentleman and Global Exceed have their quirks and will need the others to underperform to take this.