My Pension Expert Melling Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 5m 12.29s

Conflated^p1²⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 166| D

12/1

Top-class chaser on his day whose only success in last 2 seasons came in Savills Chase last term. Would have gone close had more use been made of him when third to Protektorat in Ryanair (20.6f, soft) last month and interesting connections have opted for this instead of the National.

Form: P-53UU3

Easy Game¹⁹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 161| D

20/1

Prolific winning chaser who was back on song after his Galway Plate flop when landing Grade 2 PWC Champion Chase (for a third time) at Gowran (20f, heavy) 6 months ago. Will need a career best to trouble the principles, but he's gone well fresh prior and is Willie Mullins' sole representative.

Form: 111-101

Envoi Allen^t²⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 11-10| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 164| BF| D

13/2

Notched his third Cheltenham Festival success when seeing of Shishkin in Ryanair last season. Back to that level when neck second to Gerri Colombe in 3m Down Royal Grade 1 in November and ran a cracker when finding only Protektorat too strong in corresponding former event most recently.

Form: 714-322

Jonbon⁷⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-10| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 170| BF| C

11/10

Grade 1 winning hurdler and a top-class chaser, with his only defeat in his first 8 starts over fences coming at the hands of El Fabiolo in last year's Arkle. A shocking mistake 4 out provides an excuse when beaten narrowly at Cheltenham on Trials Day and he can regain the winning thread up in trip.

Form: 211-112

Minella Drama^t⁴¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 150| D

50/1

Smart performer who returned with a good second in the Old Roan Chase over C&D. Poor efforts next 2 starts but back on track when 7 lengths second to Thunder Rock in listed chase at Kelso (23.4f, soft) just under 6 weeks ago. This considerably tougher though, so can only be watched.

Form: 13-2372

Pic D'Orhy^t⁵⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 162| CD

9/2

Only defeat in 2022/23 campaign came at the hands of Shishkin in Ascot Chase and added another Grade 1 to his CV when landing that corresponding race in February, making the most of superior jumping and a tactical advantage. Won this last season and there's plenty to like arriving fresh.

Form: 121-121

Protektorat^t²⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 167| CD

9/2

Won Betfair Chase at Haydock in 2022/23 and having been campaigned as a stayer since, found the drop back in trip liberating when adding a Ryanair Chase to his CV at Cheltenham (20.6f, soft) last month, beating Envoi Allen by 4 lengths. Seemingly no reason why he won't be in the shake-up again.

Form: 5-43231

Forecasts

Jonbon (11/10), Protektorat (9/2), Pic D'Orhy (9/2), Envoi Allen (13/2), Conflated (12/1), Easy Game (20/1), Minella Drama (50/1)

The 1-2-3 from this year's Ryanair again do battle but it's a notable absentee from the Cheltenham Festival JONBON who's selected to regain the winning thread having been undone by a rare jumping blip in the rearranged Clarence House on Trials Day in January. Confidence would only heighten should the yard's handful of runners go well on Thursday. Last year's winner Pic d'Orhy arrives fresh, so he may provide most resistance, ahead of recent Ryanair-scorer Protektorat.