Ellenborough Park Hotel 'Chasing Excellence' Novices' Chase (GBB Race)

Useful hurdler who made a positive start in this discipline when winning 11-runner novice chase at Thurles (22f, good to soft) 42 days ago. May well do better yet and is not taken lightly.

Posted a personal best, on just his second start over fences, when landing 9-runner handicap chase at Newbury (19.8f, good to soft, 9/2) 15 days ago. Remains open to improvement but asked a bigger question now.

Dual bumper/hurdles winner who shaped well on his debut in this sphere at Newbury in November and benefited from the reapplication of headgear when easily winning a 2-runner minor event chase at Wincanton (20.2f, soft) 16 days ago. Holds leading claims.

Dual winner as a novice over hurdles, including a listed contest at Huntingdon (19.6f) in February, and signed off with respectable effort in Aintree Grade 1 in the spring. Lots to like about his chase debut second over C&D (good) last month and looks sure to improve with that outing under his belt.

Useful winner at 16f over hurdles who shaped much better than on debut in this sphere when third of 5 in minor event chase (7/2) at Kempton (18f, good to soft) 38 days ago. Will need more to play a part here, however.