Le Prezien a real deal

PAUL JACOBS is on the trail of more winners in his weekly JACOBS’ CRACKERS column...

SUNDAY SERVICE At the start of the season Paul Nicholls described LE PREZIEN as an “exciting” novice chaser.

Then following his second to Charbel last month, the Ditcheat master told me: “That was a hot contest and he will improve a lot for the run.”

Cue today’s 1.20 at Cheltenham and a chance for the five-year-old to get off the mark over the larger obstacles and land the nap.

The big race is the Greatwood Hurdle (2.30) and SONG LIGHT is the each-way call.

If there is plenty of juice in the turf, it will inconvenience Fox Norton and Special Tiara but suit SIMPLY NED in the Shloer Chase (1.55).

Nigel Twiston-Davies (above) has his team in red-hot form and he can notch another winner courtesy of BALLYARTHUR (3.05).

The six-year-old looked in need of the experience last time at Carlisle and gets the vote over Altesse De Guye.

THE WEEK AHEAD The £1m bonus is up for grabs starting with Saturday’s Betfair Chase, followed by the King George VI Chase and finally the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

CONEYGREE is back for another shot at the big time in six days and his biggest rival is likely to be Cue Card, winner of the first two legs last year.

The 2015 Gold Cup winner looked in good order in a recent racecourse gallop and at a top priced 3-1 he could be the value to turn over Colin Tizzard’s ace. The latter ran with plenty of zest on his seasonal debut at Wetherby where the wrong tactics were used but if we get genuinely soft ground next week I fancy he will find it hard to keep tabs on his rival, who is unbeaten in five starts over fences.

ANTE-POST CAID DU BERLAIS was given a wonderfully patient ride by young Stan Sheppard to score on his comeback over hurdles at Aintree two weeks ago.

And the former Paddy Power Gold Cup winner now has the Betfair Fixed Brush Hurdle crown in his sights next Saturday.

I have already had a nice each-way slab him at 12-1 but 10-1 is available.