Irish raider Galvin can get Elliott off to a winning start at Cheltenham
Galvin can provide Gordon Elliott with a winner on the first day of the new season at Cheltenham in the Matchbook Better Way To Bet Novices' Chase.
The County Meath maestro has become one of the dominant forces at Prestbury Park in recent years, chiefly at the Festival in March.
However, he has also enjoyed success at this meeting in the past - including two winners in this very race in the last decade.
Galvin has already visited the home of National Hunt racing on a couple of occasions - finishing sixth in the 2019 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle and runner-up to Imperial Aura in the novices' handicap chase at last season's Festival.
The six-year- old is unbeaten in three starts over fences since, most recently claiming a Grade Three prize at Tipperary a few weeks ago.
He is expected to be well suited by this step up to three miles, with Elliott having already identified the National Hunt Chase back at Cheltenham next spring as a major target.
The most valuable race on the card is the £48,000 Bentley Flying Spur Handicap Chase, in which the Harry W hitting-ton-trained Rouge Vif looks sure to give a good account of himself.
The Sageburg gelding kept good company as a novice over fences last term, with a Grade Two success in the Kingmaker at Warwick the undoubted highlight of his campaign.
He rounded off his season by finishing third, albeit well b eaten, in the Arkle Trophy behind Irish mare Put The Kettle On.
With just five runs over fences under his belt, Rouge Vif is open to further improvement and should be suited by the prevailing sound surface on his reappearance.
The Flat season maybe winding down, but there are still a couple of decent fixtures to look forward to at Doncaster and Newbury.
One of the most exciting horses on show at Doncaster today is Ocean Wind, who contests the vertem.co.uk Handicap.
Six thin last season' s Champion Bumper following a Listed success in that sphere, Roger Teal's four-year-old subsequently had his attentions turned to the Flat with a view to having a crack at the Cesarewitch.
That plan looked to be coming together perfectly following a domination of his rivals in the Cesarewitch Trial.
However, but it later transpired that he did not qualify for the big race itself - leaving connections disappointed and forced to look elsewhere.
With opportunities over marathon trips running out at this late stage of the season, Ocean Wind drops from two and a quarter miles to a mile and three -quarters on Town Mo or-but he is not short of pace, and it would be great to see him add to his tally.