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EF6SDAJ
;@?B@? (13/8) was crabbed for being unimpressive in his Warwick victory but remains a future Gold Cup winner in the making.
He can prevail in the first major Britain v Ireland clash by edging out El Fabiolo in the Arkle.
Expect GAFBA? (12/1 each way) to post the best run of his season by getting closest to the monster that is Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle.
Gordon Elliott can land his fifth National Hunt Chase with C96MICAL 6?6R8J. The trainer boasted of a 66/1 ante-post ticket for this event after his October win. We’ll accept the 8/1 scraps on the day.
H6D?6SDAJ
?FB6 ?68RA (20/1) represents huge each way value for Dan Skelton in the Champion Chase as long as there’s no excessive rainfall.
His defeat, giving weight, at the hands of Editeur Du Gite at Kempton over Christmas reads well now for Skelton’s stalwart.
The forecast might not say the sun has got its hat on but C9AP6AF D6 S@L6IL is a bright Bumper prospect at 10/1.
Hermes Allen is best of British in the Ballymore Hurdle but that’s unlikely to be good enough against Irish plunge horse Impaire Et Passé or I?E96P@C<6E who, at 12/1, appeals each way.
E9FRSDAJ
The Turner Novices’ Chase is hot and thankfully much deeper than last year’s four-horse nonsense.
MI89EJ P@EE6R (13/8) is three from three over fences and can put being pulled up in last year’s Supreme well behind him.
The most open of the championship races is the Stayers’ Hurdle. That can go to supplemented French raider 8@LD EH66E (12/1) whose credentials were stamped in the Cleeve Hurdle.
Gavin Cromwell runners at the Festival have been worth following in recent years and he and Barry O’neill should secure the Kim Muir with SEFMPE@H? (4/1).
7RIDAJ
Galopin Des Champs has looked enormously classy in every run but is short considering the quality and variety of talents among the Gold Cup dangers as he tackles the longer trip.
Connections stress there are no stamina doubts but he can’t possibly be recommended at 6/4.
PR@E6 SEAEEL6R (10/1) will appreciate a strongly-run stamina test up the hill more than when chasing home stablemate Galopin Des Champs at Leopardstown. 9F?E6RS JAR? (9/1) can land the County Hurdle.