Remastered to strike for Master of Pond House
ROYAL Pagaille switching to Friday’s WellChild Cheltenham Gold Cup has given a completely different complexion to the Sam Vestey National Hunt Chase (4.50pm).
Galvin, recently moved from Gordon Elliott to Ian Ferguson, heads the market at 2/1 with Fitzdares and it’s easy to see why after his impressive performance at Cheltenham in October.
Second to Imperial Aura in the Northern Trust Novices’ Handicap Chase 12 months ago, the seven-year-old has won all four starts this season.
Sunday night’s rain wouldn’t have helped him, though, and he certainly isn’t guaranteed to stay this 3m6f trip.
Next Destination is two from two over fences but he’s been fragile over the years and is short enough at 7/2 with Fitzdares.
Denise Foster’s Escaria Ten has to be on your shortlist after running so well behind Eklat De Rire at Naas on his final outing.
The winner of that race runs in Wednesday’s Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and it looks likely that Escaria Ten will stay.
However, I’ve been impressed with David Pipe’s REMASTERED this season and he is the value at 8/1 with Fitzdares.
Unbeaten over fences, he admittedly needs to find more on the bare form, but it was a fine effort in the Reynoldstown at Ascot last month.
He is an out and out stayer and Tom Scudamore is likely to give him an aggressive ride from the front.
I can see some of the others potentially looming up turning for home but that is when his stamina should kick in and he looks a great each-way bet.
The Ultima Handicap (2.30pm) is always a fiercely competitive contest yet Kim Bailey’s Happygolucky is now no bigger than 7/2.
Novices have an excellent record in the race and he has the perfect profile, but it’s a very short price for a 16-runner handicap.
The recent rain is a big bonus for the connections of ALNADAM, another novice, who can go close for the in-form Skelton team.
He has been impressive twice at Sandown this season over 2m4f on testing ground and should improve for the step up to 3m1f.
At 12/1 with Fitzdares, he is another worth backing each-way.
POINTERS
Alnadam e/w 2.30pm Cheltenham (Tuesday
Remastered e/w 4.50pm Cheltenham (Tuesday)