Vautour Favourite For Strong JLT Novices` Chase

Vautour is the strong favourite for tomorrow`s Grade One JLT Novices` Chase, the horse able to give trainer Willie Mullins his sixth title of the 2015 Cheltenham Festival. The six-year-old will be one of nine horses looking to claim the 2m,4f title with the ground currently officially described as good.

The Rich Ricci owned charge has picked up wins in eight of his last nine runs, perhaps his most telling performance being in that failure to win at Leopardstown at 17f in his second of three chase runs of the season. The then odds-on favourite failed to overcome top weight when completing in a share of second, 17 lengths behind George Elliott`s Clarcam.

This disappointing outing cannot have been down to the 11lb higher burden than the eventual winner, Vautour having carried a full 12lbs more on his chasing debut when beating Clarcam by eight lengths. What it can be attributed to is a failure to enter into a strong rhythm, something that was further kiboshed by the horse smacking the seventh hurdle hard.

Having said this, Clarcam remains the only horse to have beaten three-time Grade One hurdle winner and the 2/1 favourite (Numerous) should be there or thereabouts should he be able to further improve his tackling of the obstacles. The form of the trio of Ricci, Mullins and jockey Ruby Walsh is also a huge benefit for the charge.

Ptit Zig will be making his second attempt at a Grade One race, a month after falling when the short price favourite in the Ascot Chase (21f). In the 159 rated chaser`s corner is the fact that he already has a chasing win under his belt at Cheltenham and, with this at 21f, we know he can stay the distance.

The question is whether Paul Nicholls` charge will be able to take the step up from Grade Two to Grade One standard, having won two of the latter events. Indeed, it could also be said that the six-year-old might want softer ground than the good currently on offer. He is also a master of small-field races. Ptit Zig is a former Fred Winter place horse and a Champion Hurdle also-ran but can be backed at 9/2 at paddy Power and william hill to scoop his first ever Festival victory.

Both Mullins` strong second string Valseur Lido and Noel Meade`s Apache Stronghold are available at 11/2 in the betting for tomorrow`s opener. This price is readily available for the latter whilst the former can be backed at these odds at 32red and 888sport.

This will be Gigginstown`s Valseur Lido`s second Festival attempt after bombing in the Supreme Novices` Hurdle last year. So far this season the six-year-old son of Anzillero has shown himself capable of dealing with fences, picking up a Grade One win at Fairyhouse at this distance back in November beating Apache Stronghold by eight lengths.

This form was reversed on the pair`s last outing at 21f at Leopardstown, the Patricia Hunt charge getting the better of his rival by half-a-length in the Grade One Flogas Novice Chase. The nature of the former`s Fairyhouse victory sees him rated six points higher but is less exposed on good ground and this could see the race fall in Apache Stronghold`s favour.

The remaining runners are all considered to be something of outsiders, all available at prices larger than 10/1. The best of these could be course and distance winner Splash of Ginge (20/1 - paddy Power, Stan James) whilst Colour Squadron will be looking to break AP McCoy`s duck in his final ever Festival at a price of 28/1 (Betvictor, paddy power).

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11/03/2015     © Frixo 2026