Cheltenham Festival - Jewson Novice Chase Preview 2012

The Jewson Novice Chase is the Festival’s championship race for first season chasers over an extended two-and-a-half-mile trip.

A sound combination of speed, endurance and accurate fencing is required in order to succeed and ideally the race suits horses whose talents fall in between the demands of both the Arkle and RSA Chase.

Noble Prince from the Paul Nolan stable fulfilled that profile when crossing the line first in 2011 and Paul Nicholls’ Cristal Bonus may well prove to be of similar ilk this time around.

The Ditcheat handler always carries a strong hand at the Festival and usually holds leading chances across the board.

And Cristal Bonus, who was pretty useful over hurdles prior to chasing, appears to have given Nicholls a solid chance of success in this division.

After showing a fair amount of promise to comfortably land a beginners chase at Chepstow in January, Cristal Bonus then went on to score in the Pendil Novice Chase at Kempton, beating the useful Duke Of Lucca by thirteen lengths – a win which indicated a potential star may be just around the corner.

Nicholls’ horse will undoubtedly have to improve further if he is to take this particular race, however he definitely warrants serious consideration given his scope and natural ability.

Cristal Bonus is currently holding favouritism in the market but that may be surrendered should Donald McCain decide to pitch Peddlers Cross into the race.

Last year’s Champion Hurdle runner-up looks set to contest the Arkle Chase on day one of the meeting however McCain may feel that the Jewson could play to his star’s strengths as he probably stays further than two miles.

For Non Stop is a horse who clearly lacks the outright pace for an Arkle however this race should be bang up his street.

Nick Williams’ seven-year-old has form with both Cue Card and Al Ferof – and he gave the latter a serious fright at Sandown much to Paul Nicholls’ admiration who labelled For Non Stop as a really good horse.

After a string of fine seconds, For Non Stop then got his head in front at Newbury with a two length win over Micheal Flips in the betfair Novice Chase.

Track and trip should really bring out the best in For Non Stop and he is definitely one of the Festival’s standout bets at a best priced 8/1 considering what he has already achieved this season.

Invictus will also be a fancied runner should he go to post here instead of the RSA, whilst Solix is a consistent performer who should be in and amongst the place money.

But it is Champion Court at a general 9/1 who measures up alongside For Non Stop and potentially Cristal Bonus as a likely winner of the race in 2012.

Martin Keighley’s leading Festival hope, Champion Court romped to victory in the Dipper Novice Chase at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and he could be hard to beat if able to produce a repeat of that scintillating front running performance.

Fourth in the Albert Bartlett last year, Champion Court has the ability to see out a true test and also recorded a decent second in behind Grands Crus at the course earlier in the campaign.

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03/03/2012     © Frixo 2024