Cheltenham Festival - JLT Speciality Handicap Chase Preview

The JLT Speciality Handicap Chase is the third race on day one of the Cheltenham Festival and usually provides punters with the first real betting puzzle of the week.

Traditionally, the race acts for many horses as a prep run for the Grand National, however with the weights already published for the Aintree showpiece which now also takes place one week later than in previous years, runners can be pushed to the maximum in the security that their handicap mark will not be affected and they will also have adequate recuperation time ahead of their main target.

A Grade three contest in its own right, this year’s renewal looks even classier than usual judging by the entries posted.

Trainer Jonjo O’ Neill has not had too many superstars to boast about in recent times however Quantitativeeasing looks a real star in the making.

The seven-year-old has extremely strong form in the book, typified by his last gasp win in the December Gold Cup at Cheltenham where he romped up the hill late on to nab Medermit on the line.

Although O’Neill’s charge was significantly better off than Medermit at the weights that day, Alan King’s horse is, nevertheless, one of the more fancied runners for the Grade One Ryanair Chase so that success really does mark a lot of respect.

Quantitativeeasing will consequently have to carry a bigger burden at the Festival – and stepping up to three miles will not make his hike in the weights an easy penalty to overcome.

But previous course form counts for a lot at Cheltenham and the way he stayed on over two-miles-five-furlongs before Christmas suggests that he should comfortably see out the extended trip providing that the race does not become too stretched early on.

Alan King will aim to gain revenge on Quantitativeeasing with stout stayer Hold On Julio who has been one of the most improved horses of the national hunt campaign.

The nine-year-old is very lightly raced for his age having burst late onto the scene and two walk away handicap successes at Sandown have seen his official rating jump up to 145 from 117.

The feeling is that there could be even more to come despite another jump in the weights and with the Barbury Castle handler expected to train numerous winners at the meeting; it is no surprise to see Hold On Julio vying for favouritism with Jonjo O’ Neill’s top weight.

Walkon is another interesting entry for Alan King considering what he has achieved in the past.

Still only seven, Walkon is a previous Triumph Hurdle runner-up and has mad e a pleasing start to life over the bigger obstacles following a long spell on the side lines.

The grey will be stepping up to three miles for the first time, however he has been crying out for the extra distance and could potentially be well handicapped in this company.

The likes of Mon Mome and Time For Rupert should probably be ignored as they will not be fully geared up due to the National being their long term training target.

There are, however, a couple of eye catching Irish entries in the shape of Magnanimity and Leanne that warrant a serious market check, with the former especially considered due to his fourth place finish in the RSA Chase twelve months ago.

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09/03/2012     © Frixo 2024