Cheltenham Festival - Pulteney Land Investments Novices Handicap Chase

The Pulteney Land Investments Novices Handicap Chase will once again round off day one of the Cheltenham Festival and showcase two-and-a-half-mile novice chasers who fall just below Arkle, RSA and Jewson class.

Horses participating in this race usually go on to challenge for the paddy Power Gold Cup the following season, a trend carried out by last year’s winner Divers who narrowly failed to complete the double after finishing third to Great Endeavour.

Keiran Burke’s Hunt Ball has looked well ahead of the handicapper throughout the past few weeks and is fancied to follow up on his recent Kempton success despite having to carry a penalty.

The seven-year-old was mightily impressive prevailing by ten lengths on that occasion and is confirmed as a definite starter with the talented Nick Scholfield on board.

With only one course run behind him from last April when finishing a flat fourth behind Balthazar King, triumphing at the Festival will undoubtedly be the hardest task of Hunt Ball’s career to date.

Nevertheless, his rapid improvement and evident class could still make him well handicapped amongst this company and it could take a lot to prevent him recording the perfect end to an excellent campaign.

Hunt Ball is currently second best in the market with Triolo D’Alene the only other entry to be preferred in the betting.

Nicky Henderson’s French recruit is still very much an unknown quantity despite hosing up on his only British start in a Class Three at Ascot but he may have the scope to be too good for a handicap race of this nature.

The handicapper has taken no chances on the back of the horse’s equally impressive form across the channel however jockey Barry Geraghty feels that he will take all the beating.

With most of the entries having run over fences just a handful of times, form and potential can be difficult to measure and assess for the handicapper – emphasised by the fact that the top twenty intended runners are separated by just 8lbs in terms of allotted weights.

Thus, it is easy to see why the handicap for this contest can often prove inaccurate and some horses could be hampered unfairly or conversely be let off the hook too leniently.

One horse that may fall into the latter category is Ackertac, who finished just two lengths shy of Triolo D’Alene is the aforementioned race at Ascot despite carrying 6lb more than his rival.

There will be a 7lb turnaround at the weights should the pair clash again at the Festival and Nigel Twiston-Davies’ charge may have enough to reverse the placing’s which could leave him with an excellent chance - providing that the Ascot race represents a strong line of form.

Ackertac is likely to be of extreme interest at decent odds – and the same applies to Bless The Wings from the Alan King yard and Carrickboy from Venetia Williams’ stable, who both have the novice credentials and scope to progress further and potentially land Cheltenham honours.

Go To bet365

#Ad

09/03/2012     © Frixo 2024