Argento Chase 2014

2.25 Cheltenham

Argento Chase (Registered As The Cotswold Chase) (Grade 2) (Class 1)  (5YO plus)

Winner £56,950

Advice: 2 pts win Rocky Creek (13/8 general)

Harry Topper: Solid in the main but jumping can be Achilles heel; Won on first four completed starts and looked a serious prospect, especially when toughing out the finish to Charlie Hall Chase; Might not have enjoyed the ground when well below best in Sandown graduation chase (3m, good); Needs to be improved on best giving weight all round.

Champion Court: Back to something like best when second in Peterbough Chase (had been flat in Paddy Power Gold Cup) but exposed now as 23 lengths behind Captain Chris; Looks well behind the best on that evidence.

Hobulon Des Obeaux: Tough as nails sort with an affinity for Ascot, an impressive winner of early season competitive chase and tough as nails there following flat run in Hennessy when well behind Rocky Creek; More needed today although would have to be taken seriously if showing his best form.

Restless Harry: Rarely clicked as a chaser but everything dropped right for him at Newbury latest when he took handicap over 3m as he liked; Things vastly different for him here and not the same horse that he once threatened to be.

Rocky Creek: Always shaped as if he’d be best as a staying chaser and proved it with two Graded wins as novice, in control from drop of the flag to winning line at Warwick and then beating Hoblon Des Obeaux in Renyoldstown at Ascot; Disappointing in Mildmay but Hennessy second on return the best form in this field and genuine aspirations for better things in chasing scene today; First rate chance.

Pigeon Island: Plenty of form to suggest that he could do a job in a handicap, but all of it leaves him plenty short of what’s needed to get involved here.

The Giant Bolster: Hasn’t hit his best form for a while but if he found it following string of disappointing efforts and return over hurdles in headgear last time; Hasn’t shown anything for a while but getting weight all round, can’t be discounted for all he could be an in running.

VERDICT: Not the strongest Argento and not likely to have a big impact on the Gold Cup market or race itself. ROCKY CREEK looks to have the biggest aspirations of those here to progress through the staying ranks after his Hennessy second and he should take the beating, with The Giant Bolster his biggest threat on his best form (he’s been second and fourth in Gold Cups) while Hobolon Des Obeaux seems held on Hennessy form.