Cheltenham Festival 2014 - Arkle

2.05 Cheltenham Festival (Day 2, Race 2)

Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy Chase (Grade 1) (Class 1)  (5YO plus)

Winner £85,425

Advice: 1 pt win Trifolium (9/2 Stan James)

Already Advised:1 pt each/way Rock On Ruby (16/1 general, 26th December) & 1 pt each/way Rock on Ruby (10/1 general)

Brick Red: Useful over hurdles and arguably better over fences, having impressed greatly with his win on debut at Plumpton and then running well in harder affair at Newbury and winning at Wincanton afterwards; Limitations exposed when he was well beaten behind Balder Succes latest however and others preferred.

Champagne Fever: Aiming for a remarkable festival hat-trick, having won the Bumper 2 years ago and then, with help of a fantastic ride, a wonderful renewal of Supreme Novices’ last year; Always been a chaser in the making so impressive win on debut no surprise but didn’t look entirely comfortable dropped down to 2 miles at Christmas, getting into headstrong battle with Defy Logic and then blundering the last having gone too hard too soon at Leopardstown; Even more worrying that he’s not been seen since and presumably tactics used at last two festivals won’t work for him based on that evidence; Missed two engagements in meantime so no runs since Boxing Day and only run at this trip, he looked uncomfortable going the pace; Best horse in the race for us but questions to answer.

Dodging Bullets: Nowhere in Supreme Novices’ or at Aintree over hurdles but only loss in 4 chase starts came when giving 3lbs to experienced heavy ground lover at Newbury in sighter last time and otherwise he has been deeply impressive, C&D winner here, 10 length winner over Grandouet at Christmas, and appears to be in form of his life; Jumping held up superbly, ground come in favour, and should go very close.

Grandouet: One of the best hurdlers in the race, travelling like a dream when going down in Champion Hurdle last year, but been dreadful in two of three runs chasing, unable to get past Hinterland at Sandown (albeit improvement on first run) and then just thrashed out of sight by Dodging Bullets latest; This ground should help his cause majorly but no idea which horse will turn up and hasn’t jumped well enough.

Rock On Ruby: Also a top class hurdler, winner of the 2012 Champion Hurdle and a fine, rallying second in last year’s renewal; Only the two runs this season and of course a huge worry that it’s his first test over fences thanks to winer ground keeping him off the track but today’s surface and immeasurable positive and if putting in a clean round, has as much, if not more ability than anything in field.

Ted Veale: Here because mark for Grand Annual presumed to be too harsh but beaten over 40 and 30 lengths by Trifolium on last two starts and was no match for Dodging Bullets here earlier in the season and impossible to recommend properly.

Trifolium: Looked good as novice hurdler and was close third in Supreme Novices’ (albeit a weak one, but puts any ground worries to bed); Impresive on chasing debut after encountering problems with wind over hurdles but then blown out of water by Felix Yonger when let loose by Davy Russell at Navan; Second at Christmas a decent effort but couldn’t fail to be impressed by demolition job at Leopardstown latest.

Valdez: Didn’t raise the roof over hurdles but has been very good chasing, winning impressively three times from three starts, and while he made hard work of Grade 2 at Doncaster last time ground coming good for him today should help and foolish to think that was the best we’ve seen of him.

Western Warhorse: Tendency to get worked u beforehand (hooded first time today) but best effort yet on fencing debut when making all to take 2m3f Doncaster novice latest and drop back to 2m not exactly a bad thing but this level of company far removed from what he faced and beat there.

VERDICT: A fascinating renewal with several having outstanding claims on their hurdling from but many a question of the litmus test in chasing. Champagne Fever is the class act of the race for many but is favourite on his hurdles form and didn’t look comfortable going 2 miles or front running with competition at Christmas and the fact that is when he was last seen is of great concern along with the tactical dilemma facing Ruby Walsh and there are too many questions to be confident with over him. ROCK ON RUBY’S chasing experience is also a massive worry, with him having had two effective walkovers, but if he takes to fencing then he is well capable of rewarding rich antepost prices and the drying ground has come just in time for his chances today. Some say the ground is a worry for TRIFOLIUM and while he revels in heavy ground he has a previous festival third to show he his fencing makes him the most attractive of those lining up today for cover bet reasons ahead of the very admirable Dodging Bullets.