AdamCox13579

The Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham saw several fancied runners underperform. Stellar Story ran down The Jukebox Man with Dancing City doing the best of those sent off single figure odds in 3rd. Form that was fairly comfortably reversed at Aintree. That level of form makes Dancing City the one to beat but a 3rd tough race in a short period may be reason enough to take him on. Stablemate Lecky Watson only managed 5th in the Albert Bartlett but he finished less than a length behind Dancing City in 3rd and arrives here fresher. The selection may also benefit from the less demanding stamina test, having finished a close up 2nd behind Slade Steel in a 2m4f G2 in December (when finishing ahead of Stellar Story and Better Days Ahead).

The first 4 games of the series have been split 2-2 but none of the games have been closer than 10 points. The Cavaliers won the first two by 14 & 10 then the Magic won the next two by 38 & 23. There is a chance that home court advantage is key, which is likely why they are favourites here despite back to back blow-out losses but I think the Magic have been the better team across the series so far and look a more than fair price to make it 3 wins in a row back in Cleveland.

I have a lot of respect for Stay Away Fay and although he is unlikely to have much in hand off a mark of 158, he is clearly better than he showed last time out and looks overpriced as a result but the similarly lightly raced Mr Vango will be the pick here. The selection has been raised 3lb for his NH chase 3 latest but that seems fair considering the winner Corbetts Cross is now rated 165, runner-up Embassy Gardens 150 and Kilbeg King (who finished just mid-field at Aintree) rated 138. That was only Mr Vango's 3rd chase start, having finished 3rd at Wincanton in December and bolted up by 60l at Exeter on his first start at extreme distances.

Son was consistent without improving last year but he was competiting in good races (5th in 3 G2s & 3rd in a listed race) as a result he comes in to this with the 2nd highest OR behind Army Ethos (who gained his for finishing 2nd to River Tiber at Ascot - but was beat on seasonal reappearance at 2/9f). Pat Dobbs/Richard Hannon had a double in these silks here yesterday and Richard Hannon has had a good week sending out Haatem (similar profile to Son) to bolt up in the Craven Stakes.

I'd be keen to oppose Relief Rally who looked an exception 2yo unlikely to improve at 3 but which rival to go for is difficult with so many unexposed runners. Folgaria probably has achieved the most and has looked good slamming her rivals in Italy but that's hard form to quantify, so i'll stick with the proven form of Star Music. The selection, showed the benefit for the step up to 7f when easily making all at Kempton in September and then ran with huge credit upped to G3 level in the Oh So Sharp stakes. The winner Dance Sequence got beat in the Neil Gwyn earlier this week but shaped like the best horse to me and the 4th home Chic Colombine has won her only subsequent start by 6l (at listed level in France). Trainer Richard Hughes has booked William Buick for the ride and has been in excellent form of late (6 wins from 18 in the last 14 days with runners sent off 4/1 or shorter finishing: 431213111)

Sharjah could simply be too good if at his best but he was below form last season, is unproven at the trip and having been ridden to pick up the pieces, it's hard to judge how good his form behind the likes of Il Etait temps and Found a Fifty is. Marble Sands shares top weight with Sharjah here and has a very similar profile, having never won beyond 2m4f (3m form: 6P) but as an 8yo and only 4 chase starts, he is open to improvement. The selection has won his only start here, producing his 2nd highest RPR, that came over 2m off a 9lb lower mark but the 3rd Traprain Law has franked the form (now 18lbs higher) and 5lb claimer Nick Slatter was in the saddle, as he was when Marble Sands won at Musselburgh (jockey 2-2 on the horse) over 2m4f, the 3rd and 4th have both won since (although 1 reverted to hurdles and the other didn't need to improve to win). A 6th of 12 at Southwell over 1m4f last month should mean he is race fit.

Plenty of these could have done with softer ground but that certainly won't be a disadvantage for Rage Of Bamby who three times been withdrawn on account of soft ground. She was a dual winner and G2 placed as a 2yo but came up short last season but I wouldn't be too put off by that as 3yo sprinters often struggle taking on open company for the first time and her 2nd to Designer in a handicap at York in August certainly suggests her handicap mark of 101 is justified.

Dashing Darcey has been well supported early and could be well handicapped but having ran exclusively in maidens and novices on the AW, also has a bit to prove. Al Shabab Storm was progressive on his first 3 starts, proving capable over 6f/7f and on all types of ground. His form dipped slightly on his final start (per RPRs) but the fact he was sent off joint-favourite with the 104 rated Ballymount Boy (off level-weights) show that he is thought to be more capable than his current mark of 86 suggests. He has been gelded in the off-season.

Beamish may need the run off the back of a 544 day layoff but he is relatively unexposed to compared to many of his rivals and having placed in a pair of G3s in 2022, he has some useful form (indeed he was sent off 5/4f to beat Emily Dickinson & Baron Samedi on his most recent start). Soft ground should be fine and although he has stamina to prove, he did win over 1m6f on soft ground previously.

Gisburn was below form (not totally disgraced) when last seen on new years day but he has been freshened up since, which has to be taken as a positive (last two runs off a 100+ day break: 4th/19 at Doncaster and 1st/11 at Goodwood). Recent course form is a slight concern, given he finished last in this race 12 months ago and his 2 runs prior to that here, resulted in a last of 6 and a 12th of 15 but he did win a handicap off this mark, on his only other start at Newbury (producing his 3rd best RPR of his career) so i'm happy to give him another chance.

Gowel Road was my pick for the Pertemps and he ran really well for 6th but that looked a weak renewal and Monmiral and Cuthbert Dibble did little for the form last week, so i'll look elsewhere this time. Gyeneyame is the one i came down in favour of, he has good previous course form, having finished 2nd here in November behind Springwell Bay and 4th behind White Rhino in December. The selection was behind Zain Nights at Newbury last time out but he does get a 6lb swing in the weights today.

Plenty of these arrive in good form, none more so than favourite Haston Clermont who has won 3 of his last 4 but he is now 19lbs higher than for the first of those and although he is a horse who only does enough, i'd be keen to oppose him. Bretney struggled in this race 12 months ago on his only previous start here but he arrives in better form, having won his penultimate start at Sandown by 8l and having been hampered was maybe a little unlucky in defeat latest (beaten a nose with 26l back to the 3rd).

Sail Away has ran well without looking like winning this season and as such has only dropped a couple of lbs in the weights but he bolted up in a novice handicap at this time 12 months ago, off a 6lb lower mark. The runner-up (Forward Plan) has franked the form this season in various handicap chases (now rated a stone higher). Last time out the selection finished last of 4 in the Ascot Chase (4 3/4l behind L'Homme Presse & 3/4l behind Ahoy Senor), it may have been that he was flattered by this proximity but he was mixing it with horses rated between 20lbs and 28lbs superior and has been left on an unchanged mark.

Several unexposed profiles in here and Narkez isn't a confident selection but I really haven't been impressed with El Cordobes in two AW starts, obviously he has a big price tag (2m gns) and is exceptionally bred but he has to improve a chunk on the bare form (his last time out RPR of 83 is 20 points below what Narkez achieved on his last start). I'm also not keen on Gasper De Lemos, Aidan O'Brien generally struggles at this meeting and several Justify progeny have been struggling on 3yo debut. Narkez is somewhat of an unknown quantity coming from France but Andre Fabre doesn't sent runners here just for the day out, he has won his last 2 starts by a combined 12l and has a race fitness advantage over most. Ground is a slight unknown as it dries out but Siyouni's generally go on good ground.

Titan Discovery is up 3lbs for his latest effort in defeat but that form can probably be upgraded as he didn't get the clearest of runs and the form looks strong with 4th Kateira winning last week, 5th Harbour Lake favourite for the 3m hurdle later on the card and 6th West Balboa running well in defeat behind a stablemate also last week. Trainer Robbie Llewellyn is also in redhot form with his last 5 runners finishing 1st @ 11/4, 2nd @ 40/1, 1st @ 3/1, 1st @ 14/1 and 1st @ 2/1.

Raatea wasn't disgraced on his latest start when finishing 3rd behind Baradar in a competitive Doncaster handicap. He resumes here off a mark 2lbs higher than his last win (Haydock in June) and at a track he has a good record at. The selection has form of: 31375 at Newmarket, the win coming at the July course but his 3 most recent starts have come over C&D (2 on seasonal reappearance)

Mahler Mission hasn't been seen since finishing 2nd in the Coral Gold Cup (travelled well, led going to the last and finished 6 clear of the 3rd) but that was a good effort and a 7lb mark although not ideal, shouldn't prevent him running another good race. The selection handles all ground, having won on soft/heavy and good previously. Stamina is another question mark that applies to most of the field but Mahler Mission definitely stays as far as 3m2f and was infront when falling 2 out in the 3m6f NH chase last season. The selection also fits the age trend (7 of last 8 won by 8/9yos).

Sire Du Berlais has a tremendous record in this race, having won the last two renewals and Flooring Porter looked back to something like his best at Cheltenham but i'll afford Crambo another chance, having disappointed in the Stayers Hurdle. The selection had looked progressive previously and is the only horse in this field to have won a G1 this season, when defeating Paisley Park in the Long Walk.