188Bet Cheltenham Festival Preview 6th March Chase (Novices' Limited Handicap)

Off time: 16:15 | Winning time: 6m 40.71s

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Selected odds by:

Coo Star Sivola²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Lizzie Kelly⁽³⁾| T: Nick Williams| OR: 135| BF

6/4

Best efforts have been at around 2m4f-2m5f and was well beaten on only try at around this trip at Chepstow. Handles soft/heavy ground and has acquitted himself well in decent company this season, but stamina remains a concern on this stiff track.

Form: 14-5324

Ice Cool Champs⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 11-6| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 133| BF

12/1

Improved with almost every run in 2017, winning two hurdles on heavy ground at up to 2m7½f. Failed to produce the goods when made favourite for his chase debut in December, but well worth another try and feasibly treated if he can get back to form.

Form: 213-315

Pure Vision^t⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: B J Geraghty| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 128| C

4/1

Won a novices' hurdle here over 2m7f (good to soft) in March and scored on heavy in his second chase (2m5f) at Ffos Las in November, when 6lb lower. Good effort last time at Chepstow and 1lb drop won't harm, so he enters calculations.

Form: 241-F14

Kimberlite Candy²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-0| J: Aidan Coleman| T: T Lacey| OR: 127| BF

8/1

Won 2-3 over hurdles, though it took him until his fourth start over fences to break his duck at Market Rasen (2m5½f, soft), when 4lb lower. Off the boil again since then from just 1lb higher than today, so needs to get back on track.

Form: 5531P4

Walt⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-11| J: N D Fehily| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 124

11/2

Sole success to date came in a Fontwell handicap hurdle (2m3f, soft) 13-months ago, when 4lb lower. Has been running well in defeat over fences and a 3lb drop here may now bring her into closer contention.

Form: 332-433

Bobo Mac⁴²

Age: 7| Weight: 10-10| J: James Davies| T: T Symonds| OR: 123

9/1

1-17 so far, that success being in a Southwell maiden hurdle (2m4½f, soft) 11-months ago. Well held from 4lb higher on chase debut at Huntingdon last month and needs to come on a fair bit for that to take a hand.

Form: 21-84F5

Surtee Du Berlais^b²¹

Age: 8| Weight: 10-3| J: Conor Shoemark| T: O Sherwood| OR: 116| D

10/1

Won mares' Listed hurdle (3m½f, soft) in 2016 but has so far failed to cut the mustard over fences. Handicapper has dropped her 22lb for four runs since November and she now goes handicapping. Support would make her very interesting from this mark.

Form: 33-4564

Forecasts

Coo Star Sivola (6/4), Pure Vision (4/1), Walt (11/2), Kimberlite Candy (8/1), Bobo Mac (9/1), Surtee Du Berlais (10/1), Ice Cool Champs (12/1)

An interesting contest and PURE VISION may be able to provide punters with the right answer on this occasion. Anthony Honeyball's gelding stays well and acts on deep ground, while he comes here in decent form too. Coo Star Sivola has conditions to suit and is far from written off, but he does have stamina to prove over this distance. Ice Cool Champs is short-listed, though he does have a bit to prove after his chase debut, while Wait is respected and Surtee Du Berlais may yet prove to be the fly in the ointment.