Cheltenham Club Open Hunters' Chase

Off time: 17:07 | Winning time: 4m 11.2s

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Selected odds by:

Gustave Mahler²⁰⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr James King| T: A Ralph| OR: 132| D

6/4

Front-runner that was useful over fences under Rules, kept his form well last year and although not seen out since last October, has won fresh in the past, so that's not an issue. Needs the ground to stay quick, though, to hold best chance.

Form: 232242-

Saffron Wells^p⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr D Edwards| T: M Hoskins| OR: 117| BF

9/2

Useful enough over hurdles for Neil King/Colin Tizzard but hard to win with at the best of times, not a bad effort at Upton Cross last time but faces competition for the lead here, and not that hard to look elsewhere for the winner.

Form: 36/23U2-

Sam Cavallaro¹³

Age: 13| Weight: 11-10| J: Bryan Carver⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss H Brookshaw| OR: 104| CD

11/4

Regular in this, winner back in 2015 and 2016 and has occupied the runner-up and third spots in two goes since then. Getting no younger but still capable, as he showed when successful at Chaddesley last time, and should give another bold show.

Form: 34P231-

The Winningtipster^p²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr P Thomas⁽⁷⁾| T: A Burks| OR: 89

100/1

Only has one completion to his name in the last six starts, jumping remaining an issue after two unseats in his last two starts and hard to see him taking much of a hand in the finish here.

Form: PP3PPU-

Western Dream^b1,t²⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr James Jeavons⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss Hannah Taylor| OR: 69

150/1

Did at least complete at Milbourne last time, which was an improvement of sorts on what he'd been doing, but a temperamantal sort that has no form to recommend his chances here.

Form: RPPPP8-

Willem¹¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Mr G Treacy⁽⁷⁾| T: Mrs Teresa Clark| OR: 115

4/1

Easy winner of a three-runner affair at Kingston St Mary's last time, a decent effort, and was able to operate at 2m (for David Pipe) under Rules, so may have the necessary speed for this. Needs it to stay quick and place chances if it does.

Form: F31/P51-

Dissertation⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-3| J: Ben Jones⁽⁷⁾| T: Andrew Quick| OR: 94

33/1

Did win a moderate maiden at Cothelstone last May (subsequently disqualified) but well beaten on only start this year and hard to find many positives.

Form: 4P/1P43-

Non-Runners

Red Inca¹¹

Weight: 11-10| Age: 11

T: Con Rutledge J: Mr S Burton

Forecasts

Gustave Mahler (6/4), Sam Cavallaro (11/4), Willem (4/1), Saffron Wells (9/2), Red Inca (20/1), Dissertation (33/1), The Winningtipster (100/1), Western Dream (150/1)

Willem just doesn't win enough to be considered for the top prize but he's every chance of hitting the frame, especially if the rain stays away. Similar comments apply to Gustave Mahler, who is probably the class act of this field but is likely to be plenty short enough in the betting, and a better option might be an e/w bet on SAM CAVALLERO'. This is his Gold Cup every season and despite the advancing years, he has less questions against him than a few, and hopefully he can bring the house down by winning this for a third time.