Galvin to write another chapter in Elliott’s cross country Story
GROUND conditions on the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (3.20pm) course will be very different from 12 months ago when the race was abandoned because of a waterlogged track.
The track has been drying out gradually all week with now plenty of ‘good’ patches on a unique course currently described as good-to-soft.
This year’s renewal has reverted back to a handicap in order to give the race a more competitive feel.
In recent year’s there have been a host of 150 to 160 rated Irish chasers given relatively easy assignments to beat their much inferior-rated rivals off level weights.
Things may just be trickier for the classier horses this time round with the top ones having to concede up to a stone and a half to some of their rivals.
That said, the race itself tends to go to a course specialist as the runners negotiate 32 obstacles, including banks, ditches and hedges in a unique spectacle with a dash to the line late on.
The current favourite for the contest is the Gavin Cromwell-trained Stumptown who won with any amount in hand over course and distance here in December.
That victory gives him a three out of four record over banks and he is without doubt the one to beat with the application of first time cheekpieces likely to eke out more improvement still.
However, the handicapper raised him eight pounds in the weights for that latest effort and he has to shoulder topweight of 11st 10lbs.
Trainer Gordon Elliott has won five of the last seven renewals of this contest with the likes of Tiger Roll and Delta Work both winning twice and I fancy him to win another with GALVIN.
Last year’s Grand National fourth has had this race in mind since finishing second over an inadequate trip in the American Grand National Hurdle at Far Hills in October.
The key to this 11-year-old is decent ground which he will get for the first time since finishing second in this race back in 2023.
It is significant that Jack Kennedy takes the ride as he is only just back from injury and obviously is not prepared to let the chance of a Cheltenham Festival winner pass him by.
At 7/2 with Star Sports, he looks a rock-solid selection to improve his stable’s impressive record in the race.
Only seven have been declared to run in the Brown Advisory Novice Chase (2.00pm) with the Willie-Mullins-trained Ballyburn likely to be all the rage.
He was one of the Irish bankers of the meeting 12 months ago on this card when he walked away with the Turners Novices’ Hurdle and he’ll be another banker for many.
Our ante-post selection was Gordon Elliott’s STELLAR STORY each-way at 16/1 and those who followed that advice last month get the benefit of an extra place too.
He wouldn’t want the ground to dry out too much and will have to jump better than he has so far to take a hand.
The likelihood is that Ballyburn will win, but he is definitely shorter than he should be with the likes of Dancing City, Better Days Ahead and Stellar Story likely to keep him honest.
POINTERS
Stellar Story e/w 16/1 2.00pm Cheltenham (Already advised)
Galvin 3.20pm Cheltenham