Eight of the previous 10 winners of this Grade One event last raced at the Cheltenham festival — with five of those coming from the Triumph Hurdle. Step forward, MINELLA STUDY, who ran a cracker in that race last month. The Adam Nicol-trained Study Of Man gelding arguably travelled best that day, looking the most likely winner approaching the last. He kept on nicely for third and ought to appreciate this flatter track. I feel he is the value option in the race, with Selma De Vary and Maestro Conti likely to want further in time.  

KOKTAIL DIVIN is a six-year-old, which bodes well, as that age group have a good record in the race — they have won nine times since the race’s inception in 2009 (no race in 2020). The selection created a favourable impression at Cheltenham last month, when sixth over 3m1f. He travelled powerfully before clearly not staying; the drop in trip is firmly expected to suit, as it the sound surface. Arkle third, Lulamba, is the clear favourite, being raised to a trip which is anticipated to be a positive, but his jumping may come under scrutiny. I prefer to chance Koktail Divin at a far bigger price.

Seven out of the previous nine winners of this have been sent off favourite, and runners who were last-time-out scorers have a poor record. JANGO BAI ought to have too much class for the opposition, if able to replicate his fine second in this season’s G1 Gold Cup at Cheltenham last month. He jumped and travelled sweetly throughout that day, and could still be progressing, after just seven starts over fences. Having at least 2lb or more in hand over his rivals here, I would think that he can emulate stablemate Shishkin, who famously landed this race in 2023.

ITS ON THE LINE is operating on a near 50% strike-rate over fences, with a record of nine wins from 19 starts. He hasn't finished out of the money in his last 12 runs — including landing this race in 2024 — when a comfortable 4.25L winner with Derek O'Conner aboard. The top Irish amateur jockey holds an enviable record of five wins and three placed efforts from nine runs piloting the Emmet Mullins-trained gelding. He was narrowly denied by a neck when second to Barton Snow in the Randox Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Chase on Cheltenham reappearance last month (incidentally his fourth consecutive second-placed finish in that race). He is versatile ground-wise and looks poised to make amends, with a bold showing anticipated, dropped back down in distance.

I think that THE NEW LION can emerge triumphant, and reverse form with Betterdaysahead, from their 2-3 form figures in the G1 Champion Hurdle last month. The Dan Skelton-trained runner was keeping-on nicely over the extended two-mile trip that day, suggesting this awaited move to 2m4f will be right up his street. Twice a winner at Newbury, this circuit looks ideal for a strong traveller, who could find improvement for the extra journey and switch to a flat track.

The Fergal O'Brien-trained RYANS ROCKET gained his second chase success (from seven starts) in a Class 3 handicap at Newbury, ahead of three subsequent winners, in November of last year. He travelled like a dream next time in the G2 Desert Orchid Handicap Chase at Kempton, before unseating today's jockey, following a bad mistake at the eighth fence. He also boasts a record of four wins from seven runs over the trip, all of which have been on the same or similar going. Needing to bounce back from a below par display on Kempton reappearance last time, but I’m hopeful of a positive run, having twice been victorious second-up, and looks a decent value each-way play, off only 3lb higher than his Newbury triumph.

In what promises to be a tricky-to-decopher flat race, I feel that FAIRY PARK is one who is underestimated from an each-way perspective. The Joe Tizzard-trained mare is a point winner, who ran a promising rules debut, when second at Newbury. She moved sweetly throughout that race, looking the most likely winner. Although not finding as much as it appeared he may do, she ought to come on for that run, and if she does then I can see her running a decent race.