NATIONAL HUNT CHASE PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
CHELTENHAM MARCH 10
A race changed to a 0-145 handicap, for better or worse, by the course management last season but it still produced a classy winner in the shape of Haiti Couleurs.
Although only rated 135 at the time, Rebecca Curtis’ inmate has gone on to prove that he was equal in terms of ability than previous winners such as Corbett’s Cross, Gaillard Du Mesnil and Galvin and it would come as no surprise to this year’s victor ended up in the same bracket.
Now its graded status has been taken away, it is also noticeable that Messrs Mullins and Elliott are seemingly less interested in winning it, backed up by the view that the pair only ran one apiece in the race last years (both outsiders), and Mullins took out two of his biggest players this season in the shape of Argento Boy and Joystick at the latest forfeit stage.
Elliott still has in the likes of Pater Merchant, Will Do, The Enabler and Prends Garde De Toi but they can hardly be described as progressive types who look extremely well treated on the evidence of their current form. Kurasso Blue would be the exception to that rule, but the current market suggests he might not make the gig.
Without wishing to overcomplicate matters then, the most obvious winner to my eyes at this stage is NEWTON TORNADO, who looks every inch the type to relish the demands this race requires.
Without wanting to sound contractionary, the son of Cokoriko is very good jumper, which is ironic considering he has failed to complete the course twice in four starts over fences.
His first non-completion came over Prestbury Park on his chase debut when he was bowling along merrily in front until meeting the final ditch (four out) all wrong and the second time was at Newbury two starts ago, pulled up after his jockey felt he had lost his action going down the back straight.
In between those two blips, however, he has been very good and his latest victory in a novices’ handicap at Doncaster was backed up by data to suggest his performance was a good deal better than what the assessor thought.
Not only did he post an overall time much quicker than the more established chasers in the Great Yorkshire Chase, but his final circuit time was also four seconds better than the handicap over the same C&D.
Only up 6lb from to 133 from that comfortable success, the exploits of the runner-up since suggests he has got away with blue murder and time may tell he is going to be miles better than his current mark once he develops physically and matures mentally.
Except for Wade Out and King Of Answers, the seven-year-old gelding is one of a handful who you could see contesting graded races further down the line and in what appears a potentially weaker race than last season, this progressive type can once again prove his trainer has no peers when it comes to her handling of staying chasers.
NEWTON TORNADO – 1-point each-way@7-1 NRNB