Only By Night got the better of MAJBOROUGH when runner-up in the Arkle at Cheltenham but the Willie Mullins-trained 5yo should comfortably reverse the form if he cuts out the jumping errors. The gelding did remarkably well to finish as close as he did considering he lost all momentum with a shuddering mistake two from home, but he is still a very young chaser and can only improve. It's difficult to envisage anything else threatening for win purposes but Brookie can stay on best to take third. [Adrian Wall]
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Record of 4-10 (hurdles/fences) for current yard; scored off a low weight in Class 2 handicap chase at Doncaster (2m, good) in March off 130; faced a much stiffer assignment in Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree but produced career-best when runner-up to Kalif Du Berlais, no match for the winner; deserves a crack at this but likely to come up short.
Physically imposing sort; placed twice in point-to-points; caused major upset with 150-1 Leopardstown beginners' win (2m1f, good to yielding) on rules debut in December; set a tough task in the Irish Arkle at the DRF but ran respectable in the circumstances; no match for Champ Kiely when runner-up in Navan Grade 3 over 2m in March; unlikely winner.
Versatile dual-purpose performer is 3-17 on the Flat and 8-38 under rules; won Galway beginners' chase (2m2f, good to yielding) last September and third in 2m4f Cork Grade 3 in November; ran well on the Flat after 155-day break when beaten 2l at Gowran over 1m6f last month; plenty to find on these terms.
Lightly raced 5yo; won Triumph Hurdle (2m1f, heavy) at last year's Festival; despite some novicey jumps, he made it 2-2 over fences when winning Grade 1 Irish Arkle at Leopardstown (2m1f, yielding) by 9l in February; made shuddering errors late on when third in the Arkle at Cheltenham, but rallied in the closing stages and was beaten only 0.75l; had Only By Night just ahead on that occasion but he will win if he cuts out the mistakes.
Prolific over hurdles (including Grade 2 wins) and 1l second to classy yardstick in Grade 2 Kingmaker at Warwick (2m, soft) in February on second chase start, before going one better in Grade 2 Pendil at Kempton (2m4f, good to soft); well below that level last time when fifth in Grade 1 Manifesto Novices' at Aintree and he's likely to struggle against the market principles.
Progressive mare whose record of 3-4 since switched to chasing features wins in Cork Grade 2 and Exeter Listed event, both against her own sex; belied her 25-1 odds with excellent second in dramatic Arkle most recently, edging ahead and looking the likely winner on the run-in only to be collared by the fast-finishing winner close home; had Majborough behind on that occasion but she might be reliant on the Mullins runner to falter in the jumping department again.
1/4 Odds Place 1,2
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