Henry VIII Novices' Chase Guide

Having been trained on the flat before his national hunt career many thought that the four year old would stay over hurdles but Skelton now believes the time is right to see how good he can be over fences and how right he was.

He started his life over hurdles at Warwick seeing off an average field in good style but what he has done since that has been superb.

He headed to Cheltenham in the Grade Two Triumph Hurdle Trial and after going from the front he could not be stopped winning well, with the second, third and fourth since going on to frank that form.

He did the same when he went to Chepstow over Christmas landing the first Grade One of his career in the Finale Juvenile Hurdle and that set up a run in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival.

Having been prominent in the market he could only finish a fading third and he headed back to Prestbury Park last time out for his seasonal debut and again was underwhelming.

Skelton sent him over fences at Warwick in the Stan Mellor Memorial Novices’ Chase and he put in a faultless round of jumping to land the event with ease.

The form of that 13 length win has since been franked with second placed Zanza winning next time out at Newbury in a Handicap Chase.

Hitman for Paul Nicholls looks a stand out runner in the race having moved over from France this season and looks a seriously smart recruit for the yard.

Having ran respectably over hurdles in France the son of Falco made his British/chase debut at Ffos Las in Novemeber in very tricky conditions.

The four year old took every fence in his stride, getting better as the race went on and went on to win the event by an eased down 30 lengths.

That performance was highly impressive and he looks a like a typical classy Grade One winner in the making from the Ditcheat yard.

Eldorado Allen for Colin Tizzard has some of the strongest form in the book heading into the event and could well be the value selection in the betting.

Having been a fair hurdler the six year old made his chase debut this term and got off to a winning start at Newton Abbott, seeing off the impressive Stormy Ireland.

He was then sent to Cheltenham for a Grade Two Novices' Chase last month and although being a tad fortunate with Gumball falling when leading, he went on to pick up the pieces and win the event by 19 lengths.

We will never know if he would have caught the leader before he came down that day, but overall he is unbeaten in both his events over the bigger obstacles and is the only runner in the field with a black type win over fences to his name.

Jamie Snowden is a trainer that does not have many superstars within his yard but this four year old could well and truly be that.

The four year old has taken to chasing like a duck to water this season, running in three events and winning all of them, showing clear improvement in every run.

Having won nicely on seasonal debut at Fontwell the son of Sinndar was sent to Exeter for a handicap chase and he made a mockery of his mark to win by 10 lengths.

After showing clear talent in his two runs he was stepped up to Grade Two company at Wincanton in three runner Rising Stars Novices' Chase and he saw off the talented Grand Sancy and Hurricane Harvey by over 20 lengths.

He drops back to two miles for this event, but he has shown that he is not short of pace and if stamina comes into play for the race he will be sure to be in the mix.

Tamaroc Du Mathan is the 11 time champion trainer's second runner in the race and although not being as smart as some of these over hurdles, he looked a beast on his chase debut.

The five year old at Wincanton in November saw off a decent field of eight runners with ease in the Limited Handicap Chase.

The best thing to take out of the race was his jumping, having pinged every fence which helped him steal lengths on the field throughout the contest.

Although that was a smart debut, he will have to be even better in this event as his jumping under pressure will be tested to the first time, but he could turn out to be anything in this sphere.

The final runner of the Grade One event is the outsider Phoenix Way for trainer Harry Fry and owner J P McManus, who is a big unknown entity over fences.

He was a very promising hurdles horse finishing second in a novices' event over course and distance last term and when stepped up in trip got off the mark nicely at Plumpton.

He then went to Huntingdon over a staying trip for the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Qualifier and stayed on late in the day to win really well.

From what we have seen him over timber it is very surprising to see him dropped down in trip over two miles having done his best work over further and that looks an obvious worry.

This year the seven year old made his return at Warwick over fences for the first time and won narrowly in a three runner event over two miles and off the back of that will need to much more to get involved here.