2:25 Cheltenham Tips

Wasn't pushed when winning on Betfair on reappearance and has been given a nice break since. The ground should be fine. With all roads leading to the Gold Cup, should take this on the way.

The lightly raced SPILLANE’S TOWER makes a return to fences for the first time since April of last year, having had just two starts over hurdles since. This eight-year-old finished 8¾ lengths behind El Fabiolo over 2m4f at Punchestown back in December (Yielding, yielding to soft in places). He kept on well enough over a trip far less than ideal. Having had that run, he should be seen to much better effect back over fences and back up in trip to 3m1f. His previous win over fences came over a similar trip when winning the Irish Champion Novice Chase (3m2f, Yielding, good to yielding in places) at Punchestown in 2024. Rated 164, he’s well treated by getting 6 lbs off two of his four rivals here. There is a strong likelihood that this will be a strongly run race, and that should suit the selection, who has shown he can see this trip out strongly, particularly on testing ground. This is his first trip to Cheltenham, but he looks the sort who will relish the demanding nature of the finish, and he can be expected to be tough to beat.

Flooring Porter has had a 486-day break for what reason I don't know. He has won at Cheltenham and won his last race, which was a €120k race on soft ground. If Gavin Cromwell has got him back to near his best, he could cause a surprise at these odds.