Randy Rann

Love this horse's battling quality and may well be unbeaten over fences but for tipping up at the last at the November meeting here. Made amends by winning at Doncaster and back here in January when nutting Quebecois close home and how good does that form look now with that one running a huge race in the Ultima. Only wins by as much as he needs too so may well still be ahead of his mark and good ground the only imponderable for me but handled it at Aintree so should be fine whatever happens with the weather. On a line through Califet En Vol has a bit to find with Sixmilebridge but that one has run averagely at the past two Festivals. Yard in form and their Leave Of Absence was a big eyecatcher in 5th in that aforementioned Ultima. Huge chance for me.

Have to back Ballyburn as at a gathering with punty pals in December over a pint or two stated this was the Stayer's Hurdle winner after he narrowly failed to nail Teahupoo in the Hatton's Grace. Won the Baring Bingham at the Festival two years ago and though was very disappointing over fences in the Brown Advisory last season is arguably the most talented horse in here. Teahupoo turned the form around in the Christmas Hurdle but if Ballyburn is on a going day he must go close given had all the ability in the world. By an Old Vic mare he promises to stay all day and with the first time hood on too hopefully he can settle and gun these down late on. Goes on any ground and as is still only an 8yo can take high rank ad a staying hurdler.

I can't resist a saver on the former King George winner who will absolutely love the drying ground. Goes well fresh too and won on seasonal debut over hurdles in October beating John McConnell's Moon D'Orange who did me a nice punting favour by running a mammoth race in the Ultima on Tuesday. Won last March too over hurdles at Thurles on good ground beating Asterion Forlonge easily by 5l and on that form alone would have as much chance as Teahupoo given the collateral form lines. Shark Hanlon has campaigned this bargain buy brilliantly and if 11yo Bob Olinger is fancied to run well why can't we expect the same from this old boy. The Film that will come out about this fella one day might just have a different ending. Wasn't disgraced in the Grand National either last year so is no back number just yet. One can dream can't one...it is St Patrick's Day after all and The Shark sounded as if this was a plan.

Tip top Grade 1 winning hurdler who won the Ballymore here three years ago but is proving high class as a chaser too. Grade 1 winner at Aintree last season and though missed the last two Cheltenham Festivals is a tough as teak and can make amends for those absences by winning here. Will get a nice tow into the race from owner's other runner Matata and can outgun Fact To File who though bolting up at the DRF on bad ground might not back that up here. Blew the cobwebs away just a month ago in the Red Mills at Gowran Park and will handle the ground no matter what happens with the weather. I'm worried about Fact To File coming here to win a second Ryanair and owner running Jonbon too so to so let's forget about my fancy burnt Gold Cup voucher on Fact To File and hope this fella wins this race well.

Winners of trials for this have awful records in the final itself but this consistent tough sort can't be ignored. Supremely West has been all the rage as a blot but my fancy has finished in front of that one twice by over a combined distance of over 56 lengths and the prices don't make sense to me. Love the booking of Callum Pritchard who gave him a lovely ride at Sandown to win and also gave Moon D'Orange a corking ride on Tuesday to land me a lovely EW punt. Was also dead unlucky on Imperial Saint who got mullered in the Ultima before finishing well. 3lb claim puts this fella on a very fair mark and as a C&D winner to boot has a blinding chance. Yard's sole runner today and they aguably have been unlucky too with Sober Glory a near must in the Supreme as well as Imperial Saint's woes. Fast ground would be tgd only worry.

I like Herakles Westwood but seeing as 8 of the last 10 winners have been 7 or 8yo's I'm siding with something less exposed. Irish bred horses go well too with 7 of the last 8 being Irish bred. This one had a spin over hurdles last time but was spared a hard race as was pulled up late on and is totally unexposed as a staying chaser. Had earlier finished third to Knight of Allen at Newbury the time before and that one chased home subsequent NH Chase winner Holloway Queen since. The second that day Aviation has won since too and both of those enjoyed stepping up in trip. Won his bumper on good ground and did win a handicap chase last March at the stiff Hexham so this looks his time of year. Yard have to be respected here despite poor record in the race over the last 10 years but we all know they're going to click sometime. Stepping this one up in trip could be the one that works the oracle.