My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Off time: 14:00 | Winning time: 3m 53.57s

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Selected odds by:

Jango Baie³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 153| BF| C| D

5/1

Smart novice hurdler last season and has quickly made up into an even better chaser, winning a 20.5f course novice on first attempt before going down only narrowly to Handstands in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles at Sandown (2½m) 38 days ago. Travels well enough to think he can cope with this shorter trip.

Form: 1222-12

L'eau Du Sud^t³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 156| CD

5/1

Really exciting novice chaser who took the step up to Grade 1 level in his stride at Sandown (2m, soft; Touch Me Not second) in December and stretched his unbeaten record over fences when giving weight and a beating to subsequent Grade 2 winner Rubaud in the Kingmaker at Warwick.

Form: 25-1111

Majborough³⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: M P Walsh| T: W P Mullins| OR: 162| C| D

1/2

Last year's Triumph winner who has made a seamless transition to fences, seeing off a couple of smart stablemates in a Fairyhouse maiden before proving 9 lengths too strong for Touch Me Not in the Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival. Hard to beat with further progress likely.

Form: 1/31-11

Touch Me Not³⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: J W Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 151| D

16/1

Only a maiden win as a hurdler but has quickly developed into a smart chaser, winning a Grade 2 at Punchestown. Good second in Grade 1s at Sandown (to L'Eau Du Sud) and Leopardstown (9 lengths behind Majborough) since. Ought to give his running but his old rivals are likely to be too strong.

Form: 41-2122

Only By Night³⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: K M Donoghue| T: G P Cromwell| OR: 144| D

25/1

Has made a fine start to her chasing career, landing a Cork Grade 2 and extending her unbeaten record in this sphere to 3 when landing the odds in an Exeter listed race last month. Looks capable of even better.

Form: 37-3111

Forecasts

Majborough (1/2), Jango Baie (5/1), L'eau Du Sud (5/1), Touch Me Not (16/1), Only By Night (25/1)

Last year's Triumph winner MAJBOROUGH could hardly have been more impressive in his 2 chase starts this winter (had 9 lengths to spare over Touch Me Not in a Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival latterly) and can make it a perfect 3-3 over fences. L'Eau du Sud is 4-4 over the larger obstacles himself, including a Grade 1 success, and is the obvious danger.