PADDY POWER ARKLE CHALLENGE TROPHY TRIAL NOVICES' CHASE - PREVIEW & TIPS
1:45 CHELTENHAM
PADDY POWER ARKLE CHALLENGE TROPHY TRIAL NOVICES' CHASE (GRADE 2) (REGISTERED AS THE NOVEMBER) (GBB)
Be Aware can extend Dan Skelton's superb record in the Arkle Trial, with. July Flower and Burnett Road the obvious dangers.
ARKLE CHALLENGE TROPHY TRIAL - PREVIEW
The Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial, registered as the November Novices’ Chase, is Cheltenham’s key early-season yardstick for two-mile novice chasers. Run over 1m7f199y on the Old Course with twelve fences to negotiate, it has long been a recognised stepping stone towards the Arkle Trophy at the Festival and a race that regularly showcases top-class chasing prospects.
Previously known as the Coventry Novices’ Chase before being promoted to Grade 2 status in 1994, the roll of honour is stacked with quality. Best Mate, Azertyuiop, Thisthatandtother, Captain Conan, Dodging Bullets, Put The Kettle On, Banbridge, Third Time Lucki, Eldorado Allen, North Hill Harvey and last year’s winner L’Eau Du Sud all used this race as a launchpad to higher honours in Grade 1 company.
Certain yards have turned it into a regular target. Paul Nicholls has won it with the likes of Azertyuiop, Tataniano and Le Prezien, while Dan Skelton has enjoyed notable recent success through North Hill Harvey, Third Time Lucki and L’Eau Du Sud. Henry de Bromhead has also struck with Put The Kettle On, who went on to win both the Arkle and the Champion Chase.
This season’s renewal offers a small but classy field of six, mixing a Limerick demolition-job winner (July Flower), a high-class Champion Hurdle runner-up switching to fences (Burdett Road), an upwardly mobile Skelton novice (Be Aware) and a weight-getting four-year-old chaser-in-waiting (Stencil). On soft ground around the Old Course, accurate, economical jumping and the ability to travel strongly at two-mile pace will be decisive and that’s where Be Aware looks primed to make his mark.
ARKLE CHALLENGE TROPHY TRIAL - RUNNER BY RUNNER GUIDE
BE AWARE - 5/2
A smart handicap hurdler last season, notably second to Burdett Road in the Greatwood Hurdle at this meeting, Be Aware always shaped like a chaser in waiting and looked exactly that when making a slick, assured debut over fences at Stratford. In a first-time hood he jumped accurately, travelled sweetly and readily brushed aside seasoned handicappers over 2m3f on good to soft ground. Dropping back to two miles around Cheltenham on soft ground should be ideal based on Dan Skelton’s own comments and the stable has a superb recent record in this race. With proven course form, a strong chasing introduction in the book and clear scope for further improvement, he has the right profile to develop into a genuine Arkle contender and sets a very solid standard.
BREAKING COVER - 40/1
A real success story for connections since returning from a long absence, racking up five wins since July, including three over two miles and running a fine race when second in the Grade 2 Rising Stars Novices’ Chase at Wincanton last weekend. He’s tough, race-fit and clearly thriving with his racing. However, this represents another significant step up in depth and demands and soft ground on the Old Course is a very different test to summer and early-autumn handicaps. He deserves his shot at this level, but on bare ability he looks up against it and is likely to be outclassed if the principals run their race.
BRENTFORD HOPE - 14/1
A talented dual-purpose performer, useful on the Flat and 5-17 over hurdles, Brentford Hope has plenty of back-class, including a soft-ground handicap win at Haydock and placed efforts in good races, such as finishing second to Constitution Hill in a Grade 2 here. He’s tough, reliable and no stranger to big days at this track. The concern is that he’s now eight and just embarking on a chasing career, taking on sharper, less exposed rivals who are very much on the up. While his hurdling ability will carry him a fair way, he may lack the raw pace and fencing fluency of the leading contenders at this stage. A decent horse, but one we’re content to oppose for win purposes in this company.
BURDETT ROAD - 6/1
A proper high-class hurdler, winner of the Greatwood Hurdle at this meeting 12 months ago and an excellent second in a chaotic Champion Hurdle in March. He returned with a solid Listed second at Kempton and arrives here as the highest-rated hurdler in the line-up (OR 149), clearly bringing Grade 1-level ability to the table. He handles soft ground, that Greatwood win came in testing conditions and this track clearly suits him well. The only unknown is how quickly he adapts to fences, but if he takes to chasing with any fluency he has the engine to land a blow at this level straight away. A major danger to the selection and very likely to play a significant role if his jumping stands up under pressure.
JULY FLOWER - 11/10
A Grade 1 bumper winner in France who developed into a high-class mare over hurdles, winning a Grade 3 at Leopardstown and finishing fifth in both the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown. She made an electric debut over fences at Limerick, jumping boldly and powering 11 lengths clear over 2m3f on yielding-to-soft ground. She benefits from a very handy 7lbs mares’ allowance, which puts her right at the top of the figures here and Henry de Bromhead’s record with two-mile chasers at Cheltenham speaks for itself. The slight question mark is the sharp drop back to two miles on the Old Course, where rhythm and speed at the fences are crucial, but if she reproduces her Limerick effort she is an obvious threat and a key player in what looks a deep trial.
STENCIL - 8/1
An intriguing four-year-old recruit to fences, Stencil was a very useful juvenile hurdler, winning in France and then finishing second in a Grade 2 here in January before things went wrong in the Fred Winter, where he pulled hard and faded. With his weight allowance, a bit of cut in the ground and his naturally handy style, he’s easy to see as a future smart novice chaser. Connections have not been shy in pitching him back into the deep end and he’s the type to improve sharply once he relaxes and learns his job over fences. This is a stiff starting point, though and any lingering keenness or inexperience could be exposed at this level. More than capable of running well and sneaking into the frame, but he may just be a touch short of the finished article compared with the principals today.
ARKLE CHALLENGE TROPHY TRIAL - FINAL THOUGHTS
This year’s Arkle Trial is short on numbers but long on quality, with a Limerick romp from July Flower, Grade 1 form from Burdett Road and a fascinating four-year-old in Stencil all converging on the Old Course. Historically, however, this race has often fallen to progressive, battle-hardened types from the big British yards and Be Aware fits that mould perfectly. His Greatwood second proves he handles the track and softish ground, while his slick chasing debut at Stratford suggested fences have sharpened him up rather than exposed any weaknesses.
July Flower, armed with a mares’ allowance and fresh from an authoritative chase success, looks tailor-made for graded novice chases and is the most obvious danger, while Burdett Road brings a Champion Hurdle-level engine into the mix and would be a serious threat if translating his hurdles ability to fences at the first time of asking. Stencil sits in the ‘dark horse’ camp, likely to improve for the experience and capable of outrunning his price if he settles.
In a race that has repeatedly rewarded course form, strong two-mile hurdling credentials and a proven aptitude for soft ground, Be Aware looks ready to add his name to an illustrious roll of honour. With Skelton’s Arkle Trial record a major plus and further improvement almost guaranteed, he is taken to fend off July Flower and Burdett Road and announce himself as a genuine player in this season’s top two-mile novice chases.