2.40 Wetherby: 'No gimme' for Ballygrifincottage as Skelton chaser bids to cement Cheltenham claims

Horses who debut in Graded contests are always worth monitoring closely and Ballygrifincottage confirmed himself a novice going places when chasing home Blazing Khal and Gelino Bello on his first run for Dan Skelton in December 2021.

That was a red-hot race and Ballygrifincottage progressed to finish best of the British when fourth in the Albert Bartlett two starts later.

Based on his chase debut at Haydock in November, in which he jumped smoothly en route to a dominant victory from a solid yardstick in Beauport, the sky is the limit in this sphere for the eight-year-old. The Towton is a similar type of assignment and odds-on quotes are difficult to argue with.

He already has few British peers in the staying novice chase division on Racing Post Ratings and, given he is bred for this 3m trip, it is likely he is still some way off his zenith.

The only possible negative is the fact Skelton is just 3-31 at a ten per cent strike-rate with horses sporting first-time tongue-ties.

Useful Flat mare Bellatrixsa will likely take them along under Harry Bannister. However, this is hot company and she is expected to set the race up for the closers. Mares only races or handicaps will see her to better effect.

O’Toole and City Chief make up the four-runner field and are nice prospects in their own right, although neither is entered in the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival.

It is O’Toole who is perhaps the more interesting of the pair. He belatedly delivered on his top-class bumper form at Newcastle against predominantly battle-hardened handicappers last month and is open to the greater improvement in this discipline.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

Tip-top Towton

Don't miss this. Forget Cheltenham, Aintree or Punchestown, this Grade 2 proved to be one of the most significant novice chases run anywhere last year.

The winner Ahoy Senor went on to score in Grade 1 company at Aintree and put himself firmly in the Gold Cup picture with success in the Cotswold Chase last weekend. Runner-up Noble Yeats may have managed only third in their rematch at Cheltenham seven days ago, but he had previously joined the greatest names by landing the Grand National last spring.

Third-placed Ashtown Lad also conquered the National fences in the Becher Chase last December and even last-of-four Saint Palais took a £40,000 novice handicap on the Midlands Grand National card at Uttoxeter next time out.

The runner most obviously equipped to follow in those hoofprints would appear to be Ballygrifincottage, who was an easy 11-length winner on his chase debut at Haydock in November and is a best-priced 10-1 for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham.

Trainer Dan Skelton said: "I'm very happy with him at home. We've been waiting to run him and he's not a horse I want to over-race through the season.

"This looks like a good race for him. If things go well, this would be a stepping stone to Cheltenham, that's a serious consideration. But first things first, he's got to get through this. There are a couple in there who are all right so it's no gimme."

Ahoy Senor: winner of last year's TowtonCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

What they say

Nicky Henderson, trainer of City Chief
He's good and doesn't have lots of experience  so he'll learn, but it is a small field. He schooled well on Thursday morning and will have learned a lot from winning at Hereford last time. He was a solid horse over hurdles and he's getting there over fences. I admit this is a much bigger test, but he was always going to be a better chaser than hurdler.

Stuart Crawford, trainer of O'Toole
Taking on seasoned handicappers at a decent level can be a banana skin and he'll have learned a lot from winning at Newcastle. Stepping up to three miles should suit him okay and I hope he'll be thereabouts.

Venetia Williams, trainer of Bellatrixsa
It's only her second run over fences. It would be nice if she could sneak a bit of black type. She has shown that she stays well and softer ground would have been a help.
Reporting by David Carr

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