O'Sullivan confident It Came To Pass can successfully defend Cheltenham crown

St. James's Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase | 3m2½f | RTV/ITV

While some of the most sought-after jockey bookings at the Cheltenham have the Mr prefix, the big-name amateurs always struggled to win the week's feature for amateur riders, their putative 'Gold Cup', the Festival Challenge Cup Hunters' Chase.

That might seem a moot point given Jamie Codd, Derek O'Connor et al cannot ride this year, but it does show the underlying nature of the race relative to the National Hunt Chase and Kim Muir. The amateur ethos of the Hunters' Chase extends beyond the riders.

Even that is diminished this year, with the point-to-point season suspended since January 4 in Britain and January 13 in Ireland. That has left only hunter chases, which in truth are the most pertinent races for this in most years.

Professionals are not exactly strangers to the race. Paul Nicholls won it twice in the late 2010s with Pacha Du Polder, although the recent increase in quality has been the product of the point-to-point ranks.

The last two winners, Hazel Hill and It Came To Pass, both recorded RPRs of 155, where before a performance of 150 would have been sufficient in the vast majority of runnings.

Both are back this year. Hazel Hill is a teenager now and retains a good chunk, but likely not all, of his ability. It Came To Pass was an unconsidered 66-1 shot last year and his performance that day still defies explanation. The second-best run of his career is fully 22lb lower on the figures.

It is highly likely that the best horse in the field is once again from the Nicholls yard. Bob And Co has won every completed start in hunter chases and the only time it was close was at Fontwell last February, when his similarly smart stablemate Alcala took him to the line.

After a year off, wind surgery and the addition of top professional hands in Sean Bowen, Bob And Co smashed Wishing And Hoping at Haydock in a race Nicholls has used before with his best hunters.

The niggle with Bob And Co is ground conditions. All his form is in the mud and his is a majorly soft-ground pedigree. If he can do it on spring ground at Cheltenham (all of his form is at flatter tracks, too), then he would have every right to be regarded as a warm order.

Suitability to conditions, as well as possibly punter loyalty to Willie Mullins, is what keeps Billaway ahead of Bob And Co in the betting.

He was second last year, left for dead by It Came To Pass's finishing sting, and has progressed on his route back. As he is a fairly lightly raced nine-year-old, it is not hard to believe he might be better this year.

While the Hunters' Chase is often associated with shock results, that is possibly a slight overstatement. It Came To Pass was the first proper shock winner since Zemsky in 2011, although massively priced runners often make the frame.

One of the effects of professional riders in this race is that such an outcome may be slightly less likely, so it is advised to spend most of your study time on the upper end of the betting.
Analysis by Keith Melrose

'The ground is perfect and I couldn't be happier'

Eugene O’Sullivan has reported his defending champion It Came To Pass in rude health. Last year, It Came To Pass stormed up the Cheltenham hill under the trainer’s daughter Maxine, but with amateurs unable to ride in the race this year, she is replaced by Richie McLernon.

Speaking about his chances of recording the double, O’Sullivan said: “You never want to put the mockers on it but I couldn’t be happier with It Came To Pass. He is in great order, the ground is perfect and I couldn’t be happier.

“Last year it was absolutely brilliant to have Maxine aboard but this will be very different. She is looking after the place at home and didn’t come over this year, but we have an able deputy in Richie McLernon. I just hope Richie gets on well with the horse. There is no reason why he won’t.”

He added: “The only worry I have about the whole race is, the professional aspect: will it be run at the same tempo? Will there be as much space available? I just hope it works out the way we want it to.

“When you have a horse of his calibre, your ambition is always to come back and try to win the race for a second time. Our owner, Gerard O’Sullivan, is a lovely man from Manchester, and Cheltenham and Aintree has been the long-term plan.

"Unfortunately, he can’t be here to watch the horse run but he has been with me for over 30 years and will no doubt get a kick out of having a runner with a chance at the big festivals.”

It Came To Pass won at 66-1 last season but won't go off the colour of those odds as the defending champion this year. O’Sullivan, who never usually bets his own horses, made an exception to that rule when he saw how big his horse was in the market, but only after suffering a mild panic attack beforehand.

He explains: “I remember sitting down having a coffee and the race came up on the television with all the prices on the screen.

"There was no sign of It Came To Pass. All it said was 50-1 bar. Well, I sprinted down to the office because I thought we had forgotten to declare him or something. I got the fright of my life. Thankfully, there was no need to panic and the only reason he wasn’t on the screen was because he was such a big price.”

O’Sullivan added: “I don’t normally back my own horses for fear of stopping them but I couldn’t get it out of my head how big a price he was. I waited until he was down at the start and I finally gave in and backed him on the Tote.

"I had fifty quid on him each-way and, when I went to collect, the lady behind the counter asked me if I wanted a cheque or cash. I took the cash all right.”

Asked how he reinvested his fortune, O’Sullivan said: “They had no trouble getting rid of it for me at home. It paid something like 160-1 on the Tote, so it was well over ten grand. The biggest mistake I ever made was telling the family about the money I won!”

What they say

Willie Mullins, trainer of Billaway
We’ve got a lot more experience into Billaway's jumping this season and I think he’s one of our better chances of a winner this week. If Paul [Townend] and he get on they’re going to be a formidable combination to beat.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Bob And Co
This will probably be as good ground as he's run on for a while because most of his form has been on really soft ground. Being a bit older he might appreciate it. He won his prep race nicely at Haydock and I hope he has a nice chance.

Eugene O'Sullivan, trainer of It Came To Pass
I'm very happy with him. He's in great order, the ground is suitable and he looks brilliant. I couldn't be happier with him and I'm looking forward to it. It will be a much different race this year.

Denise Foster, trainer of Mighty Stowaway
It's a very competitive race. He seems very well in himself and he's been aimed at this race all season. We're hoping for the best.

Enda Bolger, trainer of Staker Wallace and Stand Up And Fight
Both of them are in good form. Staker Wallace would probably prefer a cut in the ground while Stand Up And Fight wants it good. They have had a nice prep and I couldn’t be happier with them.
Reporting by Brian Sheerin

Friday's race previews:

The most extraordinary ordinary horse on the cusp of racing immortality (Members' Club)

Henrietta Knight: I can't really see who is going to beat Al Boum Photo (Members' Club)

1.20 Cheltenham: Tom Collins breaks down a major match-up between Zanahiyr and Tritonic

1.55 Cheltenham: stick with Mullins and Skelton to solve puzzle in typically difficult handicap

2.30 Cheltenham: 'I'm sweet on him and he's a massive price' – focus on wide-open Albert Bartlett

3.05 Cheltenham: Al Boum Photo bids to join jumping legends as he chases historic hat-trick

Can shy champion Al Boum Photo create Cheltenham Gold Cup history? (Members' Club)

4.15 Cheltenham: can Willie Mullins extend his superiority in mares' festival races to the chase?

4.50 Cheltenham: will switch of festival plan pay off for JP McManus and 'Ballymore horse'?

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