Punters beware: many a classy animal has been turned over in the Betfair Chase

Hello and welcome to the autumn 2023 edition of Who Wants To Be A Gold Cup Contestant? A handful of Britain's most likely contenders will seek to stake their claims at Haydock and Ascot, with their potential prize including the chance to be taken seriously for at least 24 hours until the reigning champ turns up at Punchestown tomorrow to remind us the balance of power rests with Ireland, and just what a high bar he sets.

This year's version of the Betfair Chase is an odd-looking affair, all of the runners having been beaten last time out. In a lot of Grade 1s, there's at least one contender who's been beating up their rivals, perhaps while progressing through the ranks or perhaps because they're established as a dominant force, but here we have four horses aiming to restore the confidence of their connections.

There's no Kauto Star. There's no Bristol De Mai either, for the first time since 2016. In the absence of a totally compelling candidate, it's a bit surprising we don't have a bigger field in pursuit of Betfair's £112,540 first prize. Who scared all the others away?