Champion Chase hope Sceau Royal takes top billing in classy Shloer Chase

2.25 Cheltenham
Shloer Chase (Grade 2) | 1m7f199y, 4yo+ | ITV4/RUK

A tweak on a suspensory curtailed Sceau Royal’s campaign last season but the previously promising novice chaser is afforded star billing on his return in this Grade 2 chase.

Successful at the top level for the first time in the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown, Sceau Royal, who is a general 25-1 shot for the Champion Chase in March, scored on four of his five starts over fences between October and January and was last seen winning a Grade 2 contest at Doncaster.

The Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned six-year-old has won on his reappearance in the last two seasons and is a worthy favourite, with connections of Champion Chase winner Altior sidestepping this potential engagement in favour of a return in the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on December 8.

Watch Sceau Royal win the Henry VIII Novices' Chase

Trainer Alan King said: “It’s always difficult for a chaser coming out of his novice season, but Sceau Royal has done little wrong over fences.

“A tweak on a suspensory in the spring caused him to miss the Arkle, which in view of the ground at Cheltenham in March might well have been a blessing in disguise.

“Everything has been A1 since he came back into training and he's schooled well. We’ve targeted this race for a while and the decent ground should be fine for him.”

Brain Power to fire?

Jumping errors let the talented Brain Power down in his novice chase campaign but Nicky Henderson is hoping to have remedied any deficiencies in that department.

Brain Power: the Arkle runner-up returns to CheltenhamCredit: Mark Cranham

The Michael Buckley-owned seven-year-old fell or unseated on three of his five chase starts but proved his class when second to Footpad in the Racing Post Arkle.

Henderson said: “He's always been very good at home and he's been playing games with Altior in the build up to this race.

"Jumping has been an issue but we've done various things and I'm hoping the tweaking and twiddling works. We did his wind but, in particular, I'm hoping what we've done with his back helps.

“He had kissing spines and we've attended to that surgically. Since then he's been schooling very well."

Paul Nicholls attempts to land this £75,000 chase for the first time with Grand Annual winner Le Prezien, who returned to action with a promising second over hurdles at Ffos Las last month.

Nicholls said: “He ran very well at Ffos Las and this is a nice race for him. He would need to be at his very best to win this.

“He has good form at this course but slower ground over this trip would have suited him better.”

Forest Bihan has undergone wind surgery since his sixth in a handicap chase at the Scottish Grand National meeting at Ayr and trainer Brian Ellison is hopeful of a bold show from the Phil and Julie Martin-owned seven-year-old.

Ellison said: “It’s his first run for a while but he’s schooled really well and will love the better ground. He’s gone well fresh, had a wind op and should run very well.”

Simply Ned contests this race for the fifth time and has twice finished second.

Nicky Richards' stable stalwart finished fourth on his return at Kelso last month and the trainer feels the 11-year-old has benefited for his reappearance.

Richards said: "He's come on a good lot for his first run and we're looking forward to running him.

"Ideally we would like a drop of rain but we'll take it as it comes."

'He could run a big race'

Sizing Granite: will be ridden by Richard Johnson for the first timeCredit: Mark Cranham

Colin Tizzard has landed the last two renewals with Fox Norton and runs the ten-year-old Sizing Granite, who will be ridden by Richard Johnson for the first time.

Joe Tizzard, son and assistant to father Colin, said: “We’ve messed about with his trip, especially at the end of last season, and we stuck him in this race when it reopened.

“He doesn't normally seem to show his best form until the spring but he's in cracking form at home and we thought he could run a big race in what looks an open contest.”

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