Theatre Guide out to take centre stage again

BetBright Handicap Chase (Grade 3) | 3m | 5yo+ | ITV4/RUK

What has been a trying week for the Colin Tizzard team could end on a high if Theatre Guide can reprise his form of last year.

The ten-year-old won this race by ten lengths from Opening Batsman – who also returns – but this time around Theatre Guide is a lot higher in the handicap.

A good performance would confirm Theatre Guide's place in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup, a race that has a wide open look about it after stablemate Thistlecrack was ruled out through injury on Tuesday.

With only Annacotty above him in the weights, Theatre Guide has to carry 11st 11lb on Saturday, compared to 10st 6lb when winning last year.

As well as the front pair from last year, Ballykan (fourth) and Viva Steve (sixth) are back for more, but the favourite is likely to be Double Shuffle, who won a course-and-distance handicap on his last start in December.

Trainer Tom George has won the race twice since 2007, along with Paul Nicholls, who relies on Irish Saint, winner of the Pendil Novices' Chase on the card in 2015.

As well as his Pendil win, Irish Saint has triumphed on his other two trips to the course. Triolo D'Alene and Double Shuffle are also unbeaten at the track.

Nine is the magic number

A nine-year-old has been successful for the last three years. Annacotty, Cocktails At Dawn and Viva Steve fulfil this criterion.

A race for Brennan

Paddy Brennan has been the winning jockey three times since 2010, including last year with Theatre Guide, and is aboard the ten-year-old again.

What they say

Alan King, trainer of Annacotty
He has been disappointing this season but has enjoyed a few days out hunting recently with the Old Berks, so hopefully, that might have sweetened him up. He seems fresh and well.

Joe Tizzard, assistant to Colin Tizzard, trainer of Theatre Guide
He's in lovely form but he's a fair bit higher up the handicap than he was 12 months ago. He's had a good season and we know the track suits him, but it's a stiffer task than it was last year.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Three Musketeers
For some reason he's started jumping right-handed so we went to Market Rasen and he won quite nicely with first-time cheekpieces. The step up to three miles will suit but it's a very competitive race.

Tom George, trainer of Double Shuffle
Double Shuffle was placed at the festival last season but things didn’t quite work for him the after that. We'd been making too much use of him and he was too keen and not quite getting home. We tried dropping him out the back and he didn’t enjoy that so we put a hood on. He was up in the firing line but able to relax and back running as he should do, winning well last time. Kempton suits him and, although he is also entered in the National, this has been his main target since winning there at Christmas. He'll also love the better ground.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Irish Saint
He ran very well at Sandown last time, he just needed the run a little bit and the ground was too testing. Decent ground and three miles at Kempton is absolutely ideal and I've always had this race in mind for him.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Cocktails At Dawn and Triolo D'Alene
They're both in the Grand National and have been waiting for good ground. They're both in very good form and love jumping and galloping and need a surface like this.

Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of Ballykan
He's had a bit of a break and was fourth in the race last year. He seems to be improving and it looks quite an open race.

Fergal O'Brien, trainer of Viva Steve
He was disappointing at Warwick and we're hoping the drop back in trip and better ground will bring a better result. He's run well in the race before and we're hoping to get back on track.

Harry Fry, trainer of Opening Batsman
He was second in the race last year and it's a track he's always done well at.

Neil Mulholland, trainer of Fingerontheswitch and Pilgrims Bay
Fingerontheswitch improved for a tongue tie and won well last time. He's gone up quite a bit in the handicap for it. Pilgrims Bay has done very little wrong. They're both competitive and deserve to take their chances in a race like this.