Latenightpass, Mister Coffey and Busselton return for another cross-country cracker but don't discount Cromwell and Cottin

There is no doubt that one of the best changes to the Cheltenham Festival has been to return the Cross Country Chase to a handicap, and this stepping stone of a race proved key to finding the winner in March last season.

Stumptown did the double by winning here and going on to land the big one, while Latenightpass, who finished third in this contest, chased home Stumptown at the festival.

There is no Stumptown this time, but Latenightpass is back again and so is last year’s runner-up Mister Coffey, who went on to take fifth behind those two in March.

Latenightpass and Mister Coffey are evidently closely matched, and that is mirrored by their BHA ratings which are equal at 142. However, they don’t hold any secrets from the handicapper and maybe that’s why Busselton, who was sixth last year, is a shorter price.

Busselton was pulled up here in March, but has since announced himself as a top-class cross-country chaser by landing the La Touche Cup at the Punchestown festival in May.

He gets 5lb from Latenightpass and Mister Coffey this time and was the last horse to beat Desertmore House, who took his revenge in the Risk Of Thunder at Punchestown last month and is now among the favourites for the Cross Country Chase at the festival. Busselton can frank his form.

It is also possible that Busselton is better than he showed when fifth behind Desertmore House last time. He ran without any headgear there, in his first cross-country event since landing the La Touche, and Joseph O’Brien now adds a visor for the first time back in this discipline.

It would be remiss not to mention Stumptown’s trainer Gavin Cromwell, who has a win and a place from just three runners in the race in recent years and sends over Final Orders and Peaches And Cream, while Chantilly-based trainer David Cottin is yet another fascinating visitor.

Cottin won the race six years ago with Easysland, who went on to thrash none other than Tiger Roll when doubling up at the festival three months later, and he saddles Iceo Madrik and Placenet. Both have decent form and are two of the four youngest in the field.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

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David Cottin: two fascinating contendersCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

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What they say

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Amirite
We're hoping he'll take to the cross-country. He won the Midlands National at Kilbeggan and is a lovely horse. If he takes to it he could be really good fun with a view to the National.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Mister Coffey
He's in good shape. Unfortunately they didn't have the first race last month due to the ground and we couldn't get that practice, but he knows his way around. He doesn't mind good ground and he ran a lovely race last time.

Tom Ellis, trainer of Latenightpass
He's in really good form. He's obviously getting older every year, but we took him down there on Friday and he loved it. He had a school round and I'm hopeful. He's a handy horse and the course probably brings out the best in him. He's not very well handicapped over regulation fences, but he always has a chance over these cross-country fences.

Mickey Bowen, trainer of Statuario
He's been good all summer and ran well in the cross-country in last year's November meeting, so we're going to give it another go. Summer is obviously the main thing with him, but there's no reason why he shouldn't run well.

Chris Gordon, trainer of Unanswered Prayers
He schooled the other day with Freddie [Gordon] and they both went very well. He was very disappointing last time; he threw the towel in during the Southern National, but he put in a smashing run the time before that at Cheltenham, and I hope this can re-energise him. I think he'll enjoy it.
Reporting by Liam Headd

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