Brilliant Bapaume bounds into Cheltenham Festival contention
Bapaume, a Grade 1 winner over hurdles, was introduced at 16-1 for the JLT Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival by Paddy Power and Betfair Sportsbook after opening his account over fences in spectacular fashion.
Just nine of the 13 fences of the 2m3f beginners' chase at Naas were jumped due to the low sun but Bapaume put in a faultless round and, if the two fences in the straight had not been omitted, he would have won by significantly more than the five-and-a-half lengths he beat runner-up Spyglass Hill.
“He was electric to jump, nearly as good as any two-miler,” said winning rider Paul Townend. "He's not the biggest but he has loads of scope and hopefully he can build on that. He brings a high level of hurdling form to chasing as well."
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