Step up in trip should suit Ciel De Neige

A winner on debut over fences, at Thurles, he adopted up by beating Busselton, Velvet Elvis, and Frontal Assault in Navan, after which had an almost-two-month break earlier than finishing his hat-trick in a novice chase at this venue.

Final day trip, in a Grade Three at Thurles, he was simply touched off by French Dynamite, however he misplaced nothing in defeat as he was making an attempt to provide 6lbs to a horse rated 150 at his peak over hurdles. He steps as much as two miles and 5 furlongs, which ought to assist in these circumstances, and he can bounce straight again to profitable methods.

The Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup is stuffed with high quality and but fiendishly tough to decipher. Allaho is favorite to make a profitable return to 3 miles, having been campaigned over shorter for all bar two of his races thus far over fences.

On a kind of events, he misplaced little in defeat in ending a detailed third to Champ and subsequent Gold Cup winner Minella Indo within the RSA Chase and as he and the runner-up went at it from a great distance out, he may be forgiven for not fairly getting dwelling that day.

The comfortable floor and a foul mistake on the final didn’t assist his trigger, and he’s properly value one other strive on the journey now that he’s an older and extra mature horse. If he sees out the journey, he’ll take beating.

Final yr’s winner, Clan Des Obeaux, is an apparent hazard, although he appeared to have fairly a tough race at Aintree and that was simply 20 days in the past. For all that he completed runner-up within the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Minella Indo hasn’t but scaled the heights of final season, whereas Galvin was disappointing in at Cheltenham and should bounce again. Fakir D’oudairies didn’t seem to remain when a well-beaten third on this race final yr, whereas Al Boum Picture continues to run properly regardless of not being the pressure of outdated.

Life In The Park is probably very properly handled off a mark of 119 within the opener, the Adare Manor Alternative Collection Closing Handicap Hurdle. Effectively regarded previous to his observe debut, Henry de Bromhead’s runner was a shade disappointing that day, when he completed third to Freedom To Dream and Sam’s Selection.

He by no means figured on comfortable floor on his second begin, however off a lay-off and again on higher floor, he ran out an easy winner of a maiden hurdle at Tramore. That was clearly fairly a drop in grade, however he might hardly have gained extra simply, and the run left the impression that he might but become a wise type.

If that’s to be the case, he must go very shut off his present mark as he has a lot in his favour on this race. He’s most well-liked to David Pipe’s runner, Thanksforthehelp, whose latest type suggests he, too, might be fairly properly handled if brushing up on his leaping. Guiri, who gained at this assembly in 2021, is one other to contemplate.