Last year’s race

• Winner: Zemsky
• Jockey: Mr D O'Connor
• Trainer: Ian Ferguson
• Owner: R.A Bartlett
• Age: 8 Weight: 12st 0lb
• Starting Price: 33/1
• Season Form Figures: 211521
• Previous Best: 1st - Eildon Hill Stables Hunters' Chase, Musselburgh

The age factor has been an important element as 19 of the last 21 winners were aged ten or younger from around half the runners so that make that your first port of call.

Next up, we have to seriously consider allying ourselves purely to last-time-out winners. Not so much because 21 of the last 26 Foxhunters’ won last time out but because the 1-2-3 for the last four years were all last-time-out winners. In fact, the first six home last season won on their most recent start following directly on from the first eight past the post 12 months earlier.

Don’t be scared of chancing a long shot or two as seven of the last 11 were sent off at 14/1 or more.

The fact that 20 of the last 23 winners emerged from a pointing background will please the traditionalists but beware for punting purposes as the three that did not were in the last seven years. The most significant guide in recent seasons is a race that took place approximately 46 weeks earlier as the Irish Racing Post Champion Hunters’ Chase at the Punchestown Festival won by Salsify has featured three of the last five winners. Previous form in the Christie’s Foxhunter Chase is also worthy of strong consideration and last year’s winner, Zemsky, will be bidding to become the seventh dual winner of the race and the seventh Irish-trained winner since 1983.

Only Cappa Bleu of the last 18 winners had not won under Rules having done his share of winning in point-to-points and don’t be scared of chancing a long shot or two as seven of the last 11 were sent off at 14/1+. In-running punters should certainly take note of the front runner’s record as six of the last 16 winners led heading out onto the second circuit and some will argue that should have been seven but for Baby Run’s exit when leading at the penultimate fence last season (I’m not so sure).

As is usual in the Cheltenham Foxhunters’ there are likely to be plenty of horses running in the “Amateur’s Gold Cup” but very few with a realistic chance.

MONKERTY TUNKERTY is one of those with a serious chance, having been purchased from Neville Ender for just £7,000 by Jessica Westwood and her family he has flourished since joining them. Having done very well in points last season he kicked this season off with a couple of easy victories in Cornwall, including beating the useful mare Sercina with consummate ease. Given a positive ride he bolted up in the Willoughby De Broke Hunter Chase at Warwick on his last start beating Bradley, who has gone on to win the Royal Artillery Gold Cup. He has been put away since then and goes best fresh and with an uncomplicated style of running and he could just jump and gallop his rivals into the ground, much like Baby Run did in this race a few years ago.

Chapoturgeon is a previous Cheltenham Festival winner having scored in the 2009 Jewson under Timmy Murphy, however he went up in the ratings for that and was unable to run to his mark so Paul Nicholls (who owns half of him) decided to switch him to Hunter Chasing. He made an impressive start to Hunter Chasing when scoring at Newbury over 2m4f and was given a competent ride by Jack Barber. He completed his qualification for the race when winning a match at Milborne St Andrew. He has a clear chance on form and his trainer Richard Barber feels he will see the trip out. However, more of a worry would be the fact he finished distressed after his last race and had to be revived with several buckets of water. If he turns up 100% and stays the trip he will take plenty of pegging back, however with these doubts and his current price he is no great value so is overlooked.

Another previous Festival winner is Cloudy Lane who won the 2007 Kim Muir and has run creditably in a couple of Grand National’s in the past. Making his comeback from a tendon injury he ran an honourable second at Newbury to Chapoturgeon over an inadequate trip. Completed his qualification with an unimpressive win Ayr but that was his second start back after a long absence so can be forgiven. He is a class act who shapes as retaining plenty of ability and should not be discounted with the track and trip sure to suit him.

SALSIFY looks the main hope for the Irish following a good victory at Leopardstown in February. The likelihood of better ground should suit him at Cheltenham and is described as more of a spring horse by his trainer. Entitled to plenty of respect and Colm Sweeney won this race on Sleeping Night in 2005.

On The Fringe failed to see out the trip in the race 12 months ago and was third behind Salsify on his comeback and he will have had to come on for that to figure in the finish here, although being a year older and stringer it is conceivable he can improve.

Barbers Shop won back-to-back Hunter Chases towards the back end of February and was less than impressive over the Foxhunters trip at Fontwell last time. He has the class to go well but his stamina is the big question mark and this will be his third run in a month, which is a lot to ask for a horse who had such a long time off the track.

My Flora fell when booked for a place behind Chapoturgeon at Newbury on her first Hunter Chase start of this season. However, she and Tom David have been getting on better since then and she jumped well and bolted up in a good time at Chaddesley Corbett (a course her trainer thinks replicates the demands of Cheltenham well). She is a class mare who demands respect but could find the Foxhunters coming a year too soon for her.

Favourite for the race in 2010 Roulez Cool has not been seen since winning the Champion Hunter Chase at Startford later that year. He has the class to make an impression in this race but has to defy over a year and a half off the track.

Of those at bigger prices Blackstaff makes some appeal having chased home Gwanako over an inadequate trip when not fully fit at Sandown last time. However, his rider looked very insecure that day and that has to be a slight worry.

GROUND CONDITIONS
 
NB: Racing took place on the New Course.
 
Official going: Chase and hurdles courses: Good, good to soft in places.
Clerk of the course Simon Claisse said: “It is likely to ride slightly quicker than yesterday.”
 
BETTING MOVES
 
Chapoturgeon was a well-backed market-leader.
There was also plenty of money, at each-way prices, for Merchant Royal.
Cloudy Lane and Salsify eased as off-time approached, while longshots Herons Well and Oscar Delta attracted some interest.
 
RACE LINE-UP
 
Last-time-out winners and high-profile stables have dominated this event in the past ten years. The last four horses to collect had registered a victory on their latest outing, while the likes of Paul Nicholls (twice), Jonjo O’Neill and Nigel Twiston-Davies had put their names on victory roll within the last decade. Not surprisingly, therefore, Cloudy Lane (Donald McCain), On The Fringe (Enda Bolger), Barbers Shop (Nicky Henderson), Boxer Georg (Willie Mullins), Merchant Royal (Dermot Weld), Enter Paradise (Charlie Mann) and the Nicholls-trained pair Just Amazing and Rowdy Rampage figured towards the front end of an open betting market. Most bookmakers had Chapoturgeon as their morning favourite and his claims were also obvious, as he had won his last two starts, is owned by David Johnson and Nicholls and is on the care of Richard Barber. Roulez Cool, representing the Waley-Cohen family, and My Flora, the line-up’s only mare, were others will interesting profiles.
    
HOW IT PANNED OUT
 
SALSIFY, a 7-1 chance, notched another win for Ireland, edging clear on the run-in to beat warm-favourite Chapoturgeon.
The Roger-Sweeney-trained seven-year-old landed the prize with a superb jump at the last and scored by a length.
Oscar Delta came home third, 11 lengths farther back, with My Flora fourth and Turko fifth.
The race was delayed by a false start, in which several horses passed the first fence before being pulled up, but Eleazar took the early lead when it finally got under way for real.
Picaroon soon took up front-running duties, though, and he had established a huge advantage by halfway.
He was going too fast for his own good, however, and, after his jumping became erratic, the pack began to close.
Oscar Delta had overhauled him by the third-last, along with My Flora, while Salsify, patiently-ridden, was making stealthy progress.
The winner and eventual third were upsides approaching the last, where Salsify put in a mighty leap, but Oscar Delta tired soon afterwards.
That allowed Salsify just enough breathing space to secure his victory, despite a bold effort from the staying-on Chapoturgeon.  
 
RACE POINTERS
 
Salsify is improving with racing and, as he is only seven, ought to have more to offer.
Decent ground is important to him, however, and he disappointed on a testing surface at Thurles earlier this term.
From a form viewpoint it is worth noting that, in a race run at a hectic tempo, the first two were well out the back early on.
Other factors to consider are that the fourth-last had to omitted, causing some riders a problem, and that Barbers Shop was inhibited by one side of his cheekpieces flapping wildly through much of the contest.