All-the-way Acapella Bourgeois enters RSA Chase picture after Navan romp

Acapella Bourgeois may have earned himself a place at next month's Cheltenham Festival after galloping his rivals into submission in the Ten Up Novice Chase at Navan.Twice a winner at Grade Two level over hurdles, the seven-year-old has taken a little while to realise his potential over fences.The Sandra Hughes-trained seven-year-old fell at the first on his chasing debut at Naas, but decent efforts at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown suggested he was getting the hang of his new career and he opened his account in good style under front-running tactics at this venue last month.Stepped up to three miles for the first time since last spring, Acapella Bourgeois jumped fluently at the head of affairs and it was clear a long way out he had his rivals in serious trouble.He turned for home with a huge lead under Roger Loughran and kept up the gallop to seal an emphatic victory by 32 lengths.The chestnut gelding was slashed to 16-1 from 33-1 for the RSA Chase by Ladbrokes, with RaceBets going 20-1, and Hughes confirmed that as a likely target, providing underfoot conditions are suitable."That was very good, He jumped as straight as a die today and he's improving all the time," said the Osborne Lodge-based trainer."The ground is a big key to him. He just goes on really heavy testing ground. His jumping was superb and he showed how good he is."He's in the RSA Chase and you'd have to say after today we would be travelling, but we'll see what the ground is like."Asked if she could have a potential Gold Cup horse on her hands, Hughes added: "Possibly. He's very, very good."We knew that when he went chasing he'd show how good he was."