Cheltenham Festival: Ross Millar has a handicap selection for every day

GOWEL ROAD really caught my eye last time at Newbury, initially because he was doing so much wrong before finally looking very impressive in victory. He ran around in front at many hurdles yet actually jumped very slickly. He pulled very hard early in the race yet still found plenty in the closing stages.

He will certainly need to have learned from that experience, but I think there is every chance he will have done. His lack of experience for such a competitive handicap is a concern, although the same was said about Saint Roi this time last year.

I actually take the view that a fast-run race will help him settle and that getting a lead will possibly make him more professional approaching his hurdles. Given the strength with which he ran to the line last time, I’m confident he will thrive up the Cheltenham hill.

At Newbury he gave 9lb to the 131-rated Good Ball and beat him by a rapidly increasing five lengths. I think a mark of 137 wildly underestimates Gowel Road’s ability and I fully expect him to win.

SIZING AT MIDNIGHT is simply unable to operate on soft ground, but when he has had ground conditions to suit he has run to a very smart level within the context of this race.

He was a very good second over three miles at Exeter in October when trying to concede 23lb to Kitty Light (now rated 128), then at Wincanton next time he looked to be travelling much the best when falling three-out in the Badger Beers Chase. He was then off the track for three months before pulling up on heavy ground at Wincanton last time, but that would certainly have brought his fitness forward and the handicapper has dropped him back to a mark of 133.

The Colin Tizzard yard have come in to a good run of form lately and I hope Sizing At Midnight lands Colin Tizzard at least one winner at his final Cheltenham Festival as a trainer.

Previous course or Cheltenham Festival form is often key when trying to find winners at this meeting and my selection has plenty of both.

BUN DORAN finished second in this race two years ago from a mark of 148 and, albeit in a substandard renewal, finished a very credible third in last year’s Champion Chase.

His runs this season have undoubtedly been underwhelming but his run at Cheltenham in December was not devoid of promise, where he jumped and travelled well before running out of stamina over the 2m4f trip on soft ground.

To my eye, this race looks to be full of horses with questions to answer over their ability to perform in a big-field handicap or horses that are on their absolute peak handicap marks.

With the Tom George yard in excellent form and a sound surface looking likely, I think he can go very close at a decent price.

AYE RIGHT has run two excellent races this season to finish runner-up and with positives in both defeats. I’m certain there is more to come.

His defeat by just a length in the SkyBet Chase came on soft ground, while all of his best form is on a sound surface. Yet that Doncaster form still looks strong given that Cap Du Nord (rated 141) was two lengths behind in third and in receipt of 15lb, with Canelo (rated 147) 11 lengths behind in receipt of 3lb.

Previous to that, Aye Right finished a very good second in the Ladbrokes Trophy when trying to concede 14lb to the now 162-rated Cloth Cap.

He also has a solid piece of Cheltenham form when fifth at last year’s Festival in what is now the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, despite making two significant jumping errors.

I think his experience in big-field handicaps - combined with his style of racing up with the pace - make him the clear pick in the opening handicap of the Festival.