Friday's tips from Dave Nevison: Bryony booking a positive pointer

This is a hopeful rather than confident selection, but there is definitely a case for last year’s winner who has more letters than numbers by his name since that win. The wheels certainly have fallen off recently but the signs were better last time at Cheltenham where he was still going okay, albeit already headed, when a shuddering mistake at the water finished his chance.

He is 9lb lower than when he won last year’s race and also has another valuable 5lb off his back courtesy of the excellent Freddie Mitchell. The Moore team are currently in excellent form and if he is on the way back to form then Editeur Du Gite has a decent place chance here - at least. 

Firmly at the veteran stage at the age of 11, but still capable of a very good performance when either in the mood or when conditions are right for him and hopefully both factors could coincide positively in this. A glance through his form suggests that he doesn’t particularly enjoy the undulations of Cheltenham and if ignoring runs at that track his form figures look much more consistent. 

He was beaten a nose on his reappearance and then didn’t actually run too badly at Cheltenham last time but didn’t come up the hill having been in the van throughout. Bryony Frost is the perfect jockey to get a front runner into a rhythm around Kempton (just think Frodon) and looks a good booking here. 

Iwilldoit and Iron Bridge both have this race as their key target for the winter and I'm splitting stakes on them against the field.

Iwilldoit has been successful twice after a 300-plus-day break including when he won this race two years ago. He is still 7lb higher than that win but is 6lb lower than when placed last season and Sam Thomas has engaged Callum Pritchard to take off 7lb which will be telling massively in the final stages of this slog.

Pritchard was on board the stable’s top weight winner of the Badger Beer earlier in the season so has quickly become the “go -to” claiming rider for these prestigious races. Trip, track and ground are fine and I cannot see him not running very well once more for an excellent target trainer. 

Iron Bridge is younger and ran his best race over fences last season in this race but his form plateaued somewhat after he had previously looked like he might well become a top class staying chaser. He reappeared with an excellent effort at Carlisle and it could be that he may well be set to progress again this season. He was withdrawn late from the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury (presumably due to the ground) which might turn out to be a blessing in disguise here, as this race will be a serious test. The stable have had a very strong first half of the season and I expect a solid run.