Martin Dixon's Saturday tips: "He'll be very hard to beat"

One Horse Town is likeable and progressive, but I have some doubts about the strength of the Grade Two that he won here at Cheltenham last time so I'm happy to take him on as favourite.

By contrast, I think it was a strong renewal of the Wensleydale that Minella Study won at Wetherby in October, seeing off the class Flat performer Ammes there, and I loved the attitude he showed to keep going in front after making a complete mess of the second-last flight.

It was impressive how easily he opened up from the field that day as they turned for home and he clocked a fast time in the process, plus his effort can be marked up given the blunder.

There are a few unknown quantities, but I think a similar performance to Wetherby might be good enough for him to maintain his unbeaten record and odds of 7-2 at the time of writing look too big.

I've not quite been paid out yet on taking a very high view of The Jukebox Kid's win at Carlisle on his chasing debut, with the runner-up Grand Geste denied in a photo finish for this column a couple of weeks ago, but I'd certainly stand by a belief it's a very strong piece of form and Ben Pauling's inmate was thoroughly impressive in dominating his rivals that day.

He's not a fancy price at around 7-4 currently, but if he jumps as well as he did that day, I think he'll be very hard to beat, especially as his stamina-laden pedigree firmly suggests that this step up in distance will bring out further improvement.

He's up 9lb from last time, but he's a horse I think could be contesting the top staying novice chases by the end of the season.

I've only just got over Royal Margaux's narrow defeat in this race in 2023 for Tom Symonds, but the stable aim another improving mare at it again in the shape of Kallista Love. At double-figure odds, with several bookmakers offering five places 1/5 odds, I'm happy to back her each-way.

She improved in handicap hurdles last season, winning a notably strong race at Ffos Las in April, and I was really impressed with how she attacked her fences and wore down more prominently-ridden rivals at Warwick on her recent chase debut.

This is wide open, but I think a 3lb rise underestimates how much she had in hand at Warwick and she sneaks in off a light weight.

Cheltenham hasn't been a happy hunting ground for JPR One up to now but, in fairness, he's often been in very deep waters around here and would've bolted up in a Grade Two novice in 2023 but for a bizarre unseat after jumping the last fence well.

His latest third at Ascot was a good run, behind the thriving Calico and Martator, who is a weapon around that track, and by some way I think this is a fair bit weaker than most races he's contested over the last couple of years.

There are some relatively inexperienced rivals up against him and others that are stepping up in class and need to find improvement. I'm imagining the likes of David's Well, Sans Bruit and Excelero won't give each other any piece at the head of affairs and hopefully JPR One can stalk a strong pace that'll see him to good effect.