Pulteney Novices' Handicap Chase Preview: Your Attaglance guide

Malcolm Jefferson: trainer of Attaglance

Following the announcement of the handicap weights for the Festival, Keith Melrose takes a look at one of the opening day's more intriguing affairs.

Unless you're either new to racing or trusting to a fault, you'll already be familiar with the idea of horses spending whole seasons with one race at Cheltenham in March as their principal, or even sole, aim. You can probably name several examples, too; though just to be safe I won't invite you to do so!

The upshot of this, of course, is that we don't always know quite what order a horse is in leading up to the Festival, relying on their trainer's skill to get their charges ready for the 'big day'. The waters are muddied further in Festival handicaps, when we often don't know a horse's exact target until just a few days before the Supreme Novices' field is roared on its way.

There's another consideration for those campaigning their charge towards the Centenary Novices' Handicap Chase (or the Pulteney Land Investments Novices' Handicap Chase, to use its official title), in that it's one of only three Festival races that are restricted in terms of ratings, the others being the Kim Muir and the Martin Pipe. The ceiling for the Centenary is a BHA mark of 140, lower than the Kim Muir (150) or Martin Pipe (145), so there's always the chance of a horse that isn't placed just right being priced, quite literally, out of the market.

There is a record entry of 86 for the Centenary this year, of which only 20 can eventually take their place in the line-up. On these bare facts the race could essentially become a handicap in name only (the current top 20 cover a narrow range of 135-140 on the BHA scale), but with so many doubly, triply or, as in the case of Carlito Brigante, sextuply entered at the Festival that number will inevitably whittle down.

As you might have guessed, Carlito Brigante is one of those who appear to have been kept back for the Festival, as evidenced by connections' fairly overt tactic of keeping him off the track (at least over jumps) since November. However, it's felt he'll take up one of his other five engagements, not least because his owners, Gigginstown House Stud, have another live contender for the Centenary whose campaign has seemed nearly as Cheltenham-oriented.

This time last year, your correspondent and several colleagues backed Toner d'Oudaries for the Coral Cup, as he looked like one for whom a Cheltenham handicap had been the plan all season. Apparently it had, but he ran in the Martin Pipe instead and probably should have won, seeming in control when sent on turning for home before being caught late in the piece by Attaglance. 

Since then, Toner d'Oudaries has switched to fences, with his gaining experience seemingly the main priority. It's an approach that seems to have worked well, as he jumped fluently on his latest start, eventually beaten off only by a well-entered Willie Mullins charge over a trip short of his ideal at Leopardstown. If Toner d'Oudaries is able to build on that, and we have faith in trainer Gordon Elliott drawing more from him, then he could look well treated in his bid to make amends for last year. 

The biggest doubt would be over whether Toner d'Oudaries will actually make the line-up, his allotted mark being just 129, 3 lb lower than what was needed to make it into the race last year. A win in the meantime, and the resultant 5 lb penalty, may well be needed to see him make the cut.

It's another whose season has taken a gradual upward curve that could be Toner d'Oudaries' main obstacle to redemption; in fact you could describe him as an old foe. Attaglance entered spring last year as the winner of a weak 0-135 at Market Rasen on his most recent start but ended it a dual festival winner, taking the Martin Pipe from under Toner d'Oudaries' nose before following up at Aintree from a 5 lb-higher BHA mark of 144. He initially struggled with his jumping over fences, but has developed with experience and went about his business in a much more professional manner at Musselburgh last time, admittedly grated an easy time of it up front that day but still doing enough to suggest he's got the hang of things over fences by now. What's more, Attaglance comes to the Festival rated 6 lb lower over fences than he was over hurdles this time last year. If he's primed for this- and the suspicion is he will be- there's a sporting chance of Attaglance securing back-to-back Festival wins.

We have time for a quick word on yet another whose season has appeared to revolve around a return to the Festival. You could reasonably say that White Star Line caught a tartar last year, finishing second to the rampant Hunt Ball in this very race from a higher mark than he looks set to shoulder this time around. His novice status retained for this season, White Star Line showed the first flicker of a return to form when a never-nearer second at Fairyhouse last time. He too holds multiple entries, but he'll be worthy of respect whichever engagement he ends up taking.

It'd be possible to nominate another half-dozen interesting types in this year's Centenary, but that's the nature of Cheltenham handicaps. There are improvers, unexposed types and those who've been campaigned with the Festival in mind at every turn and therefore confident selections are hard to come by. Your best bet in this race is probably to plump for a couple that are on good marks and have Festival handicap form to their name already, and the best part is that you can back Toner d'Oudaries and Attaglance at 19.5n/a and 12.011/1 respectively. Let's hope for the perfect end to the day that punters have had as their main aim all season.

Recommendations

Back Toner d'Oudaries @ 19.5n/a and Attaglance @ 12.011/1 in the Pulteney Novices' Handicap Chase