With the introduction of the Jewson Novice’s Chase at the interim distance between the Arkle Challenge Trophy and RSA Chase backing novice chasers on an antepost basis for the Cheltenham Festival has become more complicated.
Following victory at Punchestown, Ladbrokes and Stan James both cut Oscars Well from 14/1 into 10/1 for the two mile Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Whether a horse who might have won the 2011 Neptune Investment Management Novices´ Hurdle over 2m 5f but for a final hurdle stumble will end up over the shorter distance remains to be seen ( we do know Arkle favourite Simonsig won the 2012 renewal !) but there was much to like about his chase debut.
Jessica Harrington trains the victorious seven-year-old and she said: “That was a lovely introduction. It’s great to get a win having not won at all last year and when they haven’t won for that long you start to worry a bit.I couldn’t believe how good he was jumping and Robbie said either long or short he was great. I’d say he’ll go for the Drinmore now and he probably won’t run again until then as he’s best fresh.”
We have the race video courtesy of At The Races:
