Wednesday racegoers are in for a tremendous spectacle as a rare big field of 16 are declared as Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase runners, following on from the maximum field of runners in the Turners.
Ground key for Romeo Coolio
The participation of Romeo Coolio at the festival has been up in arms of late, but a dry weather spell has twisted the arms of connections’ to take their chance in the Brown Advisory. He would’ve been destined for the old 2m4f Chase, which made the decision a tricky one. There was the suggestion he’d skip it altogether, but he now bids to better his previous two festival efforts.
Second in both the Champion Bumper and the Supreme, connections pin their hopes on the step up to three miles will break his festival duck.
Final Demand “A1” – Bryan Drew
After bolting up in facile fashion on chase debut, Final Demand was the immediate ‘good thing’ for the festival. He backed that up when making all at Limerick, though blotted his copybook next time out.
There was rumours on Sunday that Final Demand will miss the festival, but owner Bryan Drew has shut down such ‘nonsense’. Speaking to Matt Chapman, Drew, on an At The Races X post, stated he’s “A1. I’ve seen some video of him at Cheltenham this morning. Paul Townend is trying to be interviewed but he can’t hold him. He looks fabulous, I don’t know what all that nonsense was yesterday, Matt.”
Kaid d’Authie was a smart winner of the Ladbrokes Novice Chase, firmly putting Final Demand in his place. His collateral form with Wingmen suggests that was no fluke, and shouldn’t be discounted.
Henry De Bromhead declares two
Despite a plethora of successful Grade 1 staying chasers throughout the years, Henry De Bromhead is yet to win the Brown Advisory. The County Waterford-based yard have declared both Koktail Divin and The Big Westerner to gain a belated winner. The former was a strong selection for many in the Jack Richards Novice Handicap off what was deemed to be a lenient mark, but instead takes his chance in the Grade 1. The latter was second in last years Albert Bartlett, and arrives in excellent form.
Wendigo the main British hope
Wendigo is one of just three British runners in here and is certainly no back number on all known form. Fifth in the Albert Bartlett, he’s improved for the switch to fences. He was third to Kitzbuhel in the Grade 1 Kauto Star, and arrives off the back of a 22-length win.
Salver and Thomas Mor form the remainder of the British contingent, whom are wholly outnumbered by a strong Irish presence.