15th Mar 2016 | Cheltenham Festival
Ballykan Spring Surprise In Ultima Chase
Finished an impressive fourth in the BetBright Chase at Kempton and one of the few to contest the finish after tracking a strong gallop.
Backing a 6-year-old novice in the Ultima Handicap Chase (2.50) goes against the trends of recent winners but often you have to look the other way to find value.
The concern with most novices is whether their jumping is up to scratch, especially amongst the hustle and bustle of a big field but Ballykan has proven up to the task.
Last time out he finished an impressive fourth in the BetBright Chase at Kempton and it’s difficult to pick holes in the form. He tracked the strong gallop set by Ziga Boy and Tenor Nivernais but was still able to clock the fifth fastest closing sectional, much quicker than his fellow pace-setters.
Theatre Guide ran away with the race and is a big danger but Ballykan receives a 12lbs pull in the weights and might improve for a more patient ride.
He already has experience of Cheltenham when finishing a fair fourth to Shantou Flyer earlier in the season and is better than his quote of 25/1 with Bet365 paying the extra place; 1/4 odds for a top-5 finish.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 01:40 15th Mar, 2016 but subject to change
