14th Mar 2017 | Cheltenham Festival
Ultima Handicap Chase Tip: Go Conquer
Did well to finish second behind Tenor Nivernais’s remarkable performance at Ascot. Likely to be suited by better ground and has Jonjo O’Neill on his side.
One argument for backing Cue Card to win the Gold Cup is that he was back to his best in winning the Betfair Ascot Chase in February. The merits of Cue Card are for another day but if you sincerely believe that was a great or even good performance then what does it say of Tenor Nivernais’s victory on the same card?
Tenor Nivernais ran 5f further over the same obstacles in the same ground carrying the same weight but averaging 15.35s per furlong compared to Cue Card’s 15.5s per furlong.
If Tenor Nivernais is to break his duck at Cheltenham he’ll have to do it off a mark of 162, which might prove beyond him but the horse he beat at Ascot might go one better. Go Conquer finished second, 30 lengths in arrears but in the context of the winner’s performance that wasn’t bad at all. There is also reason to expect improvement.
Go Conquer’s best form is on better ground, something he should get at the Festival. He is also lightly raced (this only his 13th start under rules) and is nicely handicapped off a mark of 137.
Jonjo O’Neill has almost certainly laid him out for a Cheltenham handicap and his performance at Ascot marks him out as a useful chaser. Back Go Conquer with Skybet and get 1/5 odds for a top-6 finishes.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 01:34 14th Mar, 2017 but subject to change
