Fourteen will face the starter for Friday’s Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham, a second handicap and leg 7 of the Crystal Cup after top weight Desertmore House was scratched. Henry de Bromhead’s Amirite will head the weights, seeking to improve on a 10 1/2l fourth in a valuable Grade III handicap at Galway back in July.

Four horses vie for favouritism here. Busselton carried 11st 7 to victory in the La Touche at the Punchestown Festival and carries 2lb less in this handicap. He had Vital island and Peaches And Cream behind him that day, and is a proven performer over these obstacles.

Two home-trained runners – Latenightpass and Mister Coffey, follow closely in the betting. Latenightpass has winning form in this race from two years ago, but is running off a much higher mark nowadays, whilst Mister Coffey has a bad case of seconditis. remarkably for a horse of his calibre, he remains a maiden over fences on this 18th attempt.

David Cottin is sending over a strong team for owner Caroline Tisdall, marking a landmark birthday. Iceo Madrik, who unseated Thomas Journiac at the third last year, is tilting at a handicap mark good enough to justify a return here in March. He is not the most reliable of horses, having created mayhem in the previous Crystal cup leg at Compiegne when refusing at the trou de loup. Those choosing him should be reassured no such fence exists at Cheltenham. Cottin also fields Placenet, who has winning form over these obstacles, albeit not in 2025.

Gavin Cromwell is always to be respected at Cheltenham, but his two entries have a little to find over Stumptown, previous winner of this race. Final Orders was a well beaten 6th behind Amirite in a listed handicap at Kilbeggan back in July, whilst Peaches And Cream  also has something to find.

Of more interest among the Irish is youngster J’Arrive de l’Est, representing Emmet Mullins. A winner of a €50,000 handicap at Auteuil back in March, he is new to this distance and this ground, but he has youth on his side.

Toward the bottom of the handicap, it’s difficult to make a case for any of Statuario, Unanswered Prayers, or The Big Breakaway, whilst age may finally be catching up with 13 year old Vital Island.

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