As I mentioned yesterday it's as important here to watch what's happening in midfield with an eye to the big Spring Festivals as it is to what's happening at the front as handicap marks are either protected to give optimum chances next time or enhanced to give the opportunity to qualify for certain races and not be balloted out and some are actually here to win and pick up a nice prize.

 

That makes a puzzle an absolute conundrum, so let's try to solve the riddle. 

 

At the top end of the market the less exposed types like Ciel De Neige, Maskada and Indigo Breeze could just as easily flop (as we saw yesterday with Maxxum) as win doing handstands, I prefer some more tangible form in big field close handicaps like this so will take them on, if I had to pick one it would be CIEL DE NEIGE.

 

I think Ilikewayurthinkin is being primed for a bash at Cheltenham and Aintree again and will run accordingly, Mars Harper too has the ground coming right for it and I'd give it a shout here but is one i'm sure is being aimed at Cheltenham again after a sighter last year. Real Steel the Paddy Power winner won't be inconvenienced by the step back in trip and holds a decent chance again despite a penalty, Vanillier is intriguing on handicap debut and with the yard in form this promising horse could either run a massive race or hide the mark for another day, mixed thoughts on this one to be honest but its a horse I really do like. Birchdale won this last year and looked set to really kick on but, sort of in line with his career prior to that hasn't done that and he comes here off a break but is only 2lbs higher and if they have him fit enough you never know!

 

Top Ville ben is a very interesting contender from the Phil Kirby stable and looks a lot more fairly handicapped here than a lot of ours do over in the mainland and fair play to connections for having a bash at a nice prize, one that I just, and only just left out of the final five at big Odds is EGALITY MANS for Willie Mullins who is out of form but the drop in trip and the better ground might just fire an improvement in this one so he'll be my reserve and if you have a spare coin in your pocket, worth a small dabble. I wouldn't be totally surprised to see R'evelyn Pleasure out run Odds but it would be a surprise winner in this Class.

 

The ones I came up with though are all running with a degree of quiet confidence for the following reasons. 

 

FARCEUR DU LARGE gets its best trip here I think and will love the hurly burly of the race off a nice mark and I'll be bitterly disappointed if not bang in contention and in the money. TAKE ALL has moved to Shark Hanlon and they will be expecting an early return on their investment I'm sure as it's another at the ideal trip, on optimum ground and off a nice mark and no reason at all why it shouldn't be in the money. 

 

FOXY JACKS was runner up to Birchdale in this last year and likes the Course, it's been mixing conventional Chasing with Irish Banks racing and fell in the Cross Country at Cheltenham last week but they would not be here if he wasn't primed and ready and he's the sort to hunt round and if he's in contention to stay on up the straight. BALLYSHANNON ROSE could also be one that benefits by stepping back in trip as it often runs well for a long way over 3 miles and just runs out of stamina at the business end, it's on a very nice handicap mark and one of those who will definitely not be looking to hide that mark but surely to optimise it. Finally FALCO BLITZ at very big odds is one who runs mostly in these big races and certainly deserves a chance at something a little easier and I'm not sure this is as tough as some of the company it usually keeps. It's down to a nice mark and if getting a good position against horses is is genuinely comparable to could put up a very bold show at the price.