Cheltenham preview: It could be a case of déjà vu in the Beards Jewellers Cup Handicap Chase at Cheltenham today as Armaturk attempts to repeat last year's success in the same event.
Paul Nicholls' charge has been a mainstay of the powerful Ditcheat base in recent years, having recorded at least one win in each season since 2001 - including in a couple of Graded races.
He made no mistake at the first attempt this time around when producing a fine effort to defy top-weight and land a Listed handicap at Lingfield last month, a race he also took 12 months ago.
He therefore arrives at Prestbury Park via the exactly same route in his follow-up bid and, with his handler's horses having tended to come on for a run this term, it is possible there could be more to come from the consistent eight-year-old.
The meeting opens with a typically high-class event as some useful young hurdlers contest the Grade Two Anglo Irish Bank Novices' Hurdle and the one to be on is the Paul Nolan-trained French Accordion.
A full brother and stablemate to smart hurdler Accordion Etoile, he was highly tried last year but was unable to get off the mark until his sixth run, in a two-mile maiden hurdle last May.
Getting his head in front has clearly done the five-year-old the world of good as he stepped up on that performance when taking a Grade Three event at Tipperary on his reappearance early last month.
Despite facing his toughest task to date in his hat-trick bid, there is every chance that French Accordion could have more to offer, especially as the stiff track will play to his strengths.
The all-weather focus switches to Wolverhampton, and the Play Now At Betdirectpoker.com Handicap is a competitive event from which Ian Semple's Appalachian Trail can emerge victorious.
A course-and-distance winner in December, the Indian Ridge gelding was last seen when a narrow-margin victor at Newbury a couple of months back.
That win over seven furlongs was obviously no surprise as he was nibbled at in the market beforehand and managed to get up, despite having little luck in running.
His previous efforts in some well-contested handicaps, most notably when behind subsequent Pattern winners New Seeker and Goodricke at Newbury in July, represent solid form and a big run is expected. Kindelight Debut looks set to shine in the Glow-Worm High Efficiency Handicap.
A dual course-and-distance winner in July, she has held her form well without winning on the turf over the summer and must be considered an unlucky loser when last seen over a longer trip here at the weekend.
Always up with the pace, she was denied a clear run when making a move with a furlong to go and it was to her credit that she took third when eventually seeing daylight.
A drop back in trip will be no problem and, running off the same mark, compensation surely awaits.
Tony Dobbin still hopes to be fit to ride Brooklyn Breeze in the Paddy Power Gold Cup despite suffering a bruising fall at Taunton.
The jockey was "trodden on" after being unseated from Raheel at the first flight in the South West Racing Experience Selling Handicap Hurdle on a rare visit to the Somerset course.
He was taken to hospital for X-rays on his right shoulder which revealed nothing was broken.
Dobbin will sit out Newcastle today but plans to have plenty of physiotherapy in a bid to ride in the big race at Cheltenham tomorrow.
"I'm a bit sore but nothing's broken. It's not just my right shoulder. I was trodden on so I'm sore all over," said Dobbin.
Selections
1.15 - French Accordion
1.50 - Dix Villez
2.25 - Armaturk (nap)
3.00 - Luzcadou
3.35 - Celtic Son
4.10 - Mouseski
DOUBLE
Armaturk and French Accordion
