Ultima Handicap Chase Tips: Trewlane to take the opening handicap

The Ultima is the first of the famous Cheltenham Festival handicaps and a stamina-sapping endurance test over three miles and a furlong. It was won last year by subsequent Aintree Grand National hero Corach Rambler and no Irish horse has bagged this race since Dun Doire in 2006.

We've run the rule over all 23 runners for this year's renewal and have two Ultima Handicap Chase tips for you to consider.

This is a Super Extra Place Race, so we are paying 6 places instead of 4 at 1/5 the odds for all each-way bets.

Eldorado Allen (Joe Tizzard/Freddie Gingell)

Graded winner over shorter at his best and has a 2m Cheltenham win on his CV. Fine fourth in Coral Gold Cup at Newbury over this sort of trip in December and 1lb lower now after undergoing wind op since.

Run Wild Fred (Gordon Elliott/Danny Gilligan)

Winner of the 2021 Troytown at Navan (3m, good) but that remains his only chasing success (1-19). Limerick comeback in October was promising, but less so in three Irish starts since.

Highland Hunter (Paddy Brennan/Fergal O'Brien)

In good nick when winning a veterans' race at Newbury earlier this month on testing ground and generally in good form this season. Carries 5lb penalty in attempting to give popular trainer a first Festival win.

Stumptown (Gavin Cromwell/Keith Donoghue)

Very strongly supported for Kim Muir at this meeting last March and was beaten by a diminishing neck at the line. Commanding winner over similar trip here on New Year's Day and while 6lb higher now, connections much respected.

Monbeg Genius (Jonjo O'Neill/Jonjo O'Neill Jr)

Coral Gold Cup third in December and was leading ante-post fancy for the Grand National prior to disappointing recent Kelso performance. Likely wouldn't be coming here if he'd run as hoped in that.

The Goffer (Gordon Elliott/Jack Kennedy)

Made smooth progress to challenge in this race last year, only to be undone by some quality operators. He returns rated 2lb lower this time and is a leading Irish contender for top trainer/jockey combo.

Meetingofthewaters (Willie Mullins/Mark Walsh)

Had won two on the spin at Cork and Leopardstown prior to unseating his rider when hampered at the first during the Dublin Racing Festival last month. Bought by JP McManus last week and a key player here.

Chambard (Venetia Williams/Lucy Turner)

Won the Kim Muir here in 2022 under this rider and they also landed the Becher at Aintree in December together. Now 12 years old but could give a good account.

Minella Crooner (Gordon Elliott/Jordan Gainford)

Always a strong stayer since his novice hurdling days and now a two-time winner over fences. Pulled up in the National Hunt Cup here last March.

Kitty's Light (Christian Williams/Jack Tudor)

Last year's Scottish National winner, never got into the race in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in December and likely to get outpaced in this at some stage.

Gevrey (Gordon Elliott/Sam Ewing)

Won the Munster National at Limerick in October, but a couple of non-completions in valuable Irish handicap chases since and rated 8lb higher for this.

Eklat De Rire (Henry de Bromhead/Rachael Blackmore)

No win since 2021 but very lightly raced in the interim, was second in Fairyhouse contest last month in which two of his three rivals departed late on. Something to prove amid hustle and bustle of this.

Victtorinino (Venetia Williams/Charlie Deutsch)

Twice a winner at Ascot over 3m earlier in the season, handling soft/good alike, before being outpaced here over 2m4f in January. Another good showing since at Ascot and this 6YO has come claims.

Busselton (Joseph O'Brien/JJ Slevin)

Without a win since September 2022 and the balance of his efforts since doesn't convince he's going to end that sequence while still rated 3lb higher in a race like this.

Trelawne (Kim Bailey/Harry Cobden)

Carlisle winner on fencing bow in November over 2m4f and has bumped into some quality rivals while running well himself in three starts since. Fair mark, with jockey booking a plus, a player if stamina holds out.

Twig (Ben Pauling/Beau Morgan)

Shows a 4-7 record over fences and plenty of stamina but was beaten 26-lengths in midfield finish at Newbury in December behind some of these and a personal-best is now called for.

Chianti Classico (Kim Bailey/David Bass)

A second lightly-raced contender for the trainer, he's 2-3 over fences and has a little less to prove stamina-wise than Trelawne. For all that this is his toughest test by some way.

Found On (Martin Keighley/Sean Bowen)

Course winner over shorter in 2022, two good runs at Market Rasen this season off this mark (including a win) but the mare might find this a bridge too far.

Lord Du Mesnil (Richard Hobson/Gavin Sheehan)

Experienced campaigner with 4-36 record over fences. Second in all three chase starts at this venue over a variety of trips and is on a fair mark if finding his best stuff.

Excello (Nicky Henderson/Nico de Boinville)

French import made his second start for Seven Barrows a winning one at Ascot over 2m5f in December, but an underwhelming course appearance over similar trip in January raises concerns.

Famous Bridge (Nicky Richards/Sean Quinlan)

Three-time winner over fences with no want for stamina, best of his form has come on testing Haydock ground, however, and pitches up here after two non-completions.

Weveallbeencaught (Nigel Twiston-Davies/Sam Twiston-Davies)

Lightly-raced novice chaser has gained experience with three course runs this season. Also shaped with promise in the Albert Bartlett last March and from a low weight in first-time tongue-tie his locally based trainer will harbour plenty of hope.

Risk And Roll (James Evans/Tabitha Worsley)

Ran well in a much weaker contest here last year at the April meeting under this rider and won over fences for the first time at Uttoxeter in September, but has it all to do amongst a field of this quality.

Verdict

One of the few Festival races in which the Irish haven't been able to buy a win recently, this can stay in Britain again.

TRELAWNE has impressed with his jumping in four starts and his efforts behind the likes of Ginny's Destiny here in December and Crebilly at Exeter last month could look a whole lot better come the end of the week.

He's on a fair mark and Harry Cobden is a brilliant ally, with his hurdles form a good pointer towards stamina for this.

The Goffer ran very well last year and is a leading Irish contender, but STUMPTOWN is preferred given the excellent record of Gavin Cromwell in Britain this season and the fact he, too, has Festival form in the book.