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There is often little correlation between official trials and the main events themselves; however, for all that one is right-handed and the other left-handed, decent ground means that the weekend’s cardsat Musselburgh could indeed be relevant to the Cheltenham Festival.
The aptly named Forth Bridge (up 13 lb to h132p) rallied well to edge out Warp Factor (remains on h119) and Project Bluebook (down 5 lb to h131) in the Scottish Triumph Hurdle Trial, and his trainer Charlie Longsdon has since suggested that the Fred Winter rather than the Triumph might be the more suitable Festival target. Forth Bridge is likely to progress further but he still has 17 lb to find with the unbeaten hurdler Defi du Seuil, so that looks a wise decision. Though a beaten favourite, Project Bluebook is still worth following as he would have preferred a stronger gallop.
Edinburgh National winner Dancing Shadow (up 6 lb to c138) is in the four-miler at Cheltenham and his staying power and profile will count for something in that or long-distance handicaps, while the formerly smart chaser Wonderful Charm (now c143) is now the second favourite for the Foxhunters Chase after winning on the bridle on Saturday. He has failed to trouble the judge in three previous trips to the Cheltenham Festival, though all of those came in Grade 1 events. Another hard-held winner on the card was the same stable's Diego du Charmil (up 10 lb to 148) who bounded clear in the Scottish County Hurdle. Out of sorts at Ascot earlier in the season, Diego du Charmil was impressive on the face of it, though his main rivals didn't get in his way at all. Winner of the Fred Winter last season, Diego du Charmil has the high cruising speed to cope with a County Hurdle, but, as a note of caution, he's done his best so far when fresher than he'll be for the Festival.Frodon (c148) didn’t need to improve to land the odds in the Scottish Future Champions Novices’ Chase 24 hours later – he’ll presumably head to the JLT Novices’ Chase next – while Lough Derg Spirit (up to h132) received a well-judged front-running ride to come out on top in the Supreme Scottish Trial. It shouldn't necessarily be assumed that runner-up Peter the Mayo Man has done all his improving, as he was caught out by the winner early in the straight, while High Secret (up to h127p) progressed again and looks a likely type for Aintree. The Scottish Champion Chase - a grand title for a handicap that was notably weak for the grade, especially with the favourite bombing out – was won by San Benedeto (now c145). He looks one to take on for win purposes next time if the handicapper takes this form anything like literally. Baltimore Rock turned in a puzzling display, not easy to know whether it was by design or not that he charged to the front with a circuit to run, but patently obvious that he checked out worryingly quickly early in the straight regardless. Finally, the Albert Bartlett Scottish Trial also featured a disappointing favourite (Overland Flyer), but the first three still ran to a level of form not far off useful, with the winner Monbeg Charmer (h127 from h122p) producing an enthusiastic performance from the front.
The standout performances of the weekend away from Musselburgh came from Nicky Henderson-trained runners at Sandown. First Buveur d’Air (up 7 lb to h165p) made the most of a good opportunity returned to timber in the listed Contenders Hurdle. Though in a small field it was a matter of style over substance, he’s certainly an interesting wild-card for Cheltenham, with the potential to build on his good novice form last spring. In the following race it was the turn of Top Notch (up 4 lb to c150p) to impress in a competitive renewal of the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase. He appeared to relish the strong pace set by the (eventual runner-up) c145-rated Baron Alco and Amore Alato (down 4 lb to c135) and quickened clear on the run-in; he’s clearly a leading contender for the JLT on this evidence. Le Prezien (now c145 from 147p) didn’t jump fluently upped in trip, but the major disappointment was Clan des Obeaux who failed to beat a rival and has subsequently been ruled out of the Festival. He'll be best judged on earlier efforts when he returns.Elsewhere, the Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby, a race that in 2016 was won by subsequent RSA winner Blaklion, looked a reasonably competitive renewal beforehand but rather fell apart, Baywing (now c142+) credited with improvement but not the easiest form to assess with any great accuracy. Douvan wouldn’t normally be the footnote to an article, but seeing as he had 29 lb in hand of his rivals going into Sunday’s Grade 2 Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown, he can be little else. He completed a simple task as you’d expect, making it 14 wins in a row and, barring an unlikely mishap (he's a magnificent jumper), will surely add a third Festival win to his collection in next month's Champion Chase, for which he is rightly a prohibitively-priced favourite.