A quick run through the entries this afternoon, and a few video replays later, and I have added
SHANTOU FLYER 20/1 (NRNB)
KIM MUIR
His form is well known at the Festival, but he is an 11 year-old, and the last horse as old (in fact - older) to win the Kim Muir was 6 years ago, called
THE PACKAGE
His form was also very good at Cheltenham, and at the Festival, where he had run four times in the Ultima (Form Figures 24P3) before moving up a furlon to the Kim Muir at the grand old age of 12, having dropped to a rating of 137, and he destrpyed the Kim Muir field of 2015 by 12 lengths.
He recorded his best RPR ever in winnign that race aged 12, which added to the fact that two of his previous three best RPR's were in the Ultima at the Cheltenham Festival.
Back to SHANTOU FLYER.
He is a year younger than The Package was and also has had 4 runs at the Festival, in the Ultima 92) and the Foxhunters (2), with form-figures of F223, placed at the last three Festivals.
A ban on Amateurs has played into Shantou Flyer's hands as he is no longer allowed to be ridden by his owner, David Maxwell, and can step out of the Hunter Chase and into Handicap company again.
He moved to Paul Nicholls stable a month ago, and has had two quick runs, a pipe-opener in 4th behind Time To Get Up (new joint favourite for the Kim Muir) when weighted 7lb higher.
He then ran at the weekend at Wincanton and improved a lot for his seasonal debut when finishing a close 2nd, to an improver, giving him a stone.
On both occasions he has been ridden by former-conditional-turned amateur-turned-back-to-conditional, Angus Cheleda who has given up his amateur status last month to continue riding this season.
He is a 7lb claimer, and to my mind the horses plan changed from Hunter Chase to Kim Muir, when the horse moved to Paul and his new jockey turned conditional at exactly the same time.
Angus has 7 winners from 22 runners for his trainer Paul Nicholls this season, and his star is rising.
He can ride Shantou Flyer again at Cheltenham (also rode him to win a P2P before) and take 7lb off his back, with a rating of 141, this would reduce his weight to that of a 134 rating.
Given that Shantou Flyer's form at Cheltenham in chases is 1F1422223 I think he is a nailing bet to be placed in the Kim Muir, and maybe even win it to mirror The Package's finale at the Festival at a grand old age by winning at his 5th Festival, having placed 3 times previously.
Shantou Flyer's 5 top RPR's are all Handicap Chases at Cheltenham, and his best RPR of 162 (off a 152 rating) was in the Ultima Handicap, beaten a head by Coo Star Sivola.
I'm hoping there is still a spring in his step, that looked to be the case last weekend, and he wouldnt need to hit his very best to win from a rating of 134 (141-7lb claim).