Garde Champetre will be looking to regain the Cross Country title he won in 2008 and 2009 and he is currently 5/1 favourite for this year's event. Enda Bolger's twelve-year-old could only finish in mid-division behind A New Story (25/1 various) last year but the master trainer of this discipline will have the JP McManus-owned gelding fighting fit come the day.
With rails, fences, hedges and an array of wacky obstacles a horse has to take to it and that is one thing that can be said of Garde Champetre and with the likely absence of Lacdoudal who beat him in November over the course it is hard to veer away from him.
L'ami is a contender who will certainly be thereabouts after showing his will for this contest. At 13/2 the former Gold Cup contender is the one with form in the book and could be the each way banker for punters.
King Johns Castle (12/1 Skybet) is an interesting prospect but his quirkiness was shown when refusing to start in the Grand National at Aintree and is one to avoid.
|
Bookmakers Free Bets - Claim Exclusive Offers Today!
