Guide to Centenary Novices Chase Cheltenham

The opening day of the festival concludes with the Centenary Novices Chase where some interesting jumping recruits will battle it out.

Current ante-post favourite for the race is the Willie Mullins-trained Quel Esprit who is best-priced 10/1 with Bet365. The seven-year-old has only tackled the larger obstacles once and was emphatic when beating Torphicen by five-and-a-half-lengths. If Mullins elects to take this easier route rather than the Arkle then he is a worthy market leader and has to be respected.

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A lot of runners in this contest are doubly-declared with trainers unsure whether to tackle this race or the much harder Arkle and RSA Chases respectively with both Jessies Dream (12/1 Bet365) and Wishfull Thinking (14/1 Boylesports) likely to venture for the aforementioned races they are ones to avoid.

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Paul Nicholls is likely to veer away from the Arkle with Robinson Collonges and the six-year-old may be worth looking at for this race at 14/1 with most firms. After bouncing back from a fall at Wincanton earlier in the season he hacked up at Hereford and then found it a bit too much in the Vote A P Gold Cup at Cheltenham when finishing down the field behind Poquelin.

Nevertheless, he looks to be an improving gelding and if he chooses this race is a major contender against fellow novices.