2021 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase Tips – Each-Way alternative to a rock-solid favourite

The second of three Grade One races on day two of the Cheltenham Festival is the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase. This three miler for novice chasers is my favourite horse race. Not only is it thoroughly enthralling to watch, but it has a habit of throwing up truly exceptional horses. Arkle, Denman, Lord Windemere and Bob’s Worth all won the Cheltenham Gold Cup after landing this Grade One.

Like the three other Grade Ones for novice chasers at this year’s Cheltenham Festival, we find an odds-on favourite topping the current betting.

You can’t fault anything Monkfish has done this season. Willie Mullins’ star looked like a chaser last term, and he’s taken to fences like a duck to water. Following a routine victory over three future winners on debut, Monkfish has collected two Grade One prizes at Leopardstown, beating Latest Exhibition by three length in the Neville Hotels, and an emphatic eleven lengths in the Flogas Novices’ Chase.

I got on the Shishkin, Envoi Allen and Monkfish treble nice and early, so I’m delighted to see all three carrying odds-on prices into the Cheltenham Festival. Monkfish looks the most likely winner here, and the only entrant you could say at this stage is a future Gold Cup contender. Yet, of the three, he’s the one I’d be most inclined to take on.

Unlike the Arkle and the Marsh, I could see a fairly healthy field entered against the favourite. There are plenty of viable candidates with claims to the places, and even win, should Monkfish underperform.

The Big Breakaway is a horse I like, and he certainly has a bright future over fences. He may have course form on his side, but Colin Tizzard’s yard have endured a torrid campaign, and The Big Breakaway’s jumping has let him down on his last two outings.

Fiddlerontheroof, who’s won once and finished second four times since switching to fences, could joined his stablemate in the field. Next Destination comfortably held Tizzard’s charge at arm’s length at Warwick, despite carrying a five-pound penalty. On that outing, Fiddlerontheroof has plenty to find.

Sporting John was beaten 33-length behind Fiddlerontheroof when they met at Exeter earlier in the season. Philip Hobbs’ charge then caused an upset when powering home from the rear to win the Scilly Isles’ Novices’ Chase on heavy ground at Sandown. Although that was an excellent run, Sporting John didn’t handle Cheltenham well in the Ballymore last season, three miles is unknown territory and the ground may be a little too quick.

Lieutenant Rocco could run here, but he really needs soft ground and I doubt he’ll get that on day two of the Cheltenham Festival. Happygolucky and Court Maid will go for the Ultima, Conflated for the Paddy Power Plate, and Longhouse Poet, Lord Royal and Remastered would be more at home in the National Hunt Chase.

The safest each-way option is certainly EKLAT DE RIRE, who’s jumping this season has been brilliant. Henry De Bromhead sent his charge straight out over 26-furlongs this season, having run just twice over hurdles, so he obviously thinks stamina is this seven-year-old’s strong suit.

De Bromhead wouldn’t run him on day two of the Cheltenham Festival if he didn’t think he’d handle the track or the ground, so I have no worries in that regard. Rachael Blackmore will probably make the running, like she did on Minella Indo the previous year, and throw down the gauntlet to Monkfish. If he’s good enough to pass him, then so be it, but given a clean round of jumping, I can’t see Eklat De Rire finishing outside the places.