QUEBECOIS has a lot of the attributes that you look for in a potential Paddy Power Gold Cup winner.

A dual winner over hurdles, the No Risk At All gelding was only just beaten by Jordans Cross in the Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase over an extended two and a half miles on the New Course at Cheltenham’s January meeting nine months ago, a race that is often a good pointer to the following season.

Prominent from early that day, he looked the likely winner when he jumped on from Scorsese over the final fence, but he was just caught two strides from the winning line by Anthony Honeyball’s horse.

Beaten in a three-horse race over two miles on soft ground at Newbury next time, over a trip that was shorter than ideal and on ground that was softer than ideal, he bounced back to form next time, back at Cheltenham, at the Festival in March, when he finished third in the Ultima Handicap Chase off a mark of 139.

That was a big performance. He led from early, he jumped well off the good to soft ground, and he travelled well in front to the home turn. In the end, he only just gave best to the two J.P. McManus horses, Johnnywho and Jagwar, on the run-in.

You can easily allow him his final run last season, in the Scottish Grand National, over four miles at Ayr on heavy ground.

Travelled smoothly

He shaped really nicely at Newton Abbot on his debut this season too. He travelled smoothly and he jumped well in front almost all the way, before a slow jump at the final fence opened the door for El Capitaine, and he was mugged on the run-in.

That run should have brought him forward for today’s race, a contest that Paul Nicholls has surely had in mind for him for a while.

His trainer has won four of the last 14 renewals of the race, and two of the last three.

Zurich is a player. Henry de Bromhead’s horse won a novices’ handicap chase over today’s course and distance at the October meeting last year, and you can be sure that this race has been on his radar too for a while.

He was well beaten in the end on his seasonal return at Limeirck, however, and it is significant that Darragh O’Keeffe preferred July Flower at declaration stage.

It is a shame that Darragh O’Keeffe has to miss the ride on July Flower through injury, but she is still a contender in the race, she won the Arkle Trial at this meeting last year over two miles, and this intermediate trip is probably a more suitable trip for her. But she is short enough now, and she would probably prefer the ground to be a little easier than it is likely to be.

Meetmebythesea has a lovely profile for the race, and the Jack Richards Chase that he won at the Festival on the New Course in March has been working out really well. But he is 12lb higher now than he was then, and he hasn’t been missed by the market.

An asset

Quebecois hasn’t won yet over fences, but he has run some fine races in defeat. He goes well at Cheltenham, and he goes well on good ground, and his forward-going style of racing is an asset at Cheltenham in general and in this race in particular, especially on good ground.

It is arguable that this intermediate trip is more suitable than the extended three-mile trip over which he was just caught in the Ultima.

Also, a seven-year-old who has run just seven times over fences, he has the potential to go beyond the chase rating off which he races today of 141, which is just 1lb higher than his mark over hurdles.

Handicap hurdle

Gold For Alec could be the answer to the three-mile handicap hurdle 35 minutes later.

Tom Symonds’ horse is not obviously unexposed, but his last two runs are up there with the best runs of his life.

He didn’t complete on his penultimate run, but he was running a big race in that Chepstow race when he came down at the final flight, and his latest run – in a Pertemps qualifier run over today’s course and distance at the October meeting – was probably a career-best.

He was 5lb out of the handicap that day, but he made light of his extra burden in finishing second behind the well-backed Seaniecon. Still only 10th four furlongs out, he stayed on well to take second place.

The other three horses who, with him, filled the first four places, occupied three of the first five places with half a mile to run. He did well to stay on as well as he did. He was fastest of all through the final four furlongs.

The handicapper raised him to a mark of 123 for that run, he is now 8lb higher than he was going into that Pertemps qualifier, but he is only 3lb higher than the mark off which he actually raced, and that should not be an insurmountable hike.

He stays three miles well, he goes well on good ground, and undulating tracks seem to suit him. He will have an able accomplice in Gavin Sheehan, who is riding out of his skin these days.

He has had 13 wins (and eight seconds) from his last 34 rides, he is operating at a strike-rate of 38% and he has recently burst through the 1,000-winner mark.

Recommended:

Quebecois, 2.20 Cheltenham,

11/2 (generally), 1pt win

Gold For Alec, 2.55 Cheltenham, 5/1 (generally), 1pt win