WillowWarm Gold Cup (Grade 1) 2m 4f

Champ Kiely: Likeable front-runner and, after being no match for Ballyburn at the Dublin Racing Festival, won in comfortable fashion when odds-on in the two-mile Grade 3 Flyingbolt Novice Chase at Navan.

Won the Grade 1 Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle over two and a half miles as a novice hurdler and is the choice of Paul Townend. However, his front-running style could catch him out if the ground comes up a bit testing.

Down Memory Lane: Light campaign and could be fresher than those who ran at Cheltenham. He looked as though further would suit when third to L’Eau Du Sud in the Grade 1 Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase in December and the winner has run well at Cheltenham and Aintree since. Well-beaten by Lecky Watson at Punchestown in January and, even though that looks better following the winner’s Cheltenham Grade 1 win, Elliott’s charge should step up on that form.

Firefox: High-class novice hurdler, but a bit disappointing since his Down Royal fencing debut win and made little show when sixth in the Grade 2 Novices’ Handicap at Cheltenham. Must step up to be involved. Five lengths behind Ile Atlantique at Naas in January and hard to see him getting his head in front here.

Ile Atlantique: Ran well below par when over 29 lengths behind Majborough in the Goffs Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival, but his previous Grade 2 Naas win should be good enough to have him involved. He comes in fresh, but his form did tail off in the spring last season.

Kilbarry Saint: Consistent at her level, but looks outclassed here.

Spindleberry: Second to Jade De Grugy in the Grade 1 novice hurdle here last season and unbeaten in her two chases. Her six-and-a-half-length listed win over Bioluminescence in a five-runner mares’ novice here was a good level of form, but she would need to improve against this better class opposition and her odds are short enough.

Conclusion

This could be one where the Gordon Elliott stable grabs a Grade 1 despite Willie Mullins providing half the field. A chance is taken with Down Memory Lane, who also had an entry in the listed novices’ handicap but takes on the Mullins trio. He needs to improve on his defeat by Lecky Watson, but his stable were not in the top form mid-winter and his odds are tempting. Ile Atlantique and Champ Kiely both like to race prominently and the Elliott challenger could benefit from a patient ride. Ile Atlantique should take the runner-up spot on his best form.