Cheltenham Day 1: Ultima Handicap Chase

When I glanced through this race I almost had to do a double take when I saw the price of Buywise. This horse has been good to me down through the years, but always for place money. I had lost faith in him by the time of his last win in a decent 3 mile handicap chase on heavy ground at Sandown back in January. However, that was a superb performance off a mark of 138 and it proved that he has still got plenty of ability.
 

Buywise has festival form in the book.

Evan Williams' charge reverted to hurdles last time out, again at Sandown, and though he finished well down the field he had excuses. He was denied a clear run as they swung around the top and he was also racing on the inside of the track. The horses that raced wider out fared a lot better than those on the inner, and in any case surely Williams just wanted Buywise to have a run to keep him ticking over for a repeat bid in this race.

He is racing off a mark of 145 here, the same rating off which he was a fine 4th in this contest a year ago. He was a fair way behind the first three, but he stayed on well for fourth and both he and the fifth were a long way clear of the rest. That was his third run at the Cheltenham Festival in total. He was a fine 5th in the 21f Listed Novices’ Chase in 2014 (gd) and he bettered that when 3rd behind Darna in the Brown Advisory Handicap in 2015 off 146 (21f gd).

In 2016 he swerved the festival to have a crack at the Grand National at Aintree but unfortunately the experiment didn’t work out. The trip was just too far for him and he finished well beaten. In 2016/17 he failed to win, but he signed off with that superb effort in this race when 4th behind Un Temps Pour Tout.

He looked like he was back to his very best at Sandown two runs back when beating Pete The Feat by a couple of lengths, and if he is in the same form again for this contest he will be there or thereabouts. He has yet to win off 145, but he has placed form off as high as 151 so from a handicapping perspective he should be fine.

The quicker they go early the better, as this fella will be storming up the hill at the finish. Maybe it might be asking a bit much for him to win at 11 years old, but at odds of 50/1 I think the old boy might have one big day left in him. I cannot understand how he is such a monstrous price, and he has to be worth a few quid each way with non runner no bet now available.

STEVOS’ SELECTION: ULTIMA CHASE: BUYWISE E/W @ 50/1 NRNB