Celtic Dino
Give It To Me OJ
Rubaud
Sir Gino
Tripoli Flyer
Golden Ace
🏆 The Verdict: Most Likely Winner
#4 Sir Gino (4/7 Fav) There is simply no looking past the unbeaten star from Nicky Henderson’s yard. His form figures of 111/11- are flawless.
Why: He has already proven himself over this Course & Distance (winning a Grade 2 here last Christmas). He was the easy winner of the Fighting Fifth last season and, critically, he is receiving weight from his main market rival (Golden Ace) due to the sex allowance or conditions (though often level weights in Grade 1s, his odds of 4/7 suggest total dominance). He is the clear class act.
🥈 The Top Two Forecast
If you are looking for the “Straight Forecast” (1st and 2nd), these are the clear standouts:
1. Sir Gino (Winner)
Reasoning: As mentioned above, he is unbeaten, a course winner, and represents connections that target this race specifically.
2. Golden Ace (Runner Up)
Reasoning: She is the clear second-best on paper. A Grade 1 winner (Champion Hurdle last season) and a recent winner of the Fighting Fifth (
221). At 7/2, the market respects her significantly more than the rest of the field (the next best is 7/1). She is the only runner with the proven Grade 1 class to capitalize if Sir Gino makes a mistake.
Summary: This looks like a match race. Sir Gino should win comfortably, with Golden Ace chasing him home to finish second. The others, like Rubaud (18/1), are solid handicappers but likely lack the elite gear change required to beat these two.