THE Giant Bolster (31-pace adjusted 37) has reached the first four in the last three Cheltenham Gold Cups. He must have a great shot of making it four in a row after his good performance in unsuitable circumstances in the Betbright Cup Chase at Cheltenham.

One reason The Giant Bolster does so well in the Gold Cup is because it’s invariably run at a searching pace. This was hardly the case in the Betbright Chase. The time the runners took for the second circuit was 9.9% faster than on the first. From four out, as the race began in earnest, The Giant Bolster was having to be scrubbed along to keep in touch as the leaders sprinted for home.

Nonetheless he kept on finding more to finish just seven and a half lengths off the winner. Backing him each-way for the Gold Cup at the 33/1 the bookies are offering looks a smart bet to me.

Many Clouds (33-pace adjusted 39) won the race. But it became a bit of a scramble as he struggled to hold off the closing second and third up the run-in. Many Clouds earned the same rating from me when winning the Hennessy, so I’m inclined to say this is as good as he is, and that’s just short of Gold Cup standard. In fact the big worry about Many Clouds for the Gold Cup isn’t his ability, it’s the likely ground.

His form figures on good ground read 902PB4, with his sole place coming in a maiden hurdle. He’s won eight out of 12 on softer ground and his sole win on going faster than soft came in a minor bumper race first time out. If the ground comes up soft or heavy for the Gold Cup I’ll reconsider my position. For now though I don’t see him as a serious prospect for the race.

The runner-up Smad Place (33-pace adjusted 39) was kept short of room almost all the way up the straight by an aggressive ride from Tom Scudamore on third placed Dynaste. But, switched to the inside, he picked up nicely to be closing on the winner at the finish. Smad Place has lost all eight times he’s tackled Grade 1 company. And, after seeing this run, I’m inclined to believe he’s best in smaller fields. His British form figures in races below Grade 1 class where 10 or more have lined up read 113U112 (he was a dozen lengths clear at the last when unseating). His only win in nine races with 11 or more runners came in a minor novice hurdle.

The slow early gallop enabled third placed Dynaste (33-pace adjusted 39) to get home. But he has now lost all nine times he’s run in non-novice company over three miles at Grade 1 or 2 level. He won the Ryanair over two miles and five furlongs last year and will surely be dropping back in distance to tackle that race again.

Further back in the field was Theatre Guide (27-pace adjusted 33) who moved eye-catchingly well for a long way before fading away in the closing stages. Theatre Guide is rather a narrow sort, and this may well be why he seems to run so well fresh. All his wins have come off breaks of five weeks or more. Before this loss he’d won five times out of six on good to soft or slower ground off breaks of five weeks plus over two miles or more.

Theatre Guide was fresh enough to show his best form here. I’m betting it was the near sprint finish that was his undoing. Off a stronger gallop I can readily see him winning a big three mile handicap chase at one of the spring Festivals.