Princess Royal Challenge Cup Open Hunters' Chase Preview
Cheltenham stages the Princess Royal Challenge Cup over three miles and two furlongs on Good To Soft ground Saturday afternoon, with a competitive field of 24 hunters' chasers lining up in this Class 2 contest.
The Selection
Its On The Line at 5.50 emerges as the standout pick. The nine-year-old gelding carries a RaceMetrics Rating of 1651—the highest in the field—and boasts a Form Expert record of 7 wins from 13 runs over the 3m-3f trip, precisely what we're dealing with today. Recent form reads 1-12112-3211, showing multiple wins within the last ten outings. He's proven in large fields too, with 2 wins from 5 runs in fields of 16-99 runners. The one minor concern is his Cheltenham record: 0 wins from 3 runs at the track. However, his dominance at the trip distance and consistent recent form outweigh this.
The Dangers
Barton Snow (10.00) is the principal danger. This nine-year-old has a RaceMetrics Rating of 1578, second-highest in the race, and crucially boasts a perfect Cheltenham record: 1 win from 1 run at the course. On Good To Soft going specifically, he's won 2 from 3 runs. His form string (56-8674-111-1) shows two recent wins, and he's a proven course winner here. The only caveat is he's untried over 3m-3f, having no runs at that distance.
Solitary Man (23.00) cannot be ignored despite his longer price. The eight-year-old holds a RaceMetrics Rating of 1580, matching Barton Snow's strength, and—critically—he's the only horse in the field with a Class 1 win on his record (1 win from 4 runs in Class 1). His form over 3m-3f reads 1 win from 6 runs, and recent form includes a 1212 sequence showing consistency. He's unproven at Cheltenham, however.
At a Price
Stattler (15.00) offers value for place bets. The 11-year-old is a Cheltenham course winner (1 from 3 at the track) and has won 2 from 6 runs over 3m-3f. Notably, he holds 2 wins from 11 runs in Class 1—more Class 1 experience than most rivals—and won 1 from 4 in large fields. At 15.00, he's overlooked relative to those credentials.
Verdict
Its On The Line represents the strongest form profile at the trip distance; back him to reclaim the Cheltenham course form at a fair price.
