National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices' Handicap Chase (GBB Race)

Cheltenham

17:20

Date 2026-03-10

Distance 3m5f201y

Class Class 2

Going Good To Soft

Type Chase

Surface Turf

Age Band 5yo+

Prize £51,440

Weather Overcast

Temp 7.7°C

Wind 7mph SW

Rain 0%

Runners (17)

#	Horse	Jockey / Trainer	Wt	Gear	Form	OR	RPR	TS	Last	Crs	Dst	Val	Scr	Odds
5	Kurasso Blue Chestnut J:Jack Kennedy T:Gordon Elliott	J:Jack Kennedy T:Gordon Elliott	162	—	51-212	142	143	135	60d	—	—	+12	27.4	5/1 17%
Handicap debutant who is just a 5yo; promising runs at 2m7f and near 3m1f last two starts
9	Backmersackme Chestnut J:Donagh Meyler T:Emmet Mullins	J:Donagh Meyler T:Emmet Mullins	159	t	-78201	135	143	122	37d	—	—	+21	39	11/2 15%
His breakthrough win was over an extended 2m5f but a Cheltenham 3m1f display augurs well
12	Newton Tornado Bay J:Sean Flanagan T:Rebecca Curtis	J:Sean Flanagan T:Rebecca Curtis	157	—	1-F1P1	133	151	144	45d	—	—	+18	31.8	5/1 17%
A prime candidate, for last year's winning trainer, if the jumping mistakes can be avoided
11	Iceberg Theory Chestnut J:Conor Stone-Walsh(3) T:Paul Nolan	J:Conor Stone-Walsh(3) T:Paul Nolan	157	p	6P2-11	133	150	107	107d	—	—	+12	24.4	13/2 13%
Chase career began with a strong finish over an extended 3m1f; wins over shorter since
1	Wade Out Bay J:Sean Bowen T:Olly Murphy	J:Sean Bowen T:Olly Murphy	168	p	16-114	144	145	127	51d	—	—	+17	26	9/1 10%
Could still have more to give, including with this stamina test and first-time headgear
10	Holloway Queen Bay J:James Bowen T:Nicky Henderson	J:James Bowen T:Nicky Henderson	158	—	P-PU41	134	154	134	31d	—	—	+16	22.9	11/1 8%
Impressive last time but a move away from such testing ground looks the chief worry
4	One Big Bang Grey J:Alex Chadwick(3) T:James Owen	J:Alex Chadwick(3) T:James Owen	163	—	5-3213	139	146	127	46d	—	—	+18	23.9	14/1 7%
Ran well here when he had no answer to Wade Out late on in November (3m1f, soft)
8	Grand Geste Grey J:Danny McMenamin T:Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith	J:Danny McMenamin T:Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith	159	p	-221P1	135	148	123	24d	—	—	+34	39.1	18/1 5%
Won the Grand National Trial at Haydock (extended 3m4f, good to soft) last time; up 6lb
15	Walking On Air Bay J:Harry Cobden T:Faye Bramley	J:Harry Cobden T:Faye Bramley	151	tp	F0P-83	127	147	129	45d	—	—	+16	20.4	22/1 4%
Sparked once last term; much more like it on latest start (3m) but stamina is big question
2	Pic Roc Chestnut J:Ben Jones T:Ben Pauling	J:Ben Jones T:Ben Pauling	165	p	-U1591	141	151	123	38d	—	—	+32	36.8	18/1 5%
Sandown latest (3m, soft; won well from the front) confirmed he's got his act together
3	King Of Answers Brown J:Derek Fox T:Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore	J:Derek Fox T:Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore	164	p	2-5141	140	147	133	25d	—	—	+22	27.4	18/1 5%
Up 10lb but now looks a prime candidate for serious stamina tests such as this if he jumps
14	Union Station Bay J:Keith Donoghue T:Gavin Cromwell	J:Keith Donoghue T:Gavin Cromwell	155	—	6-2P2U	131	142	118	54d	—	—	+18	21.1	33/1 3%
Maiden; 0-8 in chases; runner-up in a 3m4f Dublin National but needs a big career best
6	Will Do Bay J:Danny Gilligan T:Gordon Elliott	J:Danny Gilligan T:Gordon Elliott	161	b	-7020P	137	145	137	47d	—	—	+20	23.7	33/1 3%
0-13 chasing; third in this last year off 5lb lower; beaten a neck over 3m6f in November
13	First Confession Bay J:Brendan Powell T:Joe Tizzard	J:Brendan Powell T:Joe Tizzard	157	—	-335F1	133	148	133	35d	—	—	+28	32.3	33/1 3%
Work to do on a few counts, including after he didn't jump well here in December
17	Holokea Bay J:Shane Fenelon(5) T:Mickey Bowen	J:Shane Fenelon(5) T:Mickey Bowen	148	—	21222P	124	151	134	24d	—	—	+24	27.3	40/1 2%
Second over an extended 3m4f; progressive until he ran poorly at Haydock on latest outing
7	Guard The Moon Bay J:Sam Twiston-Davies T:Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies	J:Sam Twiston-Davies T:Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies	161	p	PF-1P1	137	148	133	53d	—	—	+20	22.4	40/1 2%
2-3 as chaser; shaped latest (3m, soft; first cheekpieces) as if stamina was a strong suit
16	Silver Thorn Grey J:Jonathan Burke T:Emma Lavelle	J:Jonathan Burke T:Emma Lavelle	148	—	P-5114	124	150	132	31d	—	—	+16	19.3	40/1 2%
Competitive mark if bouncing back from latest start but going beyond 3m is something new

Horse	bet365	William Hill	Boyle Sports	Ladbrokes	Unibet
Kurasso Blue	9/2	5/1	9/2	4/1	4/1
Backmersackme	9/2	4/1	9/2	9/2	11/2
Newton Tornado	5/1	5/1	5/1	5/1	5/1
Iceberg Theory	6/1	11/2	6/1	6/1	13/2
Wade Out	9/1	9/1	9/1	9/1	9/1
Holloway Queen	11/1	11/1	11/1	10/1	11/1
One Big Bang	14/1	12/1	12/1	12/1	12/1
Grand Geste	18/1	16/1	16/1	16/1	16/1
Walking On Air	20/1	18/1	20/1	20/1	22/1
Pic Roc	18/1	16/1	16/1	16/1	14/1
King Of Answers	18/1	16/1	16/1	16/1	18/1
Union Station	33/1	28/1	28/1	28/1	28/1
Will Do	33/1	28/1	28/1	33/1	25/1
First Confession	28/1	25/1	25/1	33/1	25/1
Holokea	40/1	33/1	33/1	33/1	33/1
Guard The Moon	40/1	33/1	33/1	33/1	40/1
Silver Thorn	40/1	33/1	33/1	40/1	33/1

Predictor

Scored on Official Rating (max 30), Recent Form (max 25), and Market Odds (max 20). Max score: 75.

1st

Grand Geste

39.1

OR: 21.3 Form: 16.5 Odds: 1.4

18/1

2nd

Backmersackme

OR: 21.3 Form: 12.5 Odds: 5.2

11/2

3rd

Pic Roc

36.8

OR: 22.8 Form: 12.7 Odds: 1.4

18/1

First Confession

32.3

OR: 20.8 Form: 10.5 Odds: 1.1

33/1

Newton Tornado

31.8

OR: 20.8 Form: 7 Odds: 4

5/1

Kurasso Blue

27.4

OR: 23 Form: 0 Odds: 4.4

5/1

King Of Answers

27.4

OR: 22.5 Form: 3.5 Odds: 1.4

18/1

Holokea

27.3

OR: 18.5 Form: 8 Odds: 0.8

40/1

Wade Out

OR: 23.5 Form: 0 Odds: 2.5

9/1

Iceberg Theory

24.4

OR: 20.8 Form: 0 Odds: 3.6

13/2

One Big Bang

23.9

OR: 22.3 Form: 0 Odds: 1.7

14/1

Will Do

23.7

OR: 21.8 Form: 1 Odds: 1

33/1

Holloway Queen

22.9

OR: 21 Form: 0 Odds: 1.9

11/1

Guard The Moon

22.4

OR: 21.8 Form: 0 Odds: 0.7

40/1

Union Station

21.1

OR: 20.3 Form: 0 Odds: 0.9

33/1

Walking On Air

20.4

OR: 19.3 Form: 0 Odds: 1.1

22/1

Silver Thorn

19.3

OR: 18.5 Form: 0 Odds: 0.8

40/1

Ratings

Horse	OR	RPR	TS
Wade Out Top Rated	144	145	127
Kurasso Blue	142	143	135
Pic Roc	141	151	123
King Of Answers	140	147	133
One Big Bang	139	146	127
Will Do	137	145	137
Guard The Moon	137	148	133
Backmersackme	135	143	122
Grand Geste	135	148	123
Holloway Queen	134	154	134
Newton Tornado	133	151	144
Iceberg Theory	133	150	107
First Confession	133	148	133
Union Station	131	142	118
Walking On Air	127	147	129
Holokea	124	151	134
Silver Thorn	124	150	132

Last Run

Horse	Last Run	Status
Grand Geste	24d ago	Fit
Holokea	24d ago	Fit
King Of Answers	25d ago	Fit
Holloway Queen	31d ago	Fit
Silver Thorn	31d ago	Fit
First Confession	35d ago	Fit
Backmersackme	37d ago	Fit
Pic Roc	38d ago	Fit
Newton Tornado	45d ago	Fit
Walking On Air	45d ago	Fit
One Big Bang	46d ago	Fresh
Will Do	47d ago	Fresh
Wade Out	51d ago	Fresh
Guard The Moon	53d ago	Fresh
Union Station	54d ago	Fresh
Kurasso Blue	60d ago	Fresh
Iceberg Theory	107d ago	Long break