Green Belt Elite has quickly established himself as a chaser going places and looks good value at 10-1 in the "getting out stakes".
Venetia Williams six-year-old was nothing special over hurdles but has been a revelation since going chasing, winning three out of his four starts.
He was particular impressive last time out when making all and slamming Franchoek by 16 lengths without coming off the bridle, and although raised 10lb for that effort he is improving at such a rate of knots that it is unlikely to be enough to stop him in this.
His prominent racing style and fluent jumping look ideal in a race which is usually run at a break neck pace, and unexposed novices like him have an excellent record in the race.
The gelding could potentially still be one step ahead of the handicapper on a mark of 143, and his shrewd trainer places her horses to extermly good effect at this meeting and rarely puts them in contests where they do not have a leading chance of landing the spoils.
The biggest danger could be Tartak who was not behind the best 2m novice chasers last season and ran far better than his finishing position suggests when finishing fifth to Kalahari King at Doncaster on his latets start.
He was unlucky not to beat Deep Puprple in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon earlier in the season when overjumping and losing vital ground when slipping badly on landing, and trainer Tom George has been very bullish about his prospects in recent interviews.
The seven-year-old is likely to be ridden nearer the pace today, and he is now running off a 6lb lower mark than he was at the start of the season. At 16-1 he looks worth an each-way saver.
Recommended bets: 2pts each-way Green Belt Elite (10-1 generally available); 1pt each-way Tartak (16-1 Coral)
