Tamarindo can strike another blow for five-year-olds after the exploits of his contemporary and stable companion Cyfor Malta by putting his older rivals in their place in the CF Roberts Electrical Contractors Handicap Chase at Cheltenham today.
While the Murphy's Gold Cup hero Cyfor Malta has a suffered slight setback and misses Saturday's Tripleprint Gold Cup, Tamarindo is the standard bearer for Martin Pipe's yard in this event.
A winner over fences and hurdles when trained in France, the Galetto gelding was beaten in his first four starts in Britain before ending the campaign with a hat-trick of hurdle victories at Exeter, Aintree and Hereford.
And he was quick off the mark on his first race over fences in Britain when beating Cavalero by seven lengths over three miles and a furlong over the old course four weeks ago. Today's race is over half a furlong longer on the new course.
Even Pipe has admitted that Tamarindo runs off a very fair mark today, although the horse is 1lb out of the handicap and it is a hot race with this year's Gold Cup winner Cool Dawn top weight on 12st.
Carrying the David Johnson colours of Cyfor Malta, Tamarindo can book his place in the Coral Welsh National later this month with victory here. Hit And Run can initiate a double for the Wellington trainer by completing a nap-hand in the opening Naas Races 3-Y-O Old Novice Hurdle.
Another French import, the River Mist gelding is probably the best juvenile hurdler seen out so far having struck at Newton Abbot, Sedgefield, Cheltenham and Sandown.
Immediately after Brave Tornado's impressive Ascot success last month, trainer Toby Balding nominated a tilt at the final of the Stakis Casinos Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival for his seven-year-old and the gelding can land his qualifier here.
The step up to a three-mile trip seemed to bring about plenty of improvement at Ascot and he remains unexposed enough to suggest that further improvement could be forthcoming.
Beau looks to have a big future ahead of him judged on his two-and-a-half lengths victory over hot-pot Estate Agent at Newton Abbot.
The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained five-year-old can carry on the good work in the EBF Ian Williams' Owners' National Hunt Novice Hurdle.
Brother Of Iris can follow up his Huntingdon success last month by winning the Red Rum Novices' Chase at Doncaster.
The Mary Reveley-trained five-year-old should be suited by the step up to three miles after flooring favourite Cherokee Chief by a length and a quarter. over two miles four and a half furlongs.
Mapleton stands out in the Doorknocker Conditional Jockeys' Novices Handicap Hurdle after promising placed efforts at Towcester and Catterick.
