which race for bensalem at the Festival?

Wouldn't really fancy him for anything but guess he'd have to go for the William Hill Chase?

After today, the egg and spoon.

Probably the WH Chase although I'd certainly be interested if he went for the Coral Cup or the Plate.

dont think it will be the World hurdle like some thought earlier this season.

i dont really know what they do now,possibly the same as last year??

Pretty sure he will go for the Will Hill after today.

wouldn't back it for anything after todays run

Horse has been aimed to atone for last year protected his chase mark all season for the big day in March. An easier trade you will not find.

Hard to fancy it for anything unless the going was an excuse today.

I wouldn't be overly confident about Cheltenhma winning, but equally I dont see what he did wrong today tbh. He placed 2nd in a grade 2 over 3 miles on heavy ground. He jumped and travelled, and King said he is likely to improve again.

i'd not write him just yet imo

Agree with Sintonian

For a horse who was reportedly pretty ill during the autumn and having only his second run back, I thought there was a lot of encouragement from that run today. He still has an engine as he travelled the best for most of the race and ultimately tired in the heavy ground.

Nothing there to make me throw away my a/p Festival Handicap Chase vouchers, if anything it makes it fairly clear cut that the World Hurdle is no longer a realistic target therefore all roads point to the handicap chase for me.

Considering Bensalem nearly died of colic after returning from Punchestown its a miracle hes even managed to race at all this season.On first watch of todays race i was slightly disappointed with Bensalem,having travelled really well he found very little when asked for his effort from two out.However when u consider that the ground was desperate and that todays race was expected to be used as a stepping stone towards gaining race fitness for Cheltenham then i don't think it was too bad at all.If returning to fences off a mark of 143 in the W Hill chase i would think he would be of major intrest

the worry is that it wasn't a gradual tiring today.....he went from cruising to nothing in a matter of strides....that is always a concern when they start doing that, it was something similar last time too.

He would have to be a place bet for me in the William Hill trophy at best. You would think he is sure to go there now. There will be other sleepers in the race that have been held back for it. He looked for all the world to be the winner last year before falling but people that assume he was sure to have won last year such as Simon Holt on the morning line this morning really annoy me. How many times does a horse travelling well find little when push comes to shove?

He will be well handicapped and go there with a live chance but it's a tough race to win and I'd rather look elsewhere for something at a bigger price in this race.

Cheltenham is also Bensalem's target despite his defeat by Cross Kennon over hurdles on heavy ground at Haydock on Saturday.

However, he is set to revert to fences in the Festival Handicap Chase, a race he fell in two out in 2010 when holding every chance.

"He got outstayed at Haydock. I think that second run back will just put him right and he'd be pretty certain to go for the three-mile handicap chase at Cheltenham," added the Barbury Castle handler.

10-1 into 7-1 today. An easy easy trade. Probably be 6's soon lay off free 4-1 which is tidy.

massive fan of this horse since his novice hurdle days,backed him to recoup last year losses in the william chase but very worried the way he has finished his last 2 races.put the cheltenham run down to the fact he blew up on his reappearance but i found his run at the weekend more alarming as he just emtied or maybe downd tools ever so fast when push came to shove-trainer said he was outstayed on the day. whats peoples opinion on his run at the weekend?

downed tools when it became hard work

I want to believe its just taking the horse a bit of time to get back to his best (illness, lay off, 2 tough races - so you could make a case for it).

But it is a major concern the way he cruised up then found nothing, could just be another who finds little off the bridle. Don't think we'll know for sure until the race. Wouldn't back him now, but there's a chance that if he travels like that again he could well trade alot lower

it might find for pressure on better ground, or it might come up against one less tough than Cross Kennon.   One thing for certain if you bet it you'll be laying off IR

yeah agree, could be a variety of things, the heavy ground over 3 miles, he could have needed it again ( if he has been plotted for the WH all season then likely) or he could have just downed tools.

I'd suggest they have just gave him a couple of preps .. why not when his chase mark is 143 ?

It's obviously the plan to keep his chase rating down but fraught with danger considering he is a dodgy conveyance and Jonjo, Pipe and various others will all have their own plots under the radar. In saying that he was hacking last year with King's horses in the doldrums. Intresting to see if it comes off for connections.

I thought he was outstayed on Saturday. He has yet to win over 3m. Maybe on better ground he'll be ok but I won't be paying to find out.
I'd like to see him drop in trip.

Billy Hill Chase for sure. He will be my main bet of the festival too, been getting a few spare quid on it for last 8 weeks or so.

Alan King on his Cheltenham chances
http://bit.ly/fI6nEq

thanks 4 opinions-this from sport life interview with king-Ran well on Saturday at Haydock in atrocious ground. He probably got there too soon as he's a horse who only really has one finishing run. We ended up getting dragged into a real slog which wouldn't have suited but it was still a good run. He was a very sick horse in the autumn and he's done well to get back on the track. It (the Haydock run) has made our decision a bit easier and he definitely won't go for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle now - he's in the Festival Chase and the Byrne Group handicap - if it came up testing ground I'd certainly be happy to run him over two miles five furlongs. He was travelling very well when coming down two out last year, and is off the same mark. He hasn't seen a fence this year but we'll do lots of schooling with him and give him a gallop on the point-to-point-course in about 10 days' time. I think he retains all of his ability and I do think you'll see the proper Bensalem at Cheltenham.

Seems set in stone now, the question is how far will he win by?

Seriously though, looks thrown in off his current mark if he can brush up his fencing and finish his race; the only niggling doubt for me is his illness over the summer and whether it had any lasting effects.

woodworm- the finishing off of his races is a massive IF going on his last2 races but kings last comment on seeing a diff horse at chelt is positive my reading of that is he wasnt fully wound up and chelt is the aim.