Cheltenham Festival 2015: RSA Chase preview (14:05)

Don Poli has looked a very exciting prospect since going chasing, and is going to be tough to beat in a cracking renewal of the RSA Chase (14:05).

The six-year-old, who is trained by Willie Mullins, is already a Festival winner having triumphed in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Hurdle 12 months ago.

This gelding went on to finish a cracking second to Beat That in a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Punchestown, and was then off the track off the track for 206 days before reappearing at Gowran Park and easily landing a 2m 4f novice chase.

Don Poli jumped really well for the vast majority of the race and only had to be pushed out to readily pull clear and beat the well-regarded Wounded Warrior by 2 1/2 lengths.

The son of Poliglote then took the step up into Grade 1 company in his stride when comfortably beating Apache Stronghold by three lengths in a very strong renewal of the Topaz Chase at Leopardstown.

Don Poli jumped impeccably and found plenty on the run-in to win going away at the line and the race has proved an excellent Festival trial in recent times.

The stiff uphill finish at this track and 3m trip look absolutely ideal for Don Poli, and with the prospect of even better to come he looks a worthy favourite to land the spoils.

Kings Palace, trained by David Pipe, was a very smart novice hurdler last season who has made a seamless transition to the larger obstacles and looks the leading hope of the home team in this Festival race.

This seven-year-old jumped well to land novice chases at this venue on his first two starts, and was particularly impressive in the last of those when scoring eased down by seven lengths from Sausalito Sunrise.