Course specialist Holywell the solution to Ultima Chase

David Metcalf | March 14, 2016

Holywell weighted to strike in Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Chase

Holywell has a tremendous record at the Cheltenham Festival and can take advantage of a drop in the weights to further enhance it with victory in the Ultima Business Solutions Handicap Chase (14.50).

The Jonjo O’Neill trained gelding is a dual scorer at the four-day spectacular, having landed the Pertemps Final in 2013 and this race the following year when beating Ma Filleule going away by 1 1/2 lengths off a mark of 145.

Holywell went on to slam Don Cossack by 10 lengths in a Grade 1 contest at Aintree off a revised rating of 157, and also ran an absolute blinder to finish fourth of 16 to Coneygree in last year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup off a rating of 163.

Handicapper lends a helping hand

The nine-year-old has not been at his best in three starts this season, but that has resulted in the handicapper cutting him plenty of slack.

Holywell is now able to race off just 153, and that makes him dangerously well-treated on the pick of his form.

The son of Gold Well is also a horse that comes alive in the spring, and the drying ground is massively in his favour.

Another plus is that O’Neill targets the race and has won three of the last seven renewals, and with regular jockey Richie McLernon back in the plate everything looks in place for a huge run.