Verdict

Topweight Inn Antique has done little wrong since moving to Ferdy Murphy from the stable of Paul Nicholls and has to be respected off a mark of 127 but the burden of 11st 12lb may be too much for the French-bred gelding. In receipt of 5lbs we prefer the claims of Keltic Bard. Charlie Mann's gelding showed his current well-being when beating Jahash by a length in a big-field novices' handicap at Cheltenham last month and, with the ground conditions ideal, he looks the one to be on off a 7lb higher mark than at Prestbury Park. The Venetia Williams-trained Wuxi Venture has more to do than when winning at Bangor last time and a bigger danger to the selection may be Tim Easterby's recent course and distance winner Tribal Dispute, who gets in on a lightweight 10st 4lb. The ex-French Militaire finally got off the mark in this country at Wetherby last time and is another to consider.