Alternative Pricewise: Side with veteran Tatenen in Caspian Caviar Gold Cup

If Caid Du Berlais can triumph in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham he would become only the fourth horse to take the race having previously triumphed in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on the track’s old course.

But with hikes in the weights for Paul Nicholls’ charge (7/1), as well as a couple of others that were well placed in the race back in January, preference is to look for value elsewhere.

In fact, off the six entered who ran in the race at the Open meeting, not one has won off a mark as high as the one they will need to carry here.

And rather than go for a young improver, as is usually the case in these big handicaps, there could be something to be said for sticking with the old reliable sort, Tatenen, at a big each-way price of 20/1.

Richard Rowe’s charge has contested this race twice before; he was seventh in 2011 and sixth a year later.

He will contest this year’s renewal off a mark of 139 compared to the 145 and 147 that he was lumbered with back then.

Age doesn’t have appeared to have caught up with the 10-year-old though. He ran respectably on his comeback run in November, travelling well before a mistake put paid to his chances late on.

He came into both his previous runs in this race first time out, so the chance to get a run into him will do no harm whatsoever.

It seems that these big handicaps are bread and butter to this horse. A third place finish in the Byrne Group Plate at Cheltenham and a fourth in the Topham Chase over the National fences at Aintree were particular highlights last season.

So off 1lb lower than those two runs there is no reason to believe the former Paul Nicholls inmate cannot run into the placings at Prestbury Park.

He has a 16lb swing in the weights with Ballynagour (8/1) for a 14l beating at the Festival, so at over twice his price a chance can be taken on him.

Current favourite Monetaire (6/1) falls into the well-worn David Pipe handicap-snatching mould, with two decent runs since joining the yard from France.

But with no win over further than 2m2f, despite eight attempts, it’s hard to see how he will get up the Cheltenham hill after a 2m5f strongly run race.

So with an official rating 4lbs lower than he has won off before, doubts about the favourite’s stamina and high marks to overcome for a number of the other principles, side with Tatenen to at least trouble the placings.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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