Brown Advisory Novices' Chase Ante-Post Odds: Bravemansgame to down Galopin in thriller

One of the highlights of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival will be the heavyweight clash between Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, and the pair dominate the ante-post betting. We take a look at the latest odds for the 3m Grade 1 contest on March 16, and pick out our best bet at this stage...

Willie Mullins has trained the winner of this contest on five occasions and he will fancy his chances of landing a sixth prize when he unleashes the hugely exciting Galopin Des Champs, who is currently a clear 6/4 favourite to emulate his stablemate Monkfish, who won this race 12 months ago. A sparkling winner of the Martin Pipe at last season's Cheltenham Festival, the six-year-old then went on to saunter to a Grade 1 victory at the Punchestown Festival, as he won that event by 12 lengths.

Sent over fences this season, Galopin Des Champs was always going to be one of the most exciting novice chasers hitting the track, and he made an ideal start to his career over the larger obstacles, as he cruised to a 22-length victory at Leopardstown in late December. There's no obvious negative about his chances, and he's shaped like he could be the next superstar off the Mullins production line, but at 6/4 having only raced once over fences then he's no bet in the ante-post market, and it could be worth looking elsewhere for value.

Arguably the biggest thorn in the side of Galopin Des Champs will be the Paul Nicholls-trained Bravemansgame, who will be aiming to hand the Ditcheat handler his fourth win in the race, and he's been a real joy to watch over fences this season, and at 4/1 looks a value play against the Irish hotpot at the head of the betting.

A decent third behind Bob Olinger in the Ballymore last season, Bravemansgame was always destined to be a much better chaser, and since switching to the larger obstacles he's been a real revelation - winning impressively on his three starts. A taking chasing debut saw him bound to victory over Fusil Raffles at Newton Abbot, while he kicked on from that effort when downing the solid yardstick Itchy Feet at Haydock Park.

However, it was his demolition of the exciting chaser Ahoy Senor in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day that showed his real potential, as he galloped that rival into submission as they ventured into the final few furlongs, and under a confident Harry Cobden he bounded clear in the closing stages. An out-and-out stayer, Bravemansgame may lack the pace of his main market rival Galopin Des Champs, but with the undulations of Cheltenham sure to play to his strengths, and the energy-sapping hill sure to aid him then he could well outstay the Mullins raider. A real competence over his fences has seen Bravemansgame rocket up the chase rankings, and this potential future Cheltenham Gold Cup winner can duly taste his first festival success on day two of the meeting.

Two Gigginstown House Stud-owned horses that could play a notable role in this contest are Noel Meade's Beacon Edge and Gordon Elliott's Fury Road. The former (10/1) finished a fine fourth in the Stayers' Hurdle last season, but has since switched to fences and claimed Grade 1 glory in the Drinmore Novice Chase earlier in the season, and is another real staying type that will enjoy the test the Brown Advisory has to offer.

Fury Road could only finish third to Beacon Edge in the Drinmore, but bounced back to winning ways when landing his own Grade 1 win in the Neville Hotels Novice Chase. Beating Run Wild Fred (33/1) in that event, the Elliott-trained star was another that showed superb stamina to claim glory that day, and he could be another each-way angle in this event.

Capodanno was well beaten by Bob Olinger in the Kildare Novice Chase, and with that Henry De Bromhead star set to line up in the Turners Novices' Chase then Capodanno could take his chance here, and is respected at 10/1, while the aforementioned Ahoy Senor has shown to be a smart novice this campaign and being beat by Bravemansgame is no negative, so adds yet more depth.

Bravemansgame could be joined by stablemate Threeunderthrufive, who has been ultra-progressive this term and bounded to glory in the Hampton Novices' Chase last time out, but he could be better suited by the National Hunt Chase, as he may just lack the tactical speed for this contest.