Only a light dusting of snow lies on the turf between the fences and up the famous hill to the winning post. Claisse expects that to melt pretty quickly, now that temperatures are back above freezing and expected to remain so this week. “It’s not going to be very helpful,” he said of the snow and forecast rain. Charbel was half a length up on Altior, though seeming hard-pressed, when he fell at the second-last in last year’s Arkle. At 25-1, he looks the forgotten horse in the Champion Chase, for which Altior is hot favourite at 8-11.

Source: The Guardian March 03, 2018 16:18 UTC