Protektorat could lay down the Law in an open Ryanair

JOSEPH O’Brien may have had a good start to this year’s Cheltenham Festival, with Lark In The Mornin winning the Boodles in smart fashion on Tuesday, but the testing ground has almost certainly gone the wrong way for his biggest Festival hope, Banbridge, in today’s Ryanair Chase (2.50pm).

Given better ground, he’d have been my pick here after his plucky defeat of Pic D’Orhy in the Silviniaco Conti, but the ground takes him out of contention, leaving this race fairly open.

While a case can be made for a number of the market leaders, I’m looking further down the list for horses quietly returning to form and wouldn’t be surprised if an upset was on the cards.

For that reason, I’ll be siding with PROTEKTORAT and GA LAW.

The former comes from a stable in solid form, and he has placed nicely in his last three runs, performing well in conditions like these, most recently when third behind a resurgent Shishkin in the Denman Chase at Newbury.

A drop back down in trip looks to be a good move for this keen-going sort, who would ordinarily be aimed at the Gold Cup.

A change of target from trainer Dan Skelton could be the key, and the Warwickshire-based handler seems to be confident of his ability in this company, so I’m happy to take the 10/1 on offer.

Representing plenty of each-way value at around 25/1 is Jamie Snowden’s Ga Law, who has been slowly coming back to form, last seen winning over this course and distance in a premier handicap in January.

Handicap form has served horses well coming into this race in the past, and both Snowden and jockey Gavin Sheehan have been in bristling form this term.

POINTERS

Protektorat         e/w        2.50pm                Cheltenham

Ga Law                 e/w        2.50pm                Cheltenham