Batavir win can add the Final piece to Festival jigsaw

David Pipe trains Batavir, who needs a winner’s penalty to be sure of a place in the Pertemps Final (Getty Images)

All the significant Cheltenham preps were done and dusted by this time last year; none of the 27 winners at the Festival ran after 22 February and the majority had completed their final trials at least a month earlier. But the Pipes, Martin and David, have sprung surprises with a number of late Festival twists down the years.

Compared with Olympian, Blowing Wind and Gaspara, who all triumphed at Cheltenham after winning the Imperial Cup at Sandown the Saturday before, Batavir (3.10 Doncaster) will be as fresh as a daisy for the Pertemps Hurdle Final, a race in which he vies for favouritism following December victories at Ascot and Wincanton.

This French import is perhaps a little too well handicapped and needs to win to gain a penalty and guarantee his place in the line-up. The omens are good: those with long memories will recall Martin Pipe’s Unsinkable Boxer barely breaking sweat at Town Moor in 1998 before winning the Pertemps Final in a canter under Tony McCoy.

Drop Out Joe (3.45 Doncaster) gets the nod over last year’s Grimthorpe Chase winner Night Of Milan. Out of his depth on his last two outings, but by no means disgraced, this thorough stayer now has his chance to shine.

Golden Chieftain (2.15 Newbury) has shown glimmers of his old form this season and is at a big enough price in the Veterans’ Chase to take a chance with.

Bothy (1.45 Newbury), beaten a short head in the 2011 Totesport Trophy, has been running quite well at this lower level on recent starts.

Paul Nicholls has won six of the last nine Greatwood Gold Cups and top weight Sound Investment (3.25 Newbury) has rock solid credentials to improve that record.

Newbury and Doncaster are live on Channel 4 Racing today