5 under-the-radar horses in the Festival handicap chases

The Cheltenham Festival is very much the 'best of the best' with its stellar line-up of Grade 1 races, but the Cotswolds showpiece also boasts some of the best handicaps of the season.

Over fences, those races include the Ultima and the National Hunt Cup on day one, the Cross Country and Grand Annual on day two as well as the new Jack Richards Novices' Handicap Chase alongside the Festival Plate and the Kim Muir on the Thursday.

We've picked out five horses currently trading at 20/1 and higher in the Festival handicap chases.

Galia Des Liteaux - Ultima Handicap Chase

Dan Skelton's mare Galia Des Liteaux could be an interesting contender in the first handicap chase of the meeting, if she shows up here.

She finished fifth in the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase in 2023 on her only previous Cheltenham start. She was eighth in the Grand National last season, but perhaps didn't see out the trip, a notion further embellished when she was fifth in the Welsh National over Christmas.

The 3m1f test in the Ultima could be just what she wants from a mark now in the low 140s.

Beachcomber - National Hunt Cup

The Jonjo & A J O'Neill yard are sure to have their share of contenders in the handicaps, with the likes of Hasthing seemingly a leading Kim Muir contender, but Beachcomber could be one with potential for the Jackdaws Castle operation.

He was a decent sort over hurdles last season and showed early promise as a chaser at Chepstow and Exeter before being pulled up at Cheltenham in December.

He soon left that behind to win at Kempton over Christmas and a step up in trip in the National Hunt Cup could see him in a good light.

Theatre Man - Festival Plate

Theatre Man went off favourite for the Plate last March, but his race was over as early as the third fence when he came down. He had a couple of runs earlier this season, at Cheltenham over three miles and then Uttoxeter over 2m4f in December.

The front three from that Uttoxeter race all won next time, with Jingo Blue and Jagwar really promising sorts.

Theatre Man is currently rated 5lb lower than last March and would be one to note wherever he turns up.

The Short Go - Kim Muir

The Short Go could be one of Henry de Bromhead's squad for the Cotswolds. The lightly-raced son of Fame And Glory ran a cracker when second behind his stablemate Senior Chief at Cheltenham in October over 3m1f.

That was enough to prompt a crack at the Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan the following month, but a mistake at the first rattled his confidence and he was eventually hampered and fell.

He's been off since but, if his confidence is restored at home, he's low mileage over fences and that Cheltenham experience will stand to him.

Dee Capo - Jack Richards Novices' Handicap Chase

Dee Capo holds an Arkle entry, but that looks overly ambitious on what he has shown and Gordon Elliott may be tempted instead with the Jack Richards Novices' Handicap Chase.

He clashed with the likes of Ballyburn and Ile Atlantique on his first two chase starts before winning at Leopardstown (2m5½f, good to yielding) at Christmas.

He showed a really pleasing attitude there and his only run since saw him finish a remote fourth in a Grade 3 at Naas over an extended three miles, with classy operators Dancing City, Bioluminescence and Good Land in front of him over a trip that may have stretched his stamina in any case.

The intermediate trip in the newly established novices' handicap chase could be just the ticket for him.

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