Discorama

Discorama did well to finish as close as he did in the Ultima Handicap Chase. Held up early on, he made good progress for Bryan Cooper as they raced towards the end of the back straight and down the hill, and he stayed on well over the last two fences to take third place, just two and a half lengths behind the winner The Conditional.

Paul Nolan’s horse did best of those horses who were held up early on. It was a race in which the pace held up well, the other three horses who, with Discorama, filled the first four places, all raced handily. His record now at the Cheltenham Festival reads 223, he obviously likes the place and, looking long term, he will be of interest if and when he returns next year, all going well. He stays well, and this is probably the race for him again next season. Horses who run well in the Ultima can run well again in the race the following year, as evidenced in recent years by Holywell, Un Temps Pour Tout, Beware The Bear, Vintage Clouds and Bensalem. Alternatively, if dropped by 5lb in the handicap to a mark of 145, he could run in the Kim Muir instead. He is only seven and this was just his eighth run over fences, so there could be more to come.

Cheltenham 10^th March, 2020