JACK HAYNES

1. Lieutenant Rocco 2. Milan Native 3. Clondaw Castle

You have to go back to

2006 to find the last Irish-trained winner and that barren run can continue as Lieutenant Rocco is among my biggest festival handicap fancies. Nick Mitchell’s talented six-year-old has improved with each run in his novice chase campaign as he has stepped up in trip, culminating in an impressive victory at Ffos Las. He ran a cracking race here over an inadequate 2m4½f in December and should go close if contesting this rather than the Brown Advisory or Marsh.