Tipped up for a couple of races at the Cheltenham Festival, connections opted to keep IRON BRIDGE in calmer waters for the time being and can be rewarded by victory in the Extra Furlong With Trinity Create Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Underfoot conditions are said to be important for Iron Bridge and the soft ground and return to three miles are the optimum conditions for the son of Milan who returned to form with a good run over an inadequate trip at Warwick.

Impressive when beating Harper’s Brook on his chase debut in October, he failed to fire second time out but his last run suggests he’s back on an upward trajectory and he can make his class count in a race that has been dominated by those towards the top of the handicap in recent years.

He’s in danger of becoming a cliff horse for me but it’s too soon to give up on the promise that HARBOUR LAKE showed last season and at the beginning of this campaign.

The two mile trip looked too short for him in the Greatwood and then Aintree looked sharp enough when stepped up half a mile in a contest where the winner made all and the second and third were always to the fore. The form is strong with placed horses Benson and Walking On Air winning decent prizes since and the likes of Herbiers and Langer Dan were in behind.

Soft ground was against Harbour Lake when he pulled up over C&D in the Lanzarote but are forecast to be quicker and that can help show him in a better light.

The inclement weather may have ruled WAR SOLDIER out of a run in the valuable EBF Final last weekend but he can gain compensation in the Guinness Cold Brew Coffee Handicap Hurdle.

This race is over half a mile shorter than the Sandown contest but he is a dual winner at around the minimum distance, including a maiden success at this venue. He cut little ice in a Grade Two at Cheltenham last time but that was a fairly warm race and although this is also a competitive heat, War Soldier doesn’t look overburdened for his handicap debut and is open to plenty of progress.

ROSE OF ARCADIA was costly to follow over hurdles but is proving a different proposition having enjoyed a couple of victories in point-to-points.

She made a winning return over hurdles but it’s the switch to chasing that has really shown her in a better light as she cantered home to win by 22 lengths over course and distance in December. She’s followed that up with a good, narrow defeat at Exeter and a fine run in a Listed race against higher rated rivals. A return to handicap company at the scene of her success can see Rose Of Arcadia pick up the winning thread.

JACKS PROFIT has run over hurdles the last twice, showing little on debut before winning at 50/1 on better ground when fitted with a tongue tie. The aide is retained for this return to the flat and may help bring about further improvement while victory should have boosted his confidence.

He ran well here in January in a similar contest, only losing out narrowly (Lexington Knight fifth) and this consistent sort won’t need to find very much to gain a fourth career success.

March winners:

• Lynns Boy 4/1
• Get Stuck In 9/4
• Conkwell Legend 10/1 (NAP)
• Rock Chant 10/11
• Teumessias Fox 3/1
• Russian Virtue 13/8
• Windance 11/4 (NAP)
• Charging Point 10/3
• Dibble Decker 9/4
• Santos Blue 3/1 (NAP)
• Sweet Will 100/30

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